649 



knowledge. If I understand the objection, it refers to the danger 

 of error from supposing that what we call Pliocene or Miocene 

 was coeval or contemporaneous with formations in Europe bearing 



the same name. 



Professor Tate has woll pointed out that the terms suggested 

 bj Professor Duncan mean neither more or less than the terms 

 used in Europe, and there is just as much implied by their 

 employment. In this brief sketch of the history of Australian 

 Tertiary Paleontology I have shown, I think, how much the 

 Science has been retarded for want of such researches as our 

 Limicean Society is specially instituted to encourage. I may add 

 that the progress in every department of Natural Science in 

 Australia has been surprising since its influence has been felt. 

 It has not only stimulated observation, but has given that kind 

 of encouragement to systematic and technical records which has 

 made the only real progress that can be made in Australian 

 Natural History. 



I should like, in concluding this address, to give a glance at 

 the progress of Natural Science during the pastj^ear, after having 

 dealt with the Australian history of our department of Science. 

 P)ut even a glance at one year's work is more than space will 

 permit me to give. It will, however, be in keeping with the 

 matter of this address if I refer to the researches of Mr. Sorby 

 on the metamorphism of calcareous rocks. His observations 

 were made public in his presidental address last year to tlio 

 Geological Society of London. They have a most important 

 bearing on our Australian tertiary rocks, but to make this clear 

 I must state some further facts relating to them. In nij^ first 

 acquaintance with the Mount Gambler limestones I noticed that 

 some shells were found only as casts — these by far the majority. 

 A few Pei'tens and BracMopoda were preserved with the shelly 

 matter unchanged. Corals, except the Oculinacea, were preserved 

 as casts only, while the Echini Vs^cvq always crystallised into calcite, 

 and so were their spines. These peculiarities were only seen in 



