628 Notice of some fossil impressions [Dec. 



within. — Nothing more effectual could have been contrived with the 

 same degree of simplicity. 



The humid process of refinage has however of late years been 

 brought to such perfection, that it must finally drive the dry process 

 off the field even in India, on account of its vastly superior economy. 

 I have not space here to enter into any particulars of the new method 

 of refining silver and gold by sulphuric acid, but I may remark that 

 according to a recent publication on the subject by Gay Lussac, the 

 refiners of Paris not only charge nothing for refining gold of low qua- 

 lities, but actually pay a bonus to be allowed the job, returning to the 

 proprietor all the silver contained in it, and paying themselves out of 

 the copper alloy ! 



V. — Notice of some Fossil Impressions occurring in the Transition Lime- 

 stone of Kamaon. By Dr. J. McClelland. 



The three accompanying figures, PI. XXXV. figs. 1, 2, 3, area represent- 

 ation of appearances observed in a schistose rock, which is composed of 

 argillaceous clay and hornblende, They are interesting fortwo reasons; 

 first, because they assist to determirie the period at which the rock was 

 formed which, but for the presence of these appearances, and a few indis- 

 tinct traces of orthocera, would be referred to the primitive era; and se- 

 condly, because they appear to constitute a new species of fossil remains. 

 I have only found them in the valley of the Ponar river, a small stream 

 which rises in the mountains between Lohughat and Almorah. The 

 bed of this stream is about 1 500 feet above the sea, and is chiefly com- 

 posed of the rock in which these remains are found. Lofty mountains 

 ascend to the height of some two or three thousand feet on each side 

 of the river: some of these are composed of primitive and others of tran- 

 sition rocks, and the latter are superimposed on the rock in which these 

 fossils occur. During a hasty survey of the bed of this river, I found the 

 impressions only in the smooth surface of water- worn masses, and from 

 the great size and globular shape of the latter, I was unable to detach 

 any of the fossils with the hammer, and am therefore deprived of the 

 pleasure I should otherwise have had of transmitting a few specimens 

 to the Society. The accompanying drawing was, however, sketched 

 on the spot, and conveys a pretty accurate idea of the appearance of 

 these fossils as they exist in the rock. They never occur straight, being 

 always bent and distorted, and a great number are usually aggregated 

 together in the same stone. The rings are detached and equidistant 

 from each other, and are always about fourteen or fifteen in number, 



