48 ON THE FOSSIL FLORA OF THE COAL DEPOSITS OF AUSTRALIA, 



In the Progress Report of the Geological Survey of Victoria for 

 1874, Mr. B rough Smyth, at p. 24, states that he found associated 

 together Peeopteris (Alethopteris) australis, one of the characteristic 

 forms of the Jurassic coal beds of Australia, with Glossopteris 

 browniana. This identification was confirmed by Professor M'Coy. 

 On the strength of this, Mr. Smyth considered that the whole of 

 the coal of New South Wales and Tasmania is mesozoic, adding, 

 "In New South Wales and Tasmania the coal -bearing rocks lie on 

 limestones, and the fossil fauna contained in these limestones may 

 without doubt be regarded as belonging to the marine paleozoic 

 Carboniferous period," p. 26. In making this statement, Mr. 

 Brough Smyth contradicted all the observations of those who 

 stated that the coal not only lay upon the marine Carboniferous 

 fauna, but was intercalated between. In a geological map 

 published subsequently, he reiterates the above opinion by coloring 

 all the Newcastle coal deposits as carbonaceous, and not carbon- 

 iferous. No facts were given to confirm these opinions except the 

 discovery of Glossopteris as above stated. 



In 1876, there appeared in the Geological Magazine* an article 

 from the pen of Dr. Feistmantel on the Gondwana series of India. 

 Speaking of the fossils of the Damuda group, he says — " From 

 the occurrence of the genus Glossopteris in these beds they were 

 for a time brought into connection with Australian coal measures, 

 and declared paleozoic." He points out the error of this because, 

 1, in the Damuda group Glossopteris is associated with Triassic 

 plants which do not occur in Australia at all. 2. Because in India 

 Glossopteris is never associated with marine paleozoic fossils which 

 do occur in Australia. He adds that " Glossopteris grew first in 

 Australia " during the Carboniferous epoch, survived in India, 

 passing perhaps through China when India was in connexion with 

 the European Triassic Continent. (Note at p. 490.) 



With reference to Phyllotheca, he says — it is known in Australia 

 mostly only from the Newcastle coal-field above the marine fauna 

 and from mesozoic rocks in Victoria together with Tceniopteris, &c. 



* First article in the November number, p. 481. 



