212 WALTER HOWCHIN 
evidences are the Branxton’ beds, in the Upper Marine, and the 
Lochinvar beds, which form the base of the Permo-Carboniferous 
rocks. 
The first definite discovery of glaciated stones, in New South 
Wales, was made by Mr. R. D. Oldham, the superintendent of 
the Geological Survey of India, who when visiting Branxton, in 
1885, was much struck with the resemblance which the beds in 
this locality bore to the Talchir glacial beds of India, belonging to 
a similar geological age, and was confirmed in this opinion by the 
discovery of a distinctly glaciated erratic which he subsequently 
described.2 The Branxton beds are chiefly sandstones, very rich 
in Fenestellidae. Erratics occur in these beds up to 4 feet and 5 
feet in length, and frequently indent the floor on which they were 
dropped (X XVI, p. 198, pl. XXIV). 
The important exposure of glacial beds, near the township of 
Lochinvar (on the railway 102 miles north of Sydney), was dis- 
covered by Professor David and others while carrying out geological 
survey work in 1899. These beds are about 300 feet in thickness, 
and rest unconformably on rocks of Carboniferous age. They 
have a very close resemblance to the Bacchus Marsh till beds and 
contain numerous glaciated stones. David says, 
The included bowlders in the glacial beds vary in size from a few inches 
up to about two feet. The bowlders consist of quartzite, sandstone, argillite, 
granite, diorite, greenish felsitic (?) rocks, serpentine, etc. Perhaps from 
five to ten per cent, more or less, were originally glaciated, but owing to redis- 
tribution and attrition in probably shallow sea water it is exceptional to find 
bowlders which have retained well-defined grooves or striae. The bowlders 
vary from angular to rounded, and, unlike those at Branxton and Grasstree, 
these exhibit distinct grooves as well as striae, in this respect resembling those 
of Bacchus Marsh. 
Two glaciated stones are figured by David, the one from Branx- 
ton and the other from Lochinvar (XXV, p. 154, pl. IV). The 
section (300 feet) is entirely devoid of fossil remains, but at the 
extreme top of the beds, Spirifer and Eurydesma make their 
appearance. David estimates the horizon of the Lochinvar beds 
« Branxton is on the main north line from Sydney, in the Maitland district, and 
Lochinvar is situated on the railway, about 8 miles nearer Sydney. 
2 Rec. Geol. Survey of India, XIX, p. 44. 
