401 
Prof. Milne — Across Europe and Asia. 
reasonably infer that, since the time of the accumulation of these 
strata, little or no disturbance has taken place, and that the eleva- 
tion of tbese mountains, as before stated, was at least antecedent 
to the deposition of the Trias. 
If the Permian strata are also undisturbed, which I doubt, it 
would make the date of elevation of these mountains somewhat 
earlier (see Ramsay on “ The Geological History of some of the 
Mountain Chains and Groups of Europe,” Mining Journal, January 
23rd, 1875). 
Carboniferous Formation. — Of all the formations which help to 
build our Continents, the one perhaps most sought for is that which 
yields us Coal. These formations in Russia, as in Britain, show 
differences in stratigraphical character, and also in some other points, 
when examined over districts which are distant from each other. 
Therefore, for purposes of comparison, before I commence with the 
Carboniferous strata which flank the Urals, I will state the general 
conditions under which coal exists farther to the west, near Moscow. 
Commencing with the upper beds, we get three great zones, the 
lowest of which contains the coal, and overlies the Devonian. The 
first of these zones is a liraestone holding Fusulina cylindrica, the 
second is a limestone with Productus gigas as its characteristic fossil, 
and the third, which I have said holds the coal, consists mainly of 
clay-slate, with Stigmaria ficoides. Comparing this general arrange- 
ment with one that may be observed upon the Western or Russian 
side of the Urals, we find that the three zones of the Moscow district 
are now represented by five zones, which also overlie the Devonian. 
The upper one of these, which was called by Murchison Millstone- 
grit, on account of its lithological and stratigraphical resemblance to 
similar rocks in Britain, forms, I believe, the Etage d’Artinsk of M. 
Karpensky. It contains three bands of limestone, which in one 
direction thin out. Beneath this upper zone is a Fusulina cylindrica 
limestone, and, still lower, a sandstone and clay-slate rock carrying 
coal. These last two zones, inasmuch as they overlie a limestone 
containing Productus gigas, may be looked upon as being the equiva- 
lent of the Fusulina- limestone of Moscow, both of them occupying 
somewhat similar positions. Beneath this last limestone, which in 
the West Ural series will form zone number 4, come more sandstones 
and coal, which overlie the Devonian. Judging from a series of rock 
specimens which I saw taken from zone number 1, they appeared 
to represent a quartziferous sandstone much finer-grained than 
the generality of rocks from our Millstone-grit. The limestone 
bands, which are intercalated in this zone, may probably be con- 
nected together, and also with the Fusulina-lhnestone below, their 
Position being an intercalated overlap indicating that some physical 
change, such as oscillation, had taken place during their deposition. 
The accompanying figure will illustrate my meaning, and perhaps 
suggest an explanation for similar occurrences which have beeil 
observed in other parts of the world. At the end of the section, 
marked W, we get a series of limestones which may correspond to 
the Fusidina-limestones near Moscow. At the opposite end of the 
DECADE II. — VOL. IV.— NO. IX. 26 
