904 THE chairman's address. 



"The Fossil Fishes of the Hawkesbury Series at Gosford,"* a 

 contribution to our knowledge of the Hawkesbury formation of the 

 greatest interest and importance. References to the collections 

 will be found in two papers by Professor Stepliens in Vols. I 

 (2nd Ser.), p. 1175, and II, p. 156 of our Proceedings. In an 

 introductory note to Mr, Woodward's monograph, Mr. T. W. 

 Edgeworth David, B.A., deals with the stratigraphical position of 

 the Gosford fish-bed, in reference to which he says that it is at 

 present " doubtful whether the bed belongs to the lower portion 

 of the Hawkesbury Sandstone or to the upper portion of the 

 Narrabeen Shales." The series of nearly 400 specimens was 

 richer in individuals than in representatives of many species, 

 Mr. Woodward distributing them among the various orders repi^e- 

 sented as follows : — One Selachian of the family Cestraciontidai, 

 one species of a new genus (Gos/ordia) of Dipnoi, the remainder 

 being referable to nine genera (two proposed as new) and seven- 

 teen species (all but two being new) of Ganoidei. In concluding 

 his paper Mr. Woodward says, " perhaps the most important 

 fact, however, is the absence in the Hawkesbury beds of fishes 

 with well developed vertebral centra. ... So far as can be 

 determined from the fishes, therefore, the Hawkesbury beds may 

 be regarded as homotaxial with the Keuper of Europe, or, at 

 latest, with the Rhaetic." 



The monograph is well illustrated ; and we must congratulate 

 not only Mr. Woodward on the successful issue of this excellent 

 piece of work, but the Department of Mines on its publication 

 of the volume within the colony. 



To the same Department all who are interested in the study of 

 the geology and palaeontology of Australia owe a debt of gratitude 

 for a translation, revised to 1887, of Dr. O. Feistmantel's "The 

 Palfeozoic and Mesozoic Flora of Australia and Tasmania," — 

 issued as No. 3 of the Palieontological Series — thus bringing this 

 most important work within reach of many in the colonies to 

 whom it has hitherto been inaccessible or practic illy so. 



* Issued as "Memoirs of the Geological Survey of N.S.W., Palseon- 

 tology, No. 4." Sydney, Government Printer, 1890. 



