Description

Masters thanks Hooker for his letter, received through Dr Thomson. Masters is very gratified that the collection of Indian plants he sent Hooker, and the Assam plants which he sent to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta [Kolkata], are so highly prized. Masters is concerned that Hooker and Thomson do not have the notes to accompany the collection: though a good specimen can largely speak for itself, his notes localities. Masters has not done any botanical collecting for the past seven years, nor travelled to any new districts, but Hooker is right to say that there is still much of novelty to be discovered. Masters has no intentions of publishing a 'Flora Assamina'. He had planned to move from Golaghat to the north bank of the Brahmaputra and start collecting again, but had to change his plan owing to the inroads being made by the Nagas in the vicinity. Millitary ports were charged and Masters was directed to open a new road through dense jungle, extending 40 miles between the Dhansiri and Jamoona [Yamuna] Rivers. This led Masters into a cluster of low hills, quite separate from the Naga Hills, and on to the plains. On crossing the branch of another river, Masters observed some 'globular bodies', which appeared to be casts of bivalve shells. Upon further investigation, he found that on the north bank he was upon the Silurian system and amongst old graves and red ferruginous lime leading him to conclude that this was the 'celebrated bone bed'. He found no bones, only shells such as Phragmoceras and others of the Brachiopoda order. On the left bank he found a newer formation, possible Devonian, and layers of red and white sandstone imbedded in which he found various things, including Tortoises Trionyx shells. In the stream bed he found gigantic toads. He has made casts of some of his finds. The fossils of chambered and bivalve shells in the Silurian rock mostly shattered on exposure, however, he has some good specimens and some good casts of Bachtrions and other things. Unfortunately the largest and most perfect casts were too heavy to bring away. Pages 1 and 4 of 8.

Description

Masters thanks Hooker for his letter, received through Dr Thomson. Masters is very gratified that the collection of Indian plants he sent Hooker, and the Assam plants which he sent to the Botanic Garden at Calcutta [Kolkata], are so highly prized. Masters is concerned that Hooker and Thomson do not have the notes to accompany the collection: though a good specimen can largely speak for itself, his notes localities. Masters has not done any botanical collecting for the past seven years, nor travelled to any new districts, but Hooker is right to say that there is still much of novelty to be discovered. Masters has no intentions of publishing a 'Flora Assamina'. He had planned to move from Golaghat to the north bank of the Brahmaputra and start collecting again, but had to change his plan owing to the inroads being made by the Nagas in the vicinity. Millitary ports were charged and Masters was directed to open a new road through dense jungle, extending 40 miles between the Dhansiri and Jamoona [Yamuna] Rivers. This led Masters into a cluster of low hills, quite separate from the Naga Hills, and on to the plains. On crossing the branch of another river, Masters observed some 'globular bodies', which appeared to be casts of bivalve shells. Upon further investigation, he found that on the north bank he was upon the Silurian system and amongst old graves and red ferruginous lime leading him to conclude that this was the 'celebrated bone bed'. He found no bones, only shells such as Phragmoceras and others of the Brachiopoda order. On the left bank he found a newer formation, possible Devonian, and layers of red and white sandstone imbedded in which he found various things, including Tortoises Trionyx shells. In the stream bed he found gigantic toads. He has made casts of some of his finds. The fossils of chambered and bivalve shells in the Silurian rock mostly shattered on exposure, however, he has some good specimens and some good casts of Bachtrions and other things. Unfortunately the largest and most perfect casts were too heavy to bring away. Pages 1 and 4 of 8.