18G7.] the Western Himalaya and Afghan Mountains. 207 



Lychas, Illcenus, Cheirurus, Orthoceras, &c. all characteristic of the 

 Lower Silurian. In the upper part of the beds Captain Strachey 

 found goniatites, ceratites and even ammonites, which remind one 

 much of the Trias. So far, therefore, two of the four great divisions 

 of the Palaezoic formation have become well known in the Himalaya, 

 viz. the Silurian and the Carboniferous. The Devonian will be 

 found also, for we have received from a Missionary travelling in 

 China three species of Brachiopoda characteristic of the Upper 

 Devonian rocks, among others the Terebratula Citboides. These 

 fossils have been presented this year to the Academie de Sciences 

 de Paris. Mr. Davidson has also figured and described, as received 

 from China, brachiopoda which also are characteristic of the Devonian, 

 among other the Spirifer, Verneuil. The discovery and determina- 

 tion of the Devonian in the Himalaya requires attention and research. 



I have further to remark how great is the analogy between 

 India and Russia ; I have found in this last country most of the 

 species which Mr. Verchere has found in the Himalaya. Russia, 

 the Oural and the Altai, are connecting links between England and 

 India. 



In terminating this note, we wish to observe that if, according 

 to Mr. Verchere, the coal measures, (which should be superior to 

 the carboniferous limestone), are wanting in India, this want is 

 one more resemblance with Russia, for in all the carboniferous 

 zone which extends from Moscow to Archangel the carboniferous 

 limestone is never covered in by coal measures. There has been 

 a slow upheaving motion of the ground, which has raised the 

 strata above the sea-level, without, however, otherwise disturbing 

 them, at the epoch when in other countries, the coal was being 

 deposited. It is in the south of Russia only (the Douetz), and in a 

 few localities on the western slope of the Oural, that coal measure 



deposits are to be found. 



(Signed) Ed. de Verneuil. 

 Paris, 21st Nov., 1864. 



