1853.] Report on the Geological Structure oftJie Salt Range. 361 



sure the scarcity of land shells. The rarity of the common land- 

 shells of the Punjab in the high alluvial banks seen on the sides of 

 the rivers, has often struck us as very remarkable. 



Should the beds described by Strachey be proved hereafter to be 

 identical with those on the southern flank of the Himalaya or Siva- 

 lik strata, it will go far to prove that this stupendous range has 

 been upheaved from near the level of the sea to its present altitude 

 at a comparatively recent period. 



From a cursory examination of the ranges of hills between Eawul 

 Pindee and the Baramula Pass, we are inclined to believe that from 

 the former place to Ooree on the Cashmere river, nothing but mio- 

 cene strata occur, forming ranges of from 4 to 8000 feet in height. 

 At Ooree the metamorphic schist of the Punchal Range seems to 

 have been forced through the sandstone strata, both being at this 

 point tilted up into a nearly vertical position with a strike from east 

 to west. Hard specimens of sandstone from this locality are undis- 

 tinguishable from the hard grey miocene sandstone of the Salt 

 Range. Between the Jhelum and Cashmere river in a line from 

 Ooree to Eawul Pindee, we have never observed any organic remains, 

 but towards Bhimbur to the eastward of Ooree, we believe, they are 

 occasionally found, and are called by the natives " deo ka dant" 

 or Demon's teeth, a name by which they are generally known in the 

 Salt Range. 



In reckoning as miocene, the sandstone grits and conglomerates 

 we have endeavoured to describe, we only follow the generally- 

 received opinion as to the age of the Sivalik strata. Further investi- 

 gation may prove that these, as well as the corresponding strata west 

 of the Sutledge, are of even more recent formation. 



The occurrence of gold in the formation, furnishes an argument in 

 favour of its being of post tertiary age, this metal and platinum 

 being considered " the last formed of the metals" by the learned 

 author of the article entitled Siberia and California in No. 174 

 (September 1850) of the Quarterly Review. 

 Post pliocene strata. 

 Alluvium. 



Resting on the miocene strata in an unconformable manner, may 

 be noticed in many places along the north side especially of the 



