Reviews — Talceontology of Western Australia. 233 



YI. — Geological Survey, "Westeen Australia. Bulletin No. 27 : 



PAL^aEONTOLOGICAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE GeOLOGY OF WESTERN 



Australia. By Robert Etheridge, F. Chapman, and W. Howchin. 

 8vo;pp. 71. Perth, W. A. 



THIS Bulletin contains five papers, all of them of considerable 

 interest from the geological standpoint as well as from that 

 of the palseontological. The first is a brief statement made by 

 Mr. E.. Etheridge on " Plant Remains from the Collie Coalfield," in 

 which the writer, after citing the views as to the age of the beds 

 entertained by Mr. H. P. Woodward (1891, 1894) and by Mr. Robert 

 Etheridge, E.R.S. (1894), forms the opinion on the evidence of 

 GlossOjpteris remains that the beds are of Permo-Carboniferous age, in 

 this confirming his father's views, which, as will be shown in the 

 sequel, were well founded. In the next paper, "I^otes on Fossils 

 from the Collie Coalfield, West Australia, in the Collection of the 

 National Museum, Melbourne," Mr. F. Chapman refers to the con- 

 clusive settlement of the age of this coal-bearing stratum by Sir Frederick 

 McCoy in 1898. The specimens upon which this important determina- 

 tion was based are described in detail and figured by Mr. Chapman 

 from the new and valuable material secured for the Museum by 

 Sir John Forrest. The species identified are Glossopteris Browniana, 

 var. Australasica, Brongniart (sp. and var.) ; 6. Indica, Schimper ; 

 G. angustifolia, Brongniart ; G. Gangamopteris, Feistmantel ; together 

 with specimens of the rhizoma of Glo&sopteris (= Vertebraria), and 

 some plant-fragments of uncertain affinities. 



In addition to the plant-remains a small series of Foraminifera was 

 obtained in the whitish sandstone accompanying the coal-seams. They 

 proved from their exceptional minuteness very difficult to determine, 

 but the presence among them of a characteristic Carboniferous species, 

 Vahulina plicata, d'Orb., is an additional testimony, if such were 

 required, to the correctness of the age assigned to the rocks from 

 which they are derived. Their presence in strata associated with the 

 Collie coal-beds is also intei'esting, as showing that these deposits are 

 due to drifted material of marine or estiiarine origin. The forms 

 enumerated consist of the species above mentioned, together with 

 Truncahdina Saidingeri, d'Orb., Endothyra sp., Bulimina sp., Pulvinu- 

 lina cf. exigua, Brady. 



The third paper is by Mr. R. Etheridge, and contains descriptions 

 and figures of fossils from the Irwin River, W.A., collected by 

 Mr. E. S. Simpson and Mr. C. F. V. Jackson. The fossils consist of 

 casts and impressions, mostly badly preserved, and therefore difficult 

 of determination. The following are the species : Dielasma nohilis, 

 sp. nov., Spirifera, sp. ind., Cyrtina carhonaria, var. Australasica, 

 Eth. fil., Cliothyris Macleayana, Eth. fil., Productus suhqiiadratus, 

 Morris, Chonetes, sp. ind., Deltopecten sithquinqtielineatus, McCoy, 

 ModioIa(?), sp. ind., Ifyaltna^?) Mingenewensis, sp. nov. 



The fourth paper is also contributed by Mr. R. Etheridge, and in 

 this the Carboniferous fossils of the Irwin River are carefully described 

 and figured. The facies of these fossils is stated to be that of the 

 Carboniferous as distinguished from the higher Permo-Carboniferous. 



