PEOCEEDENGS OF GEOLOGICAL SOCIETIES. 
209 
These are particularly characterized by the abundance of Ct/cadacece. They 
may perhaps be found near Kampti, not far from Nagpur. 
isLr. Hislop then compared in detail, 1st, the fossil flora of the coal-fields of 
Kew South Wales \rith 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, F.G.S. 
The author first referred to his report, in 1847, of the occurrence of Lepido- 
dendron, Sigillaria, and Stigmaria in the coal-fields of Australia ; and advanced 
proofs, derived from collections and publications both by himself and others, of 
the occurrence of Lepidodendron {Pachjphlmis (?), Goeppert) over a region 
extending from twenty-three degrees to thiity-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 1859, 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 Pachi/domi, Spiriferi, Orthoceratites, Conulari<p, 
&c. ; and beneath them a shale containing No'^r/erathia, Glossopteris, 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 Xorth-western Bengal." By Prof. 
T. H. Huxley, T.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 Labyrinthodont Amphibia 
and Dicynodont Reptiles ; hereby affording new and interesting links with the 
fossil fauna of the Karoo-beds of South .^rica, and largely increasing the pro- 
bability that the rocks in which they were found are of Triassic, or perhaps 
Permian, age. 
April 10, 1S61. 
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—60)." By James Hector, M.D. Communicated by Sir R. 1. 
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, and Lauren- 
tian axis, stretching from Canada to the Arctic Ocean, and divided into two 
slopes by a watershed that nearly follows the political boundar^'-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 
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