Geographical and Ethnographical Section. 51 



Ammonites Flindersi (M'Coy). 



Discoid moderately compressed ; periphery narrow, 

 obtusely rounded ; whorls 4 J, about one-fourth of the 

 width of each exposed in an obtusely angular-edged, flat- 

 sided umbilicus ; surface crossed by obtuse sigmoid striae, 

 some of which are more prominent than the more numerous 

 intervening ones ; diameter, six inches ; proportional thick- 

 ness, 29-1 00th ; width of last whorl, 49-lOOth ; seven much 

 divided lobes in the septa of each side, two of which are 

 within the edge of the umbilicus. 



This ammonite, in size, number, and involution of whorls, 

 shape, markings, and septa, is so nearly identical with the very 

 common A. Beudanti (Br.), of the French Lower Chalk, that, 

 but for being slightly less compressed, and a slight diflerence 

 in some of the septal lobes, it could scarcely be separated 

 even as a variety. The specific name is given to call atten- 

 tion to the locality. 



Art. Y. — Onthe Desirability of Establishing the Geographical 

 and Ethnographical Section under Law 60. By Thomas 

 E. Rawlinson, Esq., C.E. 



[Read 4tli September, 1865.] 



Situate in a young community, which (in this quarter of 

 the globe) occupies the position of advance guard, in the 

 civilization of the nineteenth century, it appears to me to be 

 almost unnecessary to advance any particular argument, to 

 convince the members of this Society, of the great importance 

 of collecting the ethno and geographical facts within 

 their reach, for the purpose of rendering permanent, a know- 

 ledge of things which are passing away, and of giving wider 

 and more rapid publicity to discoveries, which are now being, 

 and have been made, relative to the character, form, and 

 capabilities of our adopted country and its aboriginal races. 



Assuming that the general principle (of the desirability of 

 securing the above objects) is admitted, I will proceed 

 to advert to the objects themselves, and why this Society 

 especially should concern itself in the matter. 



At the present time, our geographical knowledge of the 

 interior and around the coasts of Australia is gradually 

 widening, but it is neither so full, or authentic, in all cases, 



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