540 HENRY F. BLANFOED ON THE 



To sum up the several views advanced in this paper : — 



1st. The plant-bearing series of India ranges from early Permian 

 to the latest Jurassic times, indicating (except in a few cases, and 

 locally) the uninterrupted prevalence of land and freshwater condi- 

 tions. These may have prevailed from much earlier times. 



2nd. In the early Permian, as in the Postpliocene age, a cold 

 climate prevailed down to low latitudes, and, I am inclined to be- 

 lieve, in both hemispheres simultaneously. With the decrease of 

 cold the flora and reptilian fauna of Permian times were diffused to 

 Africa, India, and possibly Australia; or the flora may have existed 

 in Australia somewhat earlier, and have been diffused thence. 



3rd. India, South Africa, and Australia were connected by an 

 Indo-oceanic continent in the Permian epoch ; and the two former 

 countries remained connected (with at the utmost only short inter- 

 ruptions) up to the end of the Miocene period. During the latter 

 part of the time this land was also connected with Malayana. 



4th. In common with some previous writers, I consider that the 

 position of this land was defined by the range of coral reefs and 

 banks that now exists between the Arabian Sea and West Africa. 



5th. Up to the end of the Nummulitic epoch no direct connexion 

 (except possibly for short periods) existed between India and Western 

 Asia. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XXV. 



Outline Map of India, showing the Distribution of the Plant-bearing Series 

 referred to in Mr. Blanford's paper. 



Discussion. 



Prof. Ramsay said that he thought the age of the different beds 

 referred to had been correctly determined by the author. He 

 thought that there were closer relationships between the Permian 

 and Triassic formations than is usually supposed. He referred to 

 the time when the possibility of the occurrence of glaciation in 

 Permian times was doubted ; but erratic boulder-beds of undoubtedly 

 Permian age had since been described as occurring in South Africa, 

 and he thought there was a general tendency to admit the possibility 

 of Permian glaciation. He remarked that, according to Mr. Croll, 

 glacial periods occur at intervals, alternating on the northern and 

 southern hemispheres every 25,000 years. The south is now under 

 more glacial conditions than the north ; and during the formation of 

 our Boulder-clay the southern hemisphere probably had a more 

 temperate climate. Prof. Ramsay agreed with the author in the 

 belief of the junction of Africa with India and Australia in geo- 

 logical times. 



Prof. T. Rupert Jones said that he wished to express his high 

 appreciation of the masterly summary of the facts and theories re- 

 lating to the wide extension of the early mesozoic fauna and flora 

 given by Mr. Blanford in this paper, and supplemented by the re- 



