70 Geology of the Rdsya Mountains. [JaK. 



The limestone and coal about to be described, repose in an elevated 

 position on either side of the adjoining summits ; whether the rocks of 

 which these last are composed, occupy a superior geognostic position 

 with regard to the coal or not, is somewhat, doubtful ; but as far as it is 

 safe to determine from inquiries of a partial nature, we may consider 

 the sandstone from the base of the mountains to the higher peaks along 

 their flanks as an uninterrupted series of beds, and consequently, that 

 the coal is a newer rock than the sandstone composing adjacent sum- 

 mits. 



In the sandstone upon which the coal and limestone immediately rest 

 at Chirr a, a bed of boring shells, figs. 8, 9, 10, plate VII. occur com- 

 posing a considerable portion of the rock in certain places. The shells 

 were of the size and form of the Teredo navalis, but they are mine- 

 ralized so unfavorably as to render it doubtful to what genus they 

 really belonged*. 



It is here worthy of remark that the old red sandstone at the base of 

 the coal measures at Caithness, and other parts of Britain contains 

 fishes, none of which appear in the superincumbent beds, while at Chirr a 

 we have a sandstone bearing the character of the old red, and like it 

 reposing on igneous rocks, and supporting beds of limestone and coal ; 

 but instead of fishes abounding in the peculiar boring shells just men- 

 tioned, not one of which could be found in the superimposed rock, nor 

 could one of the numerous shells of the latter be found in the subja^ 

 cent rock, thus indicating both in Europe and India, that a sufficient 



* In Dr. Buckland's paper on the fossils procured in Ava by Mr. Crawford, 

 Geol. Trans. 2nd series, vol. II. p. 387, teredines are mentioned as having been 

 found in blocks of wood in that kingdom and of the same species as those found 

 in London clay. Mr. Wise of Dacca has recently found fossil trees ia Camilla, 

 that remarkable tract of table-land referred to in the first paragraph of the 

 author's report on the physical condition of the Assam tea plant. (Transactions 

 of the Agricultural Society of India, vol. IV. p. 1.) Two specimens of these trees 

 have been brought to Calcutta by H. M. Low, Esq., one apparently calcareous, 

 the other is siliceous, yet both were found together iu the same place, so that it is 

 to be supposed they were drifted from distinct situations. One of these fossils 

 had been eaten by termes and the other perforated by a kind of teredo, the holes 

 of which agree in every respect with those formed in recent trees in the Sunder- 

 bunds by the teredo navalis •, the trees were dicotyledinous. If they were actu- 

 ally found on the table-land alluded to, the fact will lead to some highly inter- 

 esting inferences, but whether or not, they serve to form an interesting local link 

 between the fossils of the Chirr a Punji sandstone, and the living teredo in the 

 Bay of Bengal. Mr. Low has kindly undertaken to procure more information 

 from Mr. Wise regarding the history of the fossil woods in question, which are 

 in the meantime transferred to my friend Dr. Cantor. 



