332. O. Feistmantel — Contributions towards the [No. 4, 



that all these subdivisions are from a palseontological point of view to be 

 joined into one series, to which the name Damuda Series may be applied. 



This view has been most distinctly expressed by Mr. Oldham in a 

 paper* adjoining Mr. W. T. Blanford's. 



In the same paper Mr. T. Oldham proposes to replace the term " Low- 

 er Damuda" by the name " Barakur group", as this term " lower Damu- 

 das" would involve a group, which should be called " upper Damuda group ;" 

 which was originally described from the Nerbudda valley, but which was 

 afterwards proved to belong to quite a different horizon. f 



Previously to this paper by Mr. Blanford, we have one on the age 

 of the several sedimentary beds in Central India and Bengal by Mr. Old- 

 ham,! wherein also for the Damuda Series, to which our Baniganj plants 

 belong, a discussion is given. 



But the fossils at that time were only provisionally examined and de- 

 termined and only some forms were more remarkable, such as Schizonewra, 

 Sch. Mong., Vertebraria, Boyle, Phyllotheca, Bgt., and Glossopteris, Bgt. 

 All these fossils have been ever since in our collections ; and although 

 Mr. Oldham himself recognized the Schizoneura to be most characteristic 

 of the Trias in Europe, and although Phyllotheca, Bgt., is also very fre- 

 quent in some Oolitic strata in Europe, yet the author relies solely upon the 

 occurrence of the genus Qlossopteris, Bgt., which is also reported from 

 Australia, as indicating an analogous age ; and Mr. Oldham maintained 

 this opinion to the last. 



Mr. Oldham also states that no Tceniopteris, a genus which is so frequent 

 in the Bajmahal Series, occurs in the Damudas. But as we will see further 

 on, Tceniopterides are not quite rare, as Boyle and McClelland have 

 already figured them, and as later they have been found again, § and 

 Wood-Mason has brought several fine specimens. 



Soon after Mr. Oldham's paper we have another by Sir Ch. Bunbuiy|| 

 on some fossil plants from Nagpiir, wherein we also find some general 

 conclusions. Sir C. Bunbury (/. c, p. 345) says, referring to Mr. 

 Oldham's paper : " Prof. Oldham is of opinion that the Bajmahal beds are 

 mezozoic, the Damuda beds paleeozoic. On this latter point I am not 

 entirely prepared to go along with him. I still think for the reasons 

 already given that the facies of this Nagpiir and Burdwan flora is rather 

 mezozoic ;" and further on he says, " The palseobotanical evidence is far 



* Mem. Geol. Surv. Ind. III. p. 197 seq. et 206, 207. 



t This is the Jabalpur group of the later classification. 



% Mem. Geol. Surv. Ind. II. 1860, p. 299 seq. 



§ Mr. Hughes has also brought some specimens from the Jherria coalfield. 



|| Fossil flora of Nagpiir, Q. J. G. Soc. XVII, Pis. VIII— XII. 



