11 



NOTES ON A COLLECTION OF PLANT IMPRESSIONS 



FROM THE HENTY RIVER. 



By R. M. Johnston, F.L.S. 



Lower Coal Measures. 



Until very recently we were ignorant of the existence of the 

 extension of members of the Carboniferous Rocks to the west of 

 the Eldon Bluff. About six months ago I received a collection of 

 fossils from Mr. T. P. H. Jones, taken from a deposit extending 

 eastward along the northern side of the Henty River, com- 

 mencing at its junction with its tributary, The Badger, and 

 apparently occupying a patch of about 4 miles square, lying 

 between these rivers eastward of the fork. Mr. Jones states 

 that he has traced some of its members^ forming a narrow 

 curved strip bending northwards towards, and nearly ap- 

 proaching the vicinity of Mount Dundas. 



Mr. Montgomery also visited the locality at this time, and 

 we may hope to learn from him further particulars regarding 

 the stratigraphic relations of the various members of this 

 deposit at an early date. Having expressed to Mr. Jones my 

 desire to obtain a more complete collection of the plant 

 impressions, he very kindly undertook to do so, and recently, 

 through the kindness of Mr. Meiring, I received a collection 

 of Lower Coal Measure plants, containing some of the finest 

 examples of Glossopteris Browniana that I have yet seen in 

 Tasmania. One of these is nearly perfect, and must have 

 been originally 14 inches in length, having a breadth of 2| 

 inches at its greatest diameter. 



Another fine example of Glossopteris, which I regard as 

 a new species, is 9 inches in length, and 4 inches broad at its 

 greatest diameter. These beautiful ferns are very remarkable, 

 and are associated with abundant remains of the following 

 species — all of which also occur in the shales of The Lower 

 Coal Measures at the Mersey River: viz.: — 



Gangamopteris spatulata. M'Coy. 



obliqua. „ 



Noeggerathiopsis media. Ettings. 



The shales in which these plants are imbedded are hard and 

 fissile, and of a very dark grey colour. They contain many 

 curious botryoidal concretions ; some rounded or nut-shape, 

 and all of them having a bright glazed surface. I am yet 

 unable to account for them. 



