2 
Itecordu of the Geological Surveij of India. 
[VOL. Xf. 
of the Geological Society, Loudon, voLs. Vll and X (1851 and 1854), consti¬ 
tuted so far the only definite materials for a geological map of the mighty 
Himalaya. In 1875-76 the examination of the outer tertiary zone and adjoining 
rocks was cairied up to the Jhelum (Records, vol. IX) ; and in continuation of 
this work, Mr. Lydekker, during the past season, has made an extensive explora¬ 
tion of the mountains north and south of the Kashmir Valley and in the upper 
basin of the Ghenab. 
That so little should have been known regarding the geology of such an 
attractive spot of earth as Kashmir, is a fair indication of the difficulty of the 
ground. Flying observations have of course been recorded, and some bold 
speculation.s based thereon; but these contribute little towards a definite 
knowledge of the rock-structure. The presence of carboniferous strata was 
long since observed, and the extensive occurrence of eruptive rocks has been 
prominently noticed ; but the relations of all these to the preponderating mass of 
contiguous unfossiliferous rocks have remained unknown. Mr. Lydekker shews 
that the Kashmir area is a compressed synclinal ellipse, on the pattern of the 
larger features defined by Stoliczka in the Tibetan region, but containing, so far 
as obsciwed, no rocks younger than the trias. The slates of the I’ir Panjal are 
shewn by connected observations to be the equivalents of the Silurian and infra- 
Silurian strata, of the Tibetan sections. After some hesitation, Mr. Lyulekker 
decided that the trappean rocks must belong to a period of local eruption in the 
iqipcr part of the Silurian series. Although very frequently observed in abi’upt 
and troubled contact with the carboniferous rocks, they were never seen to pene¬ 
trate these strata, or above them. 
On the south-ea.stem prolongation of the Kashmir synclinal, but separated 
from it by a mass of metamorphic rocks in Kistwar and Badriwar, there is in the 
Pangi district, on the ujiper Chenab, a smaller symclinal ellipse, in which only 
the Silurian slates have been found. This basin is cut off to the south-east by 
the gneissic masses of Lahul. This feature of longitudinal structure—the 
I’ecurrence of basins of dcjpression along the same mountain zone—is also a 
character of the more central Himalaj’an regions, where the great basin of Spiti 
and Zanskar is cut off from the veiy similar basin of Hundes, on the same strike, 
by the metamorphies of Xorth Bisahir. The fact seems to preclude the sugges¬ 
tion that has been made, that these basins are in some degree aboriginal with 
relation to the included formations. 
ITie relations of the gneissic series are still the most obscure point in these 
mountain-sections. Mr. Lydekker feels compelled to adopt the view' that the 
Pir Panjal range i.s, on the whole, a great folded anticlinal flexure, having a core 
or axis of gneiss, the whole stratified series on the outer (south-west) side 
being inverted. In this arrangement, if the gneiss is even approximately con- 
fonnable with the slate series (as this view' implies and as is apparently the case), 
the actual position and structure of this gneiss and of the contiguous slates 
must be due to acts of disturbance common to both ; for, it w'ould seem impossible 
to produce the great fold, and the inversion of the strata on the south-west, if 
the gneiss had pre-existed as a ridge in this position. Again, there are clear 
sections shewing the slate series to pass transitionally (by interstratification) 
