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



to an experienced eye, or without some fruit spikes, these fossils 

 might be mistaken for Phyllotheca australis. They belong, 

 however, to a much lower horizon, and the leaves will be 

 found to be dichotomous, which is never the case in Phyllotheca. 

 Catamites varians is quoted by Feistmantel (loc. cit.. p. 145) on the 

 authority of De Koninck. The passage referred is as follows :— * 

 " Before commencing the study of the numerous animal forms 

 belonging to the Carboniferous period, I will glance at some con- 

 temporary plant remains received at the same time and also often in 

 the same rocks from the Rev. W. B. Clarke. I should state, previously, 

 that the specimens sent to me, not above twenty in number, were 

 in such a bad state of preservation that, notwithstanding the 

 immense experience of M. Crepin, who was kind enough to 

 examine them, or the abundant materials for comparison which he 

 had at his disposal in the Brussels Museum, he was unable to 

 determine any species with certainty. According to him, never- 

 theless, some specimens came very near to Lepidodendron veltheimi- 

 anum, Sternberg, others to Bornia radiata, A. Brong. and others, to 

 Catamites varians, Germar : these constitute the dominant forms. 

 All these plants are contained either in a hard and compact 

 greyish yellow or greenish limestone, or else in friable, easily 

 powdered grey or brownish sandstone. Many are associated with 

 marine animal remains, such as the stems of Crinoids, Productus, 

 Conularia, &c. By their characteristics they cannot be said to 

 belong to the Carboniferous formation properly speaking, but to the 

 period which preceded it, being preserved in the rocks on which 

 the Carboniferous strata rest. The principal localities in which 

 these different fragments have been collected are the Murree 

 quarries (Loders' Creek), Russell's Shaft, Glen William, and 

 Burragood." 



Calamites varians Germar (C. approximatus, Schlott, of Schim- 

 per). This species is distinguished by the very short intervals in 

 the basal part of the trunk becoming suddenly elongated in the 

 upper part. The shoots of the basilar portion were rather stout, 



* Recherches sur ies Foss. Paleoz. N. Galles d. Sud, Australie, 3 part, 

 p. 142. 



