1855.] GARDEN — SOUTH AFRICA. 453 



clearly prove it to be Muschelkalk. It appears that the Keuperin 

 the neighbourhood of the Lakes of Lugano and Como is also in the 

 state of dolomite, which renders it difficult to separate it from the 

 dolomites which underlie the Muschelkalk ; the Lower Lias is well 

 developed at Arzo, Saltzio, and at Monte Generoso near Mendrisio, 

 and on the shores of the Lake of Como. Then follow, forming an 

 extensive horizon, the beds of the Calcareo ammonitifero rosso, of 

 Erba, &c., which evidently belong to the Eta^e Toarcien of D'Orbigny, 

 and which can be traced over a considerable portion of Italy. 

 Basle, April 9, 1854. 



[Note. — Compare Escher von der Linth "on the Vorarlberg," 

 Mem. Soc. Helv. vol. xiii. ; and Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. No. 42. 

 Miscell. pp. 1 6, &c. ; Suess " on the Vorarlberg," and " on the Kossen 

 Brachiopods," ibid. No. 43. Miscell. p. 25, &c. ; and Von Hauer 

 "on the Trias, Lias, and Jura of the Eastern Alps," Jarhb. K. K. 

 Geol. Reichsanst, 1853, pp. 715, &c. ; and the Anniversary Address, 

 1855, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. No. 42. pp. Ixiii, &c. — Ed.] 



3. Notice of some Cretaceous Rocks near Natal, South Africa. 

 By R. J. Garden, Esq., late Capt. H.M. 45th Reg. 



[Communicated by R. Godwin- Austen, Esq., F.G.S.] 



[Abstract.] 



The discovery of these fossiliferous rocks, near the Umtafuna* (on 

 some maps spelt " Umtavooma") River, on the coast of South Africa, 

 was made by Mr. H. F. Fynn, in 1824. About three miles to the 

 southward of the river commence certain excavations in the cliffs, 

 formed by the action of the sea, and called by the natives " Izinhlu- 

 zabalunguf." These caves extend for about 800 yards. In 1851 

 Capt. Garden visited the spot with Mr. Fynn, and, with the aid of 

 his servant (the late Private Thomas Souton), and the natives, 

 collected a suite of fossils;]; from the walls of the caves and from 

 the adjoining cliffs. The cliffs vary considerably in height, and 

 their tops are covered with vegetation ; the Strelitzia alba grows 

 abundantly in the hollows. The lowest rock visible is a hard shelly 

 rock with pebbles ; above it is a brownish-red sandstone, traversed 

 in every direction with white veins, which are the broken edges of 

 colossal bivalve shells {Inoceramus). These shells are thin, and too 

 easily broken to be extracted from the rock ; the corrugated surface 

 of a portion of one was exposed to the extent of 2 feet in length by 

 1 foot in breadth, and the author estimated others to be nearly 

 3 feet in length. This shell is common to all the strata in the cliff. 

 Alternate layers of the above-mentioned two rocks occur to the 

 height of about 1 8 feet ; above which are hard bluish-black, brown, 



* Pronounced Oom-ta-fii-na. 



t Pronounced Izinthlii zabaliingii : " the houses of the white men ;" so called 

 probably from the caverns having once been occupied by shipwrecked sailors. 

 X These fossils are described by Mr. Baily in the next following communication. 



