6 
Records of the Geological Sitrvey of India. 
[voi,. XT. 
U) Mr. Hughes’ stratigraphical determinations. The result, whether local or general, 
has not been confirmatory of the speculations that had been hazarded upon previous 
knowledge. Partly from the fossils and partly from the mineral aspect of the 
rocks, it had been thought that the Maleri beds might represent the Panchet 
groujj in the lower Gondwana series of Bengal. Prom the evidence of some 
plant fossils obtained during the recent survey, it is, however, decided that these 
deposits must rank as njjper Gondwana. As regards the different horizons 
suggested, accoi'ding to the European standards, by the fossils Horn the two 
localities, Mr. Hughes’ desc:'iption shews that the beds of Maleri and of Kota 
cannot be distinguished as separable groups, and therefore that the aforesaid 
fossil.s must be taken as contemjioraneous in India. This fact, and the affiliations 
suggested by the fossil flora, present altogether a serious puzzle to palaeontologists 
of the rigid school. The question is briefly stated by Mr. Blanford in a note 
appended to the description of the Kota-Maleri fossils in a recent number of 
the Pala}ontologia Indica. A map and description of Mr. Hughes’ work is published 
in the current number of the Records. 
The Kota-iMaleri area is part of the continuous spread of Gondwfina deposits 
within the drainage-basin of the Godavari, and hence often spoken of collectively as 
the Godiivari ljusin or region ; but it is only on the lower half of this river itself that 
tliese formations occur; the extension above Sironcha is in the valleys of the great 
tributaries, the Praiihita and Wardha, to wher'e the strata pass under the Deccan trap 
in the Chanda and Wlin districts. The ])ortion below Sironcha is considerably larger 
than that above it, and ]\Ir. King has been lor several seasons c.ngag'ed in studying 
this ground. Notices of his discovery of marine beds intercalated with the 
upper Gondvvanas on the seaward margin of the area, were publislied at the 
time; and also his description of some small coal basins within or adjoining the 
main area. A notice of his preliminary observations regarding the whole area 
was y)nblished in the last May number of the Records. During the jjast season 
Mr. King made further progress in unravelling the intricate relations of these 
closely connected rock-groups, and is still engaged in carrying on these researches : 
but it is scarcely to be expected that ho can complete so difficult and extensive an 
investigation within the present field-season. 
ilr.^ I oote has been engaged for several seasons past upon the coastal zone of 
(londwana deposits, in continuation of his previous published work on these beds 
in the area around Madras. During the past season he comjfleted his survey of 
this grournUhrough the Nollore and Gantiir districts up to the Krishna river, 
thus bringing his lines into connexion with Mr. King’s work in the Godavari 
disti-ict south of Hllorc. The deposits which were the special object of his 
study are very obscurely exi)osed as ii-regular patches along tlie margin of the 
crystfdline rocks fm-ming the low ground from the base of the Rastern Ghats 
and on the oa.st they pass rapidly under the alluvium of the flat seaboard.’ 
Mr Foote has made considemble collections of the mixed marine and terrestrial 
fossils peculiar to the Gondwana strata in this position. A description of his 
work is in course of preparation. 
