246 
This explanation of the mistake naturally nettled so eminent and 
enthusiastic a geologist as Dr. Wright, and was, no doubt, one 
of the causes which in subsequent years led to so many passages of 
arms between these local champions. However, Moore’s views as 
to the true position of the White Lias were undoubtedly correct. 
And the removal of these beds from their former Liassic position 
and their classification with the Avicula Contorta Zone and Bone 
bed below, under the title of the ‘‘ Rhztic Formation ;” and their 
equivalence to the Kossener Schichten or Rheetic beds of Giimbel, 
has since been confirmed by the later researches of every geologist. 
His reputation as one of the foremost geologists of the day need 
rest on no other claim than this, that he was the first to recognize 
the existence in England in those few (35) feet of clays and lime- 
stones between the New Red and the Lias, the diminutive 
representives of such an enormous thickness (some 4,000 or 5,000 
feet) of strata in the Austrian Alps; and so full of such an 
interesting and distinctive fauna, to which the name of “ Rhetic 
Formation” has been applied. About this time we find that his 
attention was directed to Australian geology. Having undertaken 
the post of Emigration Agent in Bath he had naturally much 
intercourse with Colonials, and fossils and other specimens were 
sent to him for examination ; a fine collection of Australian fossils, 
some of which are arranged in the drawers beneath the cases in 
the Moore room, others relegated to the vaults beneath the 
Institution, were sent to him from the neighbourhood of Wollum- 
billa, Queensland, and from New South Wales. The search for 
gold about this time had caused attention to be turned to the 
nature of the strata ; hitherto, but little was known beyond the 
fact that the deposits were either Paleozoic or Tertiary, the pre- 
vailing opinion being that the intermediate formations were 
entirely absent. Recent researches had, however, shown that 
some of the Mesozoic beds were represented on this great 
continent. And in his third paper, published in the Q. J. G. 8. 
(vol. xxvi., p. 226) he gave a description of Australian Mesozoic 
