RECORDS 
OF THE 
GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OE INDIA. 
No, 3.] 
1868 
[November. 
Genebal bbsults obtained fbom an examination oe the Gastbopodous fauna oe 
the South Indian cretaceous deposits, by Febd. Stoliczea, Pli. D., F. G. S., 
Palceontologist, Geol. Survey, India. 
The second volume of the “ Palceontologia Indica recently completed and published, 
contains the descriptions of 237* species of Gastropoda from the cretaceous deposits of South 
India. The fauna is very rich and varied, though probably not quite so extensive as might 
have been expected relatively to the large number (146) of Cephalopoda which were described 
from the same beds. Still as many species, only represented by specimens in the state of casts, 
have been laid aside, further examinations of the ground will no doubt ftunish large additions. 
Taking a general review of the fauna of the Gastropoda, it will he interesting to point out 
some of the more important families and genera which were found to be represented. 
The first family which in this respect is deserving of special attention is that of the 
HELICIDX, represented by four species, three of which belong to the genus Angystoma and 
one to MucrocycUs. Nearly all are found in the uppermost beds, stated by Mr. II. F. 
Blanford to have been deposits in shallow water. The extremely rare occurrence of land 
shells in cretaceous rocks increases the interest connected with those four species, especially 
as they mostly belong to types which are still found living in the same or neighbouring 
districts. 
Tlie sub-order Peosobbaxchia counts 174 species, of which the larger number 
belongs to the Siphonostomata Ctenobbanchiata. Among the alata the genus 
Pugnellas, which up to the present has only been found in cretaceous rocks of North 
America, has yielded three very interesting species; it is in the recent fauna represented 
by species like Strombus gallinula. The CYPR.pidjs are remarkably numerous, being repre¬ 
sented here by almost as many species as were previously known from cretaceous deposits in 
general, in which, as a rule, they are very rare. Among the types described are some which 
belong to Cyprma proper, several to Luponia and others to Aricia, JSpona, &c. From 
the large number of CYPraeidje, as also from that of the VOLUTlD/E, the peculiar forms of the 
MURICIDJE and of the purpuridje, I draw the conclusion that the genera and species 
belonging to these families were already during the cretaceous time somewhat more numerous 
in the eastern than in the western hemisphere, or, in other words, that the present 
distribution of a portion of the Gastropoda, at least, was already indicated at that remote 
period. 
The oljvidm are represented by a. species of Dipsaeus, the CASSIDIDje by a very interest¬ 
ing small species of Oniscia, the PzhimoTOMWM by Cythara and Pleurotoma, the coni DAE by 
that peculiar form Gosavia, intermediate between this and the next family. Of the 
VOLUTID2E , 18 species are described belonging to the genera Scapha, Melo, Ficulopsis 
(n. gen.), Fulguraria, Athleta, Volutttith.es, Lyria , Volutomitra, Mitreola and Tumcv.la. 
* Including some new specific forms, which on account of the imperfeotness of the specimens have not yet 
received specific names, though acknowledged as distinct from other known species. 
