336 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION 0. 



notlium does not occur in Australia and L. australe is a 

 purely carboniferous form, then the beds in New South 

 Wales, Queensland, and Victoria containing any Lepidoden- 

 dron must be considered not older than Carboniferous. Now, 

 Dr. Feistmantel states that the Rev. W. B. Clarke found 

 L. nothum at Mount Lambie, in situ, below the level of the 

 Brachiopod sandstone of the same locality, thus proving that 

 it belonged to the Devonian series. Mr. Etheridge states, 

 however, in another note, that the expression " below the 

 level " was misunderstood by Dr. Feistmantel — that it must 

 not be taken in a stratigraphical sense, but merely referred 

 to the conformation of the ground, and that the Lepidoden- 

 dron in question occurs in beds stratigraphically above the 

 Brachiopod sandstone. He is supported in this by Mr. 

 Wilkinson's notes. The fossil from near Bathurst almost 

 certainly came from the Brachiopod sandstone, and as these 

 can hardly be younger than Devonian it appears to confirm 

 Dr. Feistmantel's view, or, at any rate, to show that a 

 Lepidodendron is found in Devonian rocks. Its importance 

 appears to me to consist in this : — 1st. It shows that the 

 Devonian rocks of New South Wales covered a much more 

 extensive area than they are shown to do on the sketch map, 

 and it will help to decide the question as to whether a very 

 extensive series of rocks should be classed as Silurian or 

 Devonian. 2ndly. If this fossil be identified as Lepidoden- 

 dron australe, then I think we must admit that that form 

 is not confined to the Carboniferous. 



It may be said, however, that the fossil is possibly derived 

 from some carboniferous bed. In that case we have this 

 remarkable state of things : there must be a great break in 

 a series of rocks, but quite unrecognisable by any strati- 

 graphical break, and we pass from Devonian, probably 

 Lower Devonian, to Carboniferous without even a change 

 in the petrographical character of the rocks, since there are 

 no signs of an unconformity and the grits and sandstones 

 are so much alike as to appear identical. 



This may be the case ; but if it be, it will to a large extent 

 revolutionise the geology of a great part of New South 

 Wales. Hitherto it is at any rate doubtful, I believe, if 

 i. australe has been found in the Colony ; but there are two 

 species of Lepidodendron, which occur at Smith's Creek near 

 Stroud, in beds which are considered to be Lower 

 Carboniferous, being associated with marine fossils of that 

 age. These species are L. volkmannianum and Z. 



