60 



DESCKTPTIOXS OF UrPER SILUKIAX FOSSILS FIU)M 



THE LILYDALE LIMESTONE, UPPER YARPA DISTRICT, 



VICTORIA. 



15 Y E. Etiieridge., Junr. 



(Pulieoiitologist to the Australiuu Mviseuni, and Ueolog-ical 

 Survey of New South Wales.) 



The fossils about to be described were collected at the Cave-hill 

 Quarries, Lilydale, Upper ITarra District, near Melbourne, 

 Victoria, by Mr. A. .1 North, of the Australian Museum.* 



I am informed by Mr. R. A. F. Murray, Governuieut 

 Geolo<i-ist of Victoria, that no descrijition of this limestone has 

 been published, and that beyond the fact that it is a member 

 of the Upper Silurian of that Colony, little is known of it. I 

 hope to be able to show, by the determination of the following 

 fossils, that the Lilydale Limestone is a portion of the Upper 

 Silurian, known as the Wenlock Series. 



The limestone, judging sinipl}- from the specimens which 

 have passed through my hands, varies in colour from light 

 grey to dark bluish-grey, and is highly fossiliferous. In places 

 it is crystalline and homogenous, with scattered rather flesh 

 coloured patches ; in parts minvitely brecciated, with here 

 and there patches of a more or less oolitic character ; in 

 fact no two specimens exactly agree with one another in 

 appearance and mechanical composition. It weathers and 

 decomposes to an almost pure white colour and becomes very 

 friable. The fossils so far recognised are at least three forms 

 of Stromatoporidea ; a peculiar Favositen, to be described under 

 the name of F. yrandipora ; and three species of Gasteropoda. 



The Stromatoporidea will require a more prolonged study 

 than I am able to give them at the present moment, and 

 must be relegated to a future report. Resides the univalves 

 described, there is a JieUerophon, but not sufliciently well 

 preserved to be determinable. Lastly a Rugose coral, which 

 will probably prove to be one of the Cyathophyllidje. 



* Supplemented by a small series presented by Mr. J. Campbell, of the 

 Lilydale Quarries. 



