179 



STRATIGRAPHICAL SERIES. 



Selected specimens from the very large collection of New 

 South "Wales fossils are arranged in the wall-cases round the 

 building in stratigraphical order. The labelling of these is not 

 yet complete. It is anticipated that a description of these fossils 

 will be prepared by the Palaeontologist. 



The series begins with the Cambrian formation in case 1, and 

 continues in ascending order to recent times. 



Case 1. — As no Cambrian strata are known to exist in this Cambrian. 

 State, a few trilobites, &e., from Tasmania and South Australia 

 are placed here. 



Case 1. — -Lower Silurian rocks are found in several districts Lower 



in New South Wales. The fossils by which they were recognised (Ordovician) 



consist principally of badly preserved trilobites and graptolites. 



Graptolites from Victoria, and from Co. Wellesley, the Tom- 



ingley Mine (Peak Hill), Maudurama, and elsewhere are 



exhibited. 



Trilobites and graptolites are forms of animal life that became extinct in 

 early geological ages. Trilobites were crustaceans, allied to tlie 

 modern king-crab. Grraptolites were lowly orgaaisms, a number of 

 whicli formed a sort of colony by budding off from a central axi?. 

 Both exiited in great number and variety in early Palaeozoic times. 



Cases 2-7. — Numerous corals — particularly Favosiies and Upper 

 Seliolites — and trilobites from the Tass district. ^ unan. 



In case 6 is a black marble from Walli containing the 

 brachiopoda, Pentamerus Knirjlitii. A larger slab of this will be 

 found on the south wall. 



In case 7, Orthoceras from Tass. 



Orihoceras is an extinct chambered shell, resembling the nautilus, but 

 straight, not coiled. It grew to a great size, and was fairly abundant 

 in Pala3ozoic times. 



Cases 10-14. — Many fine corals from Tam worth. Devraian, 



At Tamworth and elsewhere there are vast thicknesses of rocks, 

 more or less made up of the microscopic remains of radiolaria. 



