PREFACE. 
THE Catalogue of Australian Fossils was commenced in 1868 
in conjunction with my friend and former colleague Mr Norman 
Taylor, merely with the view of carrying out our duties in 
connection with the Geological Survey of Victoria, but cir- 
cumstances over which we had no control rendered the 
abandonment of the work necessary. It was not again re- 
sumed until 1871, then by myself, and through the interest 
evinced by several scientific friends I have been induced to 
continue the compilation, during leisure moments, until it 
has assumed its present proportions. 
The subject of Australian Geology and Paleontology is even 
now only in its infancy, notwithstanding the rapid strides which 
have been made within the last few years. It naturally results 
therefore, that although the number of species to be listed 
may be small when compared with those of other countries, 
still, often from the absence of definite information, the com- 
pilation has been attended with no ordinary difficulties. This 
will, I hope, to some extent tend to explain the many imper- 
fections to be found in the ‘Catalogue,’ and of which no one 
is more conscious than I am. The present is, so far as 
- I know, the first attempt at a complete list of Australian fossil 
Organic Remains, and notwithstanding the daily increasing 
number of species to be still more largely augmented in the 
future, I trust that the present effort will be found a tolerably 
faithful record of Australian Paleontology up to the year 1878. 
I have endeavoured to make the Catalogue as complete 
as circumstances will permit, but there are a few papers by 
colonial authors to which I have not been able to obtain 
access, and in consequence the data contained in them have 
been omitted, or imperfectly given. 
In the great field of Australian Geology and Palzontology 
I can lay claim to no greater title than that of a compiler, 
but as such, I would offer my tribute of respect and admiration 
