Coal Seams near Stony Creek 27 



of this plant is the Cryptostemma Calendulaceum, that it is 

 an annual, making its appearance in the spring of the year, 

 and, that although it has now become so common, it is not 

 indigenous to. Victoria, but was brought originally from the 

 Cape of Good Hope. Since its introduction, however, it has 

 spread very rapidly, and is now gradually working its way 

 into the interior, where it is much disliked, as it forms only 

 indifferent pasture for animals, and when it dies away, 

 which it does during the summer months, it leaves the 

 country quite bare, and almost as black as if it had been 

 passed over by a bush fire. The substance which I am 

 introducing to your notice grows upon the seeds of this 

 plant, which seeds it would be necessary to remove by 

 machinery before it could be made available for manufac- 

 turing purposes. The fibre is rather short in staple, but as 

 it is of a curly nature I believe that its want of length 

 would not be detrimental to its uses, especially as, although 

 very fine, it is also exceedingly tough. I have been informed 

 by a hatter in Melbourne that it would form a good material 

 for the manufacture of felt hats, and I have very little 

 doubt that it could also be converted into textile fabrics and 

 paper. I should like very much to see it turned to useful 

 account, as its collection would give employment to numbers 

 of children as well as to aged and infirm people, a descrip- 

 tion of labour which now finds very little occupation in the 

 colony. With this view I have therefore sent a parcel of it 

 to the Exhibition in order that it may be experimented 

 upon in Europe, and I now bring it to the notice of the 

 Royal Society. 



Art. XII.— On the Coal Seams near Stony Creek (junction 

 of Singleton and Wollombi roads), West Maitland dis- 

 trict, New South Wales. By Rev. W. B. Clarke, M.A., 

 F.G.S., &c. 



[Read 23rd December, 1861.] 



The position of coal-seams at this locality has been urged 

 by me on various occasions, and in a preceding paper, on 

 the Geological Relations of the Maranoa District (Queens- 

 land), as proving the greater antiquity of the genera 

 Clossopteris, Phyllotheca, kc, than is usually assigned to 

 them. 



