Geology 



ticular set of conditions which existed in different parts 

 of a district at one and the same time. 



Again referring to the Carboniferous Limestone of 

 Britain, the fossils in one district indicate open sea con- 

 ditions with coral reefs, while the fauna of another area 

 indicates conditions such as those which occur in shallow 

 lagoons similar to those which exist between barrier 

 reefs and the coast. 



So far as we could ascertain from our specimens the 

 Lower Carboniferous fauna was very similar to that 

 which occurs at the same horizon in the British area, and 

 indicated in our case, by the abundance of its corals, 

 open sea conditions. 



The fauna of our lowest beds strongly resembled that 

 of the Syringothyris zone of Britain, so it is probable 

 that the oldest part of the Carboniferous is not repre- 

 sented in the area which we have examined. 



Should we meet with these lower Carboniferous rocks 

 in other parts of the country a comparison of their fossils 

 may throw further light on this matter. So far, however, 

 all we could say with certainty was that the junction 

 with the underlying rocks was an unconformable one, that 

 the upper surface of the underlying Silurian rocks was 

 irregular and indicated an old land surface, and that the 

 lowest beds of the Carboniferous appeared to be missing. 



Our new official position allowed of our drawing upon 

 Government stores, and we found that these included 

 two steam launches, which would enable us to navigate 

 the Upper Hutton more rapidly and with less fatigue 

 than would have been the case had we had to depend on 

 sails or paddles. 



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