586 Asiatic Society. [Oct. 



" A trip to the Sewaliks, near the Pinjore valley, lately, has introduced us to the 

 Anoplotherium ?* in a perfect line of six molars on one side, and four ditto in the other 

 side of upper jaw. I say Anoplotherium, for the rear molars have the distinguishing 

 mark in the insulated mamilla pointed out by Cuviert, as that which distinguishes 

 the Anoplotherium from the Palaeotherium, although the position of the molar bone, 

 part of which is distinguishable, appears to differ from that of the former animal, 

 and gives it a greater resemblance to the Palseotherium ; this is a beautiful fossil, 

 and dug out : but I must give you a history of the last week. 



" I had to visit Dadupur on canal matters, and found both Baker and Durand 

 as eager as myself for a short excursion into the Sewaliks ; and as all our parties 

 were out, we determined on visiting those most westerly, who were working 

 at a village called Moginund (a common name apparently) in the Ramgurh dis- 

 trict, about 50 miles W. of Dadupur : our route took us through Sidaura, 

 Naraingurh, Mir ka Gurhi, Ramgurh, to the village of Moginund, which lies in 

 a nook of these little hills, open only on the west : here we remained three days, 

 returning to Dadupur by regular marches, and visiting Khet Purali, another 

 little, village close under the hills on our way, as near this village is a stratum 

 of a clay conglomerate, or marl full of testaceous remains chiefly Bivalves (varie- 

 ties of Unio,) reptiles, and fish; of the former, you have already specimens, and 

 with the latter, you shall be provided in due course. The country on this route was 

 open and well cultivated, rice in great abundance, and cultivation of all sorts up to 

 the foot of the hills. These hills differ much in appearance from those between the 

 Jamna and Ganges ; the abruptly scarped precipices, and mural cliffs, with the huge 

 strata of shingle, are here replaced by a comparatively low series of undulating hills, 

 consisting of an eternal succession of sands and clays, with here and there beds of a 

 coarse sandstone, or fine shingle conglomerate, accessible at all points excepting 

 those where slips have taken place, and free from jungle and high vegetation, except- 

 ing in hollows, and the lines of ravines skirting the tributaries to the main outlets 

 of drainage. 



"The hills were covered with fossils like all the others (how they could have 

 escaped observation before, must remain a source of wonder). Mastodons and 

 hippopotamus's remains looking one in the face at every step ! Amongst the remains 

 collected were those of the rat and porcupine, too perfect to admit of any doubt. The 

 specimens of each consisting of the palate, with the two lines of molars ! ! ! Although 

 three days at this place, and superintending my digging parties, I must confess my 

 inability to decide strictly whether we were working in a stratum or in debris : this 

 may appear strange to a person who has been unaccustomed to examine and decide 

 on the position of strata, but will be understood and appreciated I imagine by any 

 one who has had his attention strictly brought to bear upon the point. Shrubs, 

 inequalities of surfnce, ravines, et hoc genus omne, all and each of them battling 

 every inch ! I am however inclined to consider that we had both, and that we were 

 working in both a soft sandstone stratum, and also in a superficial coating of debris. 

 A great number of perfect bones, the whole series of a leg for instance, jaw bones, 

 and other remains were fairly found and dug out from the rock ; at other places, huge 

 masses of hard rock were found imbedded in the softer rock or soil, the said masses 

 consisting in most cases of agglutinated bones : the shape of these masses give an 

 appearance of their having fallen formerly from some parent rock, and being now 

 found as debris ; but the circumstance of finding the connected joints of animals is 

 altogether in favor of the excavation being in the stratum in which they were ori- 

 ginally deposited. The question does not appear to me of much consequence, as the 

 bones are not rounded by attrition, and are as sharp and perfect in their form and 

 outline, as when belonging to the living animal, although frequently broken, and 

 jammed together, as would be the case in a skeleton or a mass of bones being forced 

 together in an upheavement of the country upon which or in which they were col- 

 lected. 



" I may remark that our excavation was not on the outcrop of the strata, but in 

 the slope, and the working parties were successful in their operations at many points 

 on the whole surface of that side of the mountain. This deposit appears to be alto- 

 gether wanting in the mastodons, reptiles, and hippopotami : the remains at present 

 dug out consist of portions of anoplotherium or palaeotherium, rhinoceros, hog, 

 horse, ruminants of the most gigantic dimensions, with those of the smaller classes, 

 carnivora, hyaena, canis, tiger (or lion), and a small species of a feline animal, a very 

 perfect cranium of which is in the possession of Lieuts. Durand and Baker. Many 



* This fossil is either the Anoplotherium, or a new variety of the Palseotherium, and if it was 

 not for the insulated mamilla, referred to, its classification amongst the latter genera would, 1 

 suspect, be undoubtedly correct. The discovery of more perfect remains of the head, will settle 

 this point at once. 



t Volume iii. p. 21. Ossemens fossiles. 



