1876.] H. H. Godwin-Ansien— Birds from N. JE. Frontier of India. 223 



pie who remained on earth had nothing to do with it. The fragments of 

 the ball are white and dark inside, like the dregs after sifting lime and 

 plaster, and outside it is black, like a lacquer ; and it is not clear what it is. 

 There are no trees, &c. where the ball fell." 



The following papers were read : 



1. Fifth list of Birds from the Sill Ranges of the N. E. Frontier of 

 India. By Major H. H. Godwin-Austei^, F. E. G. S., F. G. S., &c. 



The j)resent list, which adds 36 species, bringing up the record of birds 

 from the Eastern districts and hill-frontier to a total of 528 species, in- 

 cludes birds, principally from the Muuipur Hills, obtained by Messrs. Ogle 

 and Robert in the field-season of 1873-74, in the Eastern Naga Hills, by 

 Mr. A. W. Chennell, and in the Khasi HiUs, by the author himseli: in 1875. 

 All the new forms except two, which are here for the fii-st time made 

 known, were described in a joint paper by Viscount Walden (now Marquess 

 of Tweeddale) and the author, in ' the Ibis' for 1875 ; these descriptions 

 are repeated in full. 



The paper concludes with some short additional notes on the birds of 

 the lists previously communicated by the author to the Society's Joui-nal. 



The pa|)er will appear in Journal Part II, No. 4, for the current year, 

 and will be illustrated by three colom-ed plates, two of which are by the 

 author's own hand. 



2. Contributions toioards the knowledge of the Indian Fossil Flora. 

 On some Fossil Plants from the Bamuda Series in the Baniganj Coal- 

 field, collected hy Mr. J. Wood-Mason. By Db. 0. Feistmaxtel. 



Mr. Wood- Mason has lately brought a very fine collection of fossil 

 plants from the Raniganj coal-field, and at his request I have undertaken 

 the examination and description of these interesting remains. 



Although the Geological Museum possesses large collections from the 

 same coal-field, as well as from all other locaHties, Mr. Wood-Mason's 

 collection is yet very valuable, containing as it does not only several 

 perfectly new, but also better specimens of the known forms. 



The Eaniganj coal measures belong to the great series of rocks which 

 are classed as the Damuda Series, and they are the top group of this seiies. 

 These Damudas, together with the Panchot group, form the lower portion 

 of the whole plant-bearing system, for which it is now better to adopt the 

 name Gondwana System, as there occur in it not only plants, but animals 

 also. 



Mr. Wood-Mason's collection is especially of value for estimating the 

 age of this series, which from a stratigraphical point of view may well be 

 divided into three or four groups, but which from a palaeontological point of 



