OF CENTRAL INDIA AND BENGAL. 331 



subsequently a larger collection was transmitted by the Revd. W. B. 

 Clarke, and examined and described by Professor McCoy. By all these 

 competent authorities the very striking; agreement between the fossil 

 mollusca and corals from these Australian beds and those from the lower 

 carboniferous rocks of Europe, (this agreement being not only in the ge- 

 neral aspect or fades of the group, but also in specific identity of many 

 of the fossils), was pointed out. While on the other hand, in reviewing 

 the group of fossil plants from these beds, Mr. Morris distinctly called at- 

 tention to the absence of those forms which in Europe and America were 

 found abundant in, and were characteristic of, the carboniferous rocks. 

 He also noticed the peculiar resemblance, in some of the forms, to species 

 known only from the oolitic rocks of Europe, remarking at the same 

 time, the close analogy of one form with a Permian fern, from Russia- 

 Mr. McCoy also, after noticing similar facts, sums up the evidence from 

 these plants, thus. — Of the 10 genera into which he divided the entire 

 collection submitted to him, two were known only in these Australian 

 beds, and in our Indian fields {Ver tebr aria and Zeugophyllites) ; one, 

 (Gleichenites) " found only in the palasozoic coal" remarking however, 

 (and this is worthy of notice) " the plant agrees much better with the 

 species of the keuper genus Heptacarpus, than with those of the car- 

 boniferous Gleichenites." — " All the other genera, (with the exception of 

 Phyllotheca, which is confined to the locality ) are well known in the 

 oolitic coal deposits of Yorkshire," &c. * * * " Several of those ge- 

 nera are common both to the carboniferous and oolitic periods, but the 

 most abundant and characteristic plants of the Australian beds belong to a 

 genus ( Glossopteris) never found in the old coal-fields, but several species 

 of which are, on the other hand, well-known in coal-beds of the oolitic 

 age in various parts of the world." Further remarking, as had Mr. 

 Morris previously, on the negative evidence of the total absence of Si- 

 gillaria, Stigmaria, Lepidodendron &c, forms so abundant in European 

 coal-measures, he concludes from all the evidence-—" I do not think 



