369 
Geology of Russia and Australia. 
living species in the Black Sea, whereas the fauna of the Caspian 
is very similar to that of the peculiar Aralo-Caspian beds. After 
the drainage of the Aralo-Caspian basin, the depression of the 
Caspian was not immediately but gradually produced ; since shells 
now living in its waters are found at variable heights in the Kal¬ 
muck Steppes. These relics define very distinctly the ancient 
shores of the ancient mass of waters. 
[This great deposit and its peculiar features seems also to be 
represented in New South Wales, by the great plains to the west¬ 
ward of the Dividing Ranges. The Liverpool Plains and other 
similar areas appear to have been formerly occupied by inland 
waters which are now drained off; the alluvial deposits from 
which are found to contain shells of living species, together with 
the bones of gigantic animals of genera yet existing.] 
The tertiary and older deposits in Russia are covered in the 
northern governments by transported blocks which cover the 
country for 600 miles south of their origin, which, there is no 
doubt, was in Scandinavia and Finland. These drift blocks 
cannot have been occasioned as some authors would believe, by 
glaciers; but it is probable, they are due to icebergs floating 
southwards, when Scandinavia and Russia in Europe lay still 
beneath the sea. The Ural must have been elevated previous to 
this; because its drift is all local and not transported; and if the 
latter were due to glaciers, there ought to have been abundant 
blocks on the Ural. 
This latter chain ranges through eighteen degrees of latitude, 
deviating but little from the meridian. Its highest elevation is 
from 5000 to 6000 feet. 
The axis is composed in general of talcose schist or chlorite and 
quartzite, which are referred to the Silurian system. The granites 
of this chain are more recent, and have burst through the eastern 
dislocations. Rich metallic veins and alluvial gold, together with 
gold in veins of quartz, are common. On the west side the order 
of the rocks is best developed, but on the eastern igneous slopes 
the miner is best repaid by ores. 
[Now we have here a third striking resemblance to the condition 
of the Blue Mountain ranges, which in Australia run rudely in a 
