296 AUSTRALIAN FORAMINIFERA, II. , 



The Lagenidae are represented chiefly by species of Uingerina. 

 According to Carpenter this genus belongs, properly speaking, to 

 depths between 100 and 300 fathoms. All the forms present 

 are micromorphs. The genus Lagena is ver}^ poorly represented 

 as regards number of individuals. This is to be expected, as the 

 genus flourishes best at depths of 50 fathoms. The species 

 present here are delicate, unstriated and nonapiculate. 



The Rotaliidee are well represented, comparatively speaking, 

 both as regards species and numbers. The occurrence of speci- 

 mens of Rotalia clathrata is interesting, as verifying Carpenter's 

 remarks regarding the adaptability of the genus Rotalia to 

 estuarine conditions. Although the water is shallow, the genus 

 DisGorhina is represented by minute forms only. 



Nothing is more noticeable in an examination of this sand 

 than that the foraminifera in it are characteristic of deeper water 

 than that in which they occur, and show a marked tendency 

 towards diminution in size. We would suggest, as a likely 

 explanation of this, that the Gulf of Carpentaria is a remnant of 

 a larger Tertiary sea, the floor of which has been undergoing 

 elevation, eliminating the weaker oceanic forms and reducing the 

 size of the hardier ones. 



The absence of forms like Tinoporus and Calcariua, and the 

 rarity of Amphistegina and Orbitolites might at first sight be 

 taken as evidence that the forms present do not represent a true, 

 stationary, littoral fauna; but this feature might also be explained 

 on the grounds of brackish and muddy conditions. 



A glance at the geological map of Queensland shows the Gulf 

 to be surrounded by late Tertiary and alluvial strata. 



2. Foraminifera dredged at a depth of 15 fathoras ojf^ Pabn 

 Island near Townsville, Q., by C. Hedley. 



The coarser sands from this locality were examined by one of 

 us (H. I.J.) in 1903, and a list of forms present was published 

 in the Proceedings of this Society for 1904 The eighteen species 

 already recorded are omitted in this list, which comprises the 



