88 
Records of the Geological Survey of India. 
[vol. v. 
These two groups, although contrasting in some respects, have much in common, most 
of the beds in each being similar to some in the other; nor can any absolute line of separa¬ 
tion be drawn between them. As a rule, the marine fossils are peculiar to the lower and the 
plants to the upper group; but exceptions occur, and interstratifications of shale containing 
plants have been found between beds rich in marine fossils near Chari in the lower group; 
whilst, in the western part of Kachh, bands with marine fossils are intercalated in the upper. 
It is evident, therefore, that both form a continuous series without any important break, 
and that they are not of different geological epochs. The age is shown by the numerous 
marine fossils comprising many species of Ammonites, Belemnitcs, Pleurotomaria, Astarte, 
Avicula, Germllia, Lima, Nucnla, Opts, Ostrea, Pholadomya, Plieatula, Triyonia, Bhyn- 
ekonella, Terebratula, Sfc., to be of middle and upper jurassic age, some of the species being 
identical with those common in the same groups of Europe. The plant-fossils, on the other 
hand—including three species of Palaozamia, some conifers, resembling Brackyphyllum, 
Taxodites and Walchia, a Tamiopteris, and a Sphenopieris —are for the most part identical 
with those found in the beds intercalated with the lowest beds of trap iu the Rajmahal hills 
of Bengal, and in some clays occurring beneath the cretaceous beds of the neighbourhood of 
Trichinopoly and at Sriparmatur near Madras. 
The whole thickness of the jurassic beds of Kachh, so far as they are seen, has been 
estimated by Mr. Wynne at 6,300 feet, of which 3,000 may be allowed for the upper group; 
but it should be borne in mind that this does not give the whole original vertical extent of 
the series, since their base is nowhere seen, and their upper surface had undergone denudation 
before being covered up by the trap. 
It is not known that the Oolitic formations occur iu the Bombay Presidency and its 
dependencies beyond the limits of Kachh. Some representatives of them may perhaps be 
found in northern Kathiawar or in the neighbourhood of Disa, but none appear as yet to 
have been made known. Dr. Impey near Jaisahnir (Jeysulmeer) found, in a well, some ammo¬ 
nites which Dr. Carter thought might be of jurassic age, but in fact the geology of Western 
Eajputana and of the countries lying north of Kachh is very little known. 
IV.— Deccan Sebies. 
Lameta and Pdgh beds. —The next great series in ascending order is far more import¬ 
ant iu Western India than any of those inferior to it in position, and it covers as large an 
area in the Bombay Presidency and its dependencies as all other formations together. The 
greater portion is of volcanic origin, consisting of stratified basaltic or earthy traps, hut at 
the base of the igneous rocks, there is in the Narbada valley, a very interesting group of 
sedimentary beds, which, from their geological relations, must be classed iu the same series. 
These are the cretaceous strata of Bagh, Chota Udepur, and llajpipla. 
In many places to the eastward, there is found at the base of the traps a bed of impure, 
earthy or gritty limestone, frequently containing pebbles, and passing occasionally into a sand¬ 
stone or conglomerate. It has been traced throughout a considerable portion of the 
Narbada valley and the country around Nagpur. To this formation the name of Lameta 
was given by Mr. J. G. Medlicott from its occurrence at Lameta ghat on the Narbada near 
Jabalpur, and it was at one time supposed to represent, in part, the massive sandstones of the 
Mabsideo hills around Pachmari. This has now been disproved, but it appears highly 
probable that the Lameta bed is the equivalent of the limestones and sandstones of Bagh. 
Wherever this iufra-trappean formation occurs, its close connection with tho overlying 
traps is manifest. The Lameta group is apparently of fresh water origin, having in all 
likelihood been deposited in lakes formed by the damming up of vallies by the first flows 
of la-va, and it is therefore similar in its mode, of deposition to the inter-trappean beds to he 
presently noticed. Fossils arc but rarely found in it; the few that have been obtained are 
