18 GENERAL OBSERVATIONS ON THE 



observes, that these irregular beds of kankar, which are found following 

 every water course, and forming its banks, have often the appearance of 

 having been deposited under circumstances peculiarly unfavourable to 

 regularity ; and it may be asked, to what agency but that of running and 

 turbulent water can such appearances be satisfactorily ascribed ? 



The absence of those regular formations which are known to exist 

 in other countries is, however, a geological question of the first import- 

 ance that must not be hastily taken up or hypothetically assumed, and 

 nothing but reiterated and satisfactory proof of their non-existence ought 

 to be considered admissible. A careful discrimination is also necessary, 

 so as not to confound with chalk, the numerous steatitic deposits which are 

 known to exist, and are used in India as substitutes for it ; the oolites in- 

 deed cannot well be mistaken, because their peculiarity of structure 

 readily points them out ; but the most important of all distinctions are, 

 geological position and association, without attention to which all observa- 

 tions will necessarily lose much of their value as useful facts. 



With regard to organic remains, (the most interesting of all the 

 branches of geological science,) it is to be feared that India is not likely 

 to prove a productive field. The coal strata, when public spirit and 

 enterprise shall excavate them, will, probably, afford other varieties of im- 

 pressions of vegetables and fishes, besides those already mentioned, and 

 the lias lime-stone may contain specimens of the sauri tribe ; but hitherto, 

 the most striking phcenomenon in Indian geology is the almost total 

 absence of organic remains in the stratified rocks and in the diluvial soil. 

 Sharks' -teeth and palates, are found in the diluvian banks of the Ganges. In 

 the lime-stones and alluvial deposits of Sylhet and Cachar, the interesting 

 researches of Mr. Scott, have discovered nummulites and other shells, 

 which appeared to Dr. Voysey to be diluvian, or even of modern existence, 



live 



