Dec. 1844.] Proceedings of the Asiatic Society. cxliii 



useful hints to the Geologist and Mineralogist, that I should strongly recommend its 

 publication. Though Dr. Rowe modestly disclaims any scientific merit in it, yet it 

 evidently is the production of a gentleman who knew what he saw, and made the best use 

 of the brief moments a military march allows to a medical man. It were much to be 

 wished we had many such observers and tracks, for they would give us, if not correct 

 sections, much useful Geological information, particularly if specimens of the rocks 

 were collected and the inclination of the strata seen were noted. 



I have completed the catalogue of Mr. Dodd's specimens which form a very hand- 

 some and instructive case in our Geological collection. The catalogue should be 

 printed as the best means of preserving a record of it : and of the Society's property. 



Dr. Spilsbury has sent us some more specimens of his sandstones with arborescent 

 impressions, some of which are not superficial but go through the slab ; and he inclines 

 to think they may be fuci. I have tried both with the blowpipe, and the superficial 

 ones are oxide of manganese; those penetrating these specimens are iron, and if 

 they ever were organic there are now no traces of organic matter remaining ; but in 

 discussing this curious question, as far as I recollect, it seems to have been forgotten that 

 it is not impossible the iron and manganese may yet be the remains of organic bodies, 

 as for example the deep-sea fuci, of which we know nothing. 



Mr. Dodd of the mint, on his departure for the Cape, has favoured us with a few 

 specimens of sandstone and limestone from the Bhurtpore and Kerowlee Territory, of 

 which his letter speaks as follows: — 



I send you a few more specimens of sandstone from the Bhurtpore Territory. 



A few specimens of limestone from the Kerowlee Territory, (the country where this 

 limestone is found abounds with caverns and waterfalls, and I imagine it belongs to 

 the Magnesian limestone formation) from Kerowlee, a fragment of coal was brought 

 me when at Agra. There are also a few specimens of sandstone with ripple marks on 

 them, also a few specimens of red sandstone, with what I imagine to be encrinital 

 marks in them. 



I thought these might be interesting as connected with some paper in the Asiatic 

 Society's Journal. 



bth November, 1844. J as. Dodd. 



P. S. — You will find some of the sandstone specimens contain casts of shells. 



I have not had time to examine the shells of which he speaks. The mottled impres- 

 sions on the sandstone are certainly not encrinital as far as 1 can perceive, and are, I think 

 much more probably, as in other cases in Europe, and as suggested by a writer in the 

 Annals and Magazine of Natural History, the result of some animal or vegetable sub- 

 stance discolouring the red iron tint of the original sand. Dr. Voysey As. Res. Vol. 

 XV. p. 429, says of the Agra mottled sandstones that the spots are really spherical, 

 and these appear also to be so in some places. 



Museum of Economic Geology. — I may mention here that I sent some of our 

 Museum circulars to my brother, who is much connected with Civil Engineers. He 

 writes to me " My friend Sopwith writes to you by the 15th September mail. 

 We are having 250 copies of your circular printed for distribution, Mr. Sopwith says 

 he is sure Sir H. Dela Beche, takes the greatest interest in the success of the Asiatic 

 Society and Indian Museum, and has shewn him your report, but Sir H. Dela 



