18 



have found none of the eight described Australian L. 0. 

 £alanopliylUa, which give such a peculiar facies to the 

 Australian Tertiary coral fauna, since eight species of one 

 genus, and that a rare one, is a remarkable palseontological 

 fact. There is, however, a large cylindrical and much branched 

 Balanophyllia, with a dense rugose epitheca and peculiar 

 systems of cycles, which, I have no doubt, will prove most 

 interesting to science when determined, as it will be, by our 

 greatest living authority on corals, Prof. Duncan. There is 

 also a coral of the Heliastreean type, which is also new iu 

 Australian palaeontology. Both have been sent to Europe. 



Amongst the Forminifera identified, we have Textularia 

 pygmea, T. arjglutinans, Cassidulina ohlonga, Rosalina hertho- 

 letiana, and some few others, all evidence of deep water, say 

 from 200 to 300 fathoms. 



From the foregoing facts there can be little doubt that we 

 have in Northern Tasmania a portion of the great tertiary 

 formation which occupies so much of the Southern Australian 

 continent. From this we may conclude that Tasmania has 

 shared the general upheaval, of which there is so much 

 evidence as occurring in the continent during tertiary periods. 

 Until the beds have been carefully examined it will not be 

 competent for any one to hazard an opinion as to whether the 

 upheaval in Tasmania has been greater or less than that 

 observed in Austi-alia, and whether now continuing or followed 

 by subsidence. The position of the beds is in longitude 

 eastward of any deposits in Australia, and proves one more 

 link to the union of these beds with the great tertiary forma- 

 tions of New Zealand. There can be but little doubt also 

 that the tertiary leaf beds, which Mr. Johnson has lately 

 described in so interesting a manner, form a part of this 

 upper tertiary formation, and are connected with similar 

 deposits near Cape Otway. A careful examination by a com- 

 petent botanical Palaeontologist would lead, no doubt, to the 

 most interesting results. 



As to the age of the beds, I cannot do better than append 

 the published opinion of Dr. Duncan, one of the secretaries of 

 the London Geological Society, whose kindness and industry in 

 attending to all my communications on the subject of Austra- 

 lian tertiary fossils have led to the great progress which 

 Australian Palaeontology has lately made. I may add that to 

 him. Professor M'Coy, Professor Etheridge, and Mr. Moore, 

 F.Gr.S., we owe nearly all we know of the fossils of Australia. 



In the Quart. Journ. Geo. Soc, Vol. 26 p. 313, he says that 

 the corals of the Australian tertiaries are very characteristic. 

 They were not reef builders, but forms which tenanted the sea 

 bottom from low spring tide, much to the depth where polyzoa 



