iS6 SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



Of the above fossils, Glossopteris and Vertebraria are the 

 most abundant. Cvcads and Conifers beinsf exceedina^lv rare. 



From the overlying Panchet group, several fossil animals, 



but few plants, have been recorded : — 



Schizoneura gondwanensis, Feist. Glossopteris commH?iis, Feist. 



Vertebraria indica, Royle. G. itidica and other species. 



In the extra-peninsular area boulder deposits and fossi- 

 liferous marine strata occur in the Salt Ranee, N.W. 

 Afghanistan and other districts homotaxial with the Lower 

 Gondwana Rocks of the Indian Peninsula. The Salt 

 Range beds^ are of special interest as having afforded 

 trustworthy evidence as to the geological age of the Lower 

 Gondwana strata ; from the marine beds typical Carbonife- 

 rous fossil shells have been discovered of the same species 

 as Australian and European forms. Of these, Comilaria 

 IcBvigata, Comilaria temiistriata, P leineotomaria mida, Coiie- 

 tes cracozvensis and other species occur in the Salt Range 

 and in marine strata of New South Wales. The question 

 of the geological age of the Salt Range beds has given rise 

 to considerable controversy, but now it is generally admitted 

 that the boulder beds of this area and those of the Talchir 

 series are homotaxial, and of Permo-Carboniferous age." 



Australia.^ — In New South Wales, Victoria, Queens- 

 land, Tasmania and other districts the Glossopteris flora is 

 abundantly represented, and, as in India, glacial beds are 

 associated with the lowest strata containing members of 

 this flora. Conhning our attention to rocks below the 

 Mesozoic System, the beds have been classified as follows 

 in New South Wales : — 



^^'ianamatta Shales. 



Hawkesbury Sandstones. 



Newcastle beds, or Upper Coal jNIeasures. 



Upper Marine beds with Carboniferous fauna ^ 



Stony Creek beds, or Lower Coal Measures >Muree beds. 



Lower Marine beds with Carboniferous fauna J 



^ Oldham, p. 121. See also Waagen, Blanford (2) and (3), Seward, etc. 



- Phyllotheca and Vertebraria are recorded from the Sarawak Coal in 

 Borneo. (Posewitz, Borneo, p. 290. Translated by F. H. Hatch, 

 London, 1892.) 



3 See Oldham, David, Blanford, Feistmantel (3) and (6), Morris, etc. 



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