1881.] fossils of the Indian Gondicana system. 179 



In those bods Vertebraria appears for the first time, Glossopteris is 

 largely enough developed, Gancjamopteris predominates. 



Talchir group.— 1859. Talchir coalfield, M. G. S. I. Vol. I. 



This peculiar group which is at the base of the whole Gondwana 

 system is met with in all the various basins. It consists of shales (bluish 

 grey or olive green, fine earthy), sandstones and a boulder bed, which is 

 believed to have been formed by floating ice. The shales are fossiliferous ; 

 fossils are known hitherto from three basins, in two of which I have collected 

 and found the fossils to be numerous. 



Here Glossopteris takes its origin in India ; among other fossils the 

 genus Gangamopteris is the most numerous. There is also a fragment of 

 an insect wing, but too fragmentary to allow of an identification or 

 classification. 



I shall now proceed to enumerate the Gondwana fossils hitherto known, 

 from the entire system, in systematic (biological) order giving with each 

 genus and species its distribution. I begin with the lowest plants passing 

 then to the animals. Of references to the species I shall give only such 

 where there is a figure of the species or the latest description. I have 

 also added, for sake of convenience, the etymological derivation of all the 

 names. 



PLANTAK 

 Class: ALGAE.* 



Genus Chondrites,^ Stbg. 

 There is only one Alge mentioned from the Gondwana system, and 

 even its occurrence is very doubtful. 



Chondrites (J), dichotomies, Morr. sp. 

 1840. Fucoides, Morris, Transact. Geol. Soc. Lond. Vol. V, 2 Ser. Tab. XXI, 

 fig. I- 



1876. Chondrites, Feistmantel, Kach Flora, Gondwana Flora. Vol. II, p. 6. 



Group and locality uncertain, as is the species itself. 



Class: EQUISETACE^].+ 



This order is well represented, though almost entirely in the Lower 

 Gondwanas. 



* The seaweed family. 



f From Chondrus, name of a living genus of seaweeds. 



% Horse-tail family. 



