42 Ooservatwns on the Fossi'liferous beds nea?' Pondichei^ry . [July 



ever, now suggests itself, viz, is the shell limestone at Seedrapett ana- 

 logous and contemporaneous with that already mentioned as containing 

 fossils in the Trichinopoly district ? Sufiicient data have not yet been 

 collected to enable one to give a positive reply to this enquiry. The 

 specimens which I have received from Trichinopoly consist of masses of 

 limestone, very similar in character to that of Seedrapett, and containing 

 innumerable small shells cemented together in the hard rock. Shells 

 are, however, found detached from the stone, in general I should say in 

 a more perfect state than those at Seedrapett. 



PL III. No. 1, is a large bivalve from Trichinopoly : of which the shell 

 is entire, with the exception of being chipped at the edges : it is filled 

 with limestone. 



Nos. 2 and 3 are intended to shew the nature of the shells contained 

 in two small masses of the stone : the most perfect shells have been 

 chosen for representation, but it was found impossible to figure the in- 

 numerable small shells and fragments of which the mass almost en- 

 tirely consists. The shells in No. 2 are small turrilites, evidently 

 of the same species as those represented in PI. II. No. 9. Several 

 specimens from the same locality, in Dr. Cole's possession, appear to me 

 also ta be turrilites, a fact which leads us to infer some analogy between 

 the two formations, which further research will probably tend to de- 

 monstrate. 



An interesting fossil from Trichinopoly in my possession is a piece 

 of calcareous fossil wood, containing a number of petrified Teredines in 

 crystallized carbonate of lime. 



There can be no doubt that our knowledge of these beds is still very 

 imperfect, and it may be supposed that it woiild have been better to 

 have deferred the present notice until more accurate information should 

 be obtained ; but a temporary residence in Madras gave me an oppor- 

 tunity of consulting works to which I might not otherwise have had 

 access, and also afforded facilities for getting up the drawings, &c. con- 

 nected with the publication, which I was the more unwiUing to neglect, as 

 they might not speedily recur. 



