Palaozoic Geology. 553 



proof to many we already possess, that the same climatological and 

 physical conditions were very widely spread during the earlier ages 

 of the eartli. Slender as our information is as yet respecting the 

 natural history of that wide and detached continent which British 

 industry is reclaiming, we cannot but anticipate a rapid accession 

 to our knowledge, now that some highly-gifted naturalists are esta- 

 blished in it. Whilst I simply allude to Mr. W. MacLeay* and 

 Captain Philip King, whose researches are directed to branches of 

 science connected with our own, it is my duty to mention more spe- 

 cially the Rev. W. B. Clarke, a member of this Society, who has pre- 

 viously contributed to our Proceedings and Transactions, and who 

 iu his recent voyage to Australia has afforded us fresh evidence that 

 his leisure hours will still be employed in geological pursuits. A 

 short residence at the Cape of Good Hope enabled him to com- 

 municate to us a memoir on the structure of that colony, which 

 seems to confirm what we had previously learnt from Herschel and 

 Smith concerning its northern limits, and leads us to conclude that 

 rocks of the Silurian age constitute the chief sedimentary masses of 

 the southern promontories, though often much altered by the intru- 

 sion of igneous rocks. 



Having alluded to Australia, I cannot refrain from expressing 

 my delight, that Captain Grey, whose sketches of his arduous jour- 

 neys in the wildest portions of that land are already placed among 

 our standard works of travels, and whose future researches are cer- 

 tain to enrich our knowledge, should happily have been selected to 

 rear the nascent establishment of Adelaide, at the same time that a 

 most valued member of our own body. Sir John Franklin, is ren- 

 dering Van Diemen"s Land a school of natural knowledge. Under 

 the more euphonous name of Tasmania (derived from its real 

 discoverer Tasman), the intrepid polar voyager, thougli now un- 

 aided by the great zoologist, the companion of his former toils, 

 assembling together a few men of science and letters, has founded 

 the " Tasmanian Philosophical Society," to the first Number of 

 whose published labours, printed at Hobart Town, I beg to refer 

 you as containing an introduction and several memoirs which would 

 do credit to any Society in this metropolis. The geological articles 

 contained in it refer only to the structure of Kerguelen's Land, and 

 fossil wood from Macquarrie Plains ; but as some very remari^able 

 fossils of very ancient forms iiave already been procured from the 

 vicinity of liobart Town, 1 trust tliat the energy of the governor 

 and his known devotion to our pursuits, will induce him to procure 

 from some one of tlie intelligent scientific staff wiiich surrounds him, 



* Although Trilobites so characteristic of the protozoic aera have not 

 yet been detected, my friend Mr. MacLeay acquaints me that he has re- 

 cently recognized the first fossil crustacean found in Australia, a macrourous 

 decapode, which being discovered by Mr. Emery of the Beagle, has been 

 brought home by that officer, and through Dr. Fitton has found its way into 

 our museum. "This crustacean (writes Mr. MacLeay) is nearly allied to 

 Thalassina, and is interesting as a sijecimen from being the first fossil 

 crustacean, and I believe the only one yet found in New Holland." 



Phil. Mag. S. 3. Vol. 20. No. 1 34-. Suppl. July 1 842. 2 P 



