1835.] On the Fossils of the Jumna River. 501 



gives these fossils the exact appearance of half picked, dried or roasted 

 bones. A fragment of the polished osseolite (for it deserves a 

 mineral appellation) yielded on rough analysis, 



Phosphate and carbonate of lime, 17'5 



Water, 6*0 



Red oxide of iron (with alumina ?), 76'5 



100 

 the specific gravity being 45. 



Were the fossil ingredient every where carbonate of lime, some 

 support might be gained for the theory of the modern conversion 

 of the bones ; but while no cause can be assigned for the ferruginous 

 impregnation, nor less for the siliceous, (of which if instances are less 

 frequent here, they are amply supplied from the analogous fossils of 

 Jabalpur;) we shall be justified in seeking and assigning an extrane- 

 ous origin for the organic remains of the Jamna. Indeed the very 

 specimens upon which the greatest reliance might be urged by the 

 advocates of local formation, those in which the bone is seen entirely 

 imbedded in the hard kankar, furnish adverse evidence ; for the 

 fragments imbedded are broken and rounded, and their substance or 

 composition is entirely heterogeneous to the matrix itself. 



When to these arguments is added the strong fact of some of 

 the fossil animals being such as could not have existed in the dry 

 soil of Upper India, the point is in my opinion decided. Mr. Dean 

 mentions several imbedded specimens, and one whole animal, (the 

 elephant at Panchkourie*) as situated too high in the bank to be reached 

 by the highest modern floods of the river ; to these, therefore, he 

 concedes the greatest antiquity, while of another he allows that the 

 parts must have been washed into the situation in which they now lie, 

 imbedded in the tufaceous conglomerate. Of the modern growth 

 of this calcareous tufa there can be no question. The incrustations 

 of roots and twigs (forming the pipe kankar of the specimens), and 

 even of fragments of boats or sunken weapons, lost in wrecks on these 

 dangerous shoals, are convincing proofs of it ; but there is an 

 essential difference between this formation and the true kankar of 

 the banks. 



There are two animals in Mr. Dean's list, the camel and the human 

 subject, which have kept up a suspense of judgment as to the nature of 

 his fossil series, from their never having been discovered elsewhere : 

 this difficulty is now removed by the sight of the specimens. Dr. 

 Pearson, and Dr. Evans, are decided, that none of the fragments 

 * See the description and note in page 271 — 3. 

 . 3 T 



