58 



On the FossUs of the Eastern Portion 



[July 



late a poem of merit so distinguished, and v?ill prove that the Telugus 

 possess a christian poet who may rival in talents a George Buchanan, 

 or a Casimik ; and who further, like Milton, had the advantage of writ- 

 ing in his native tongue. 



Vn. — On the Fossils of the Fasteni Portion of the Great Basaltic 

 District of India. — By John G. Maxcolmson, Esq.^ f. g. s, 



CONTENTS. 



Introduction. — Objects of the Me- 

 moir. 



General Sketch of the Physical 

 Features, Hydrography and Geo- 

 logy of the Basaltic and Granitic 

 Dis'^tricts. 



The volley of the Nerhuddu, 

 Godavery, Kistnah, and Pen- 

 nar. 



Granite p'atform between the Kist- 

 nah and Godavery. 



Iro7i ore, mines^ and mamfac- 

 ture of the steel. 

 Description of the Sichel Hills, 

 and of the Freshwater Shells. 



Country between the Sichel Hills 

 and Nagpoor. 



Origin of Minerals in Trap 

 Rocks. 



Description of the Lonar Lake 

 and analysis of the water. 

 Age of the diamond sandstone and 



argillaceous limestone. 

 Inferences respecting the Freshwater 

 Fossils. 



Other districts in India in which 

 similar Freshwater Shells have 

 been found. 



Relative age of the Laterite and 

 Trap. 



ISTRODIJCTION. 



The principal objects of the following paper are, to submit to the 

 Society an account of a series of fossils discovered in the eastern part of 

 the great basaltic district of India ; and to endeavour to arrive at some 

 approximate conclusion respecting the geological era of this basaltic for- 

 mation, which, extending over more than 200,000 square miles, conceals, 

 breaks up, or alters all the other rocks from beneath which it has forced 

 its way. * Of the eruptions to which this rich and romantic country 

 (formerly including feveral considerable kingdoms) owes its existing 

 form, a late President of this Society remarks*, that the mind is almost 

 lost in the contemplation of their grandeur but " that unfortunately 

 the relative age of the eruptions must remain for the present undetermin- 

 ed, no vestiges of secondary or tertiary formations having been detected 

 within the region." Having therefore, in 1832, collected a series of la- 



* See Mr. Murchi son's Anniversary Address, Geological Proceedings, vol. i, p. 454. 



