PEOCEEDIXGS OF GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. 



209 



These are particularly characterized by the abundance of Cycadaeece. They 

 may perhaps be found near Kampti, not far from Nagpur. 



Mr. Hislopthen compared in detail, 1st, the fossil liora of the coal-fields of 

 TSem South Wales with those of Central India ; 2nd, the fossil plants of Western 

 Bengal with that of Central India ; and 3rd, the fossil fauna of these two 

 regions ; and came to the conclusion that, on the whole, they probably represent 

 the Jurassic (or possibly the Triassic) period, — at all events some portion of 

 the Lower Mesozoic epoch. 



3. " On the Geological Age of the Coal-bearing Rocks of New South "Wales." 

 By the Rev. W. B. Clarke, E.G.S. 



The author first referred to his report, in 1S47, of the occurrence of Lepido- 

 dendron, Siaillaria, and Sligmaria in the coal-fields of Australia; and advanced 

 proofs, derived from collections and publications both by himself and others, of 

 the occurrence of Lepidodendron {JP achy phi a us (?), Gceppert) over a region 

 extending from twenty-three degrees to thirty-seven degrees south lat., and 

 at least one thousand miles long. After some observations on the association 

 of Carboniferous and Devonian fossils with the coal-beds of Australia and 

 Tasmania, Mr. Clarke stated that in 1S59, at Stony Creek, near Maitland, Mr. 

 B. Russell, having sunk two pits in search of coal, found four or five coal seams 

 lying between beds containing Packydomi, Spiriferi, Orthoccratites, Conularice, 

 &c. ; and beneath them a shale containing Xd'f/r/eraf/iia, Gloxsop ten's, Cyclop- 

 teris, &c. From this and other evidence the author is induced to believe that 

 the beds are of palaeozoic age, in spite of the " Jurassic" appearance of the 

 plant-remains. 



4. " On some Reptilian Remains from North-western Bengal." By Prof. 

 T. H. Huxley, F.R.S., Sec. G.S. 



Some bones, found by Mr. Blandford in the uppermost portion of the "Lower 

 Damuda" group of strata in the Ranigunj coal-field, and forwarded to the 

 author by Dr. Oldham, have proved to belong to Labyrinlhodont Amphibia 

 and Dicynodont Reptiles; hereby affording new and interesting links with the 

 fossil fauua of the Karoo-beds of South Africa, and largely increasing the pro- 

 bability that the rocks in which they were found are of Triassic, or perhaps 

 Permian, age. 



April 10, 1SG1. 



1. "On the Geology of the country between Lake Superior and the Pacific 

 Ocean (between forty-eight and fifty -five degrees parallels of latitude), explored 

 by the Government Exploring Expedition, under the command of Captain J. 

 Palliser (1857 — GO)." By James Hector, M.D. Communicated by Sir R. I. 

 Murchison, Y.P.G.S. 



The paper gave the geological results of three years' exploration of the 

 British Territories in North America along the frontier-line of the United States, 

 and westward from Lake Superior to the Pacific Ocean. 



It began by showing that the central portion of North America is a great 

 triangular plateau, bounded by the Rocky Mountains, Alleghanies, andLauren- 

 tian axis, stretching from Canada to the Arctic Ocean, and divided into two 

 slopes by a watershed that nearly follows the political boundary-line, and throws 

 the drainage to the Gulf of Mexico and the Arctic Ocean. The northern part 

 of this plateau has a slope, from the Rocky Mountains to the eastern or Lauren- 

 tian axis, of six feet in the mile, but is broken by steppes, which exhibit lines 

 of ancient denudation at three different levels ; the lowest is of freshwater 

 origin ; the next belongs to the Drift-deposits, and the highest is the great 

 Prairie-level of undenuded Cretaceous strata. This plateau has once been 

 complete to the eastern axis, but is now incomplete along its eastern edge, the 

 soft strata having been removed in the region of Lake Winipeg. 



The eastern axis sends off a spur that encircles the west shore of Lake 

 vol. in. 2 A 



