terrupt the waters of the Bramaputia and convert the interior of the 

 valley into a lake. These, called the Meeker Hills, are composed of 

 insulated rocky protrusions of metamorphosed gneiss, in some in- 

 stances syenitic, in others as a sandstone whose base is earthy felspar 

 containing crystals of the same mineral, and in others as hornblende 

 slate J all, and especially the second, with veins and beds of quartz 

 projecting upwards, the veins often radiating irregularly from the beds. 

 Along the veins a laminated structure is produced in the rock j this 

 structure follows the course of the vein, and disappears as you recede 

 from one vein, re-appearing again as you approach another. 



These, as well as many other objects of geological interest, could 

 only be cursorily observed from the necessity of accompanying the 

 expedition. Hot and salt springs, — from the latter the natives derive 

 a muriate of soda, — as well as fossil bones, as first discovered by the 

 late Mr. Scott, present themselves along the base of the mountains. 



The author also collected about one hundred and sixty species of 

 the animals, chiefly birds, from the forests of Assam, which have been 

 forwarded to the India House, as well as one hundred and twenty 

 species of the fishes of the Bramaputra in Upper Assam ; many of 

 which are identical with Hamilton's Gangetic species, but several are 

 new; regarding the habits and peculiarities of which the author states 

 having collected considerable details. 



On the remains of a fossil Monkey from the tertiary strata of the 

 Sewalik Hills in the north of Hindoostan ; by Captain P. T. Cautley, 

 F.G.S., Bengal Artillery, and H. Falconer, M.D., Bengal Medical 

 Service. 



The authors commence their paper with some general observations 

 on the differences in habit in different animals, which prevent the 

 remains of some being so frequently preserved as those of others 

 in a fossil state, and they adduce as instances birds and quadrumanous 

 animals. So speedily are the remains of these carried away by the 

 hyaena, the chacal and wolf, the scavengers of torrid regions; that in 

 India, the traces of casualties are so seldom seen, even where monkeys 

 occupy in large societies the groves of mango trees round villages j 

 that the simple Hindoo believes they bury their dead by night. 



The authors since engaged in the examination of the Sewalik fos- 

 sils, were early led to anticipate the finding of some quadrumanous 

 animals, and several months ago obtained an astragalus of the right 

 hind leg, which they minutely describe, and compare with that of the 

 recent Semtinpithecus Entellus ; which, though certainly belonging 

 to a distinct species, it closely resembles both in size and general 

 form, as is exemplified in the specimen sent with the fossil astragalus. 

 This was completely mineralized, having a sp. gr. of about 2'8 and 

 appearing to be impregnated with hydrate of iron. Although only a 

 solitary bone of the foot, the relations of structure are so fixed that 

 the identity of the fossil is as certain as if the entire skeleton had been 

 found. But the authors deferred making the announcement, in the 

 hopes of soon finding specimens of the cranium and teeth ; these have 

 been discovered by Messrs. Baker and Durand of the Bengal Engi- 



