1840.] Observations on the Fossiliferous leds near Pondicherry. 87 



With reference to this last operation — the extraction of the precious 

 metal from its extraneous concomitants — it is deserving of remark, that 

 a very interesting discovery has been made within the last year or two 

 by M. Becquerel, the distinguished French chemist. It has been dis- 

 covered by this philosopher that the electro-chemical agency may be 

 employed in the reduction of the ores of the precious metals, as a sub- 

 stitute for the ordinary process of fusion or amalgamation ; and it is 

 highly probable that by this important invention this operation may 

 shortly be economized, to an extent hitherto unattainable. In this case 

 it will allow of the profitable working of auriferous sands, and ores, even 

 poorer than any which have been described in this paper. It is not 

 improbable, therefore, that this refined and important discovery, may 

 constitute an entirely new era in the history and production of the 

 precious metals. 



IV. — Observations mi tJie Fossiliferous beds iiear Pondiclierry^ and in 

 the district of South Arcot. — By C. T. Kaye, Esq. Madras Civil 

 Service. 



The existence of a bed of fossiliferous limestone in the neghbourhood 

 of Pondicherry has long been pretty generally known to those who take 

 an interest in such subjects, and some attention was recently attracted 

 to it by several communications in the >S/>ec^afor Newspaper. An ob- 

 servant person, indeed, can hardly fail of being struck with the nature of 

 the stones which form the paving of some of the streets and the steps of 

 many of the houses in Pondicherry, and which are replete, not only with the 

 fragments of innumerable shells, but with many ostreas and other bivalves 

 almost as entire as if they still reposed in their proper element. The 

 silicified wood at Trivacaryis also well known to the public from the 

 beautiful polish which it receives, and from its adaptation to table and 

 other ornaments. To the geologist it is interesting from the vast size of 

 the petrified trees (one of which is nearly 100 feet long), from their great 

 number, and from the perfect state in which these organic remains of 

 other worlds are preserved. 



It had long been a desideratum to collect data on which the era and 

 nature of the formations which contain the fossils might be decided, and 

 I accordingly took an opportunity of leisure iu October last, to proceed 

 to the spot with Mr. CunlifFe of the Civil Service. The time which we 

 were enabled to devote to the investigation was unfortunately short' 



