138 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [DeC. 21, 



my observation. From reports which can be depended upon, there 

 is, however, no lack of more recent deposits in South-western Aus- 

 tralia, and I possess specimens, given to me by an explorer, from 

 the Kiver Belliands (Queensland), very near the place of my own 

 examinations in the North-east, containing fine Belemnites and Shells 

 of the Cretaceou-S period. 



In the southern part of New South "Wales, near the head-waters 

 of the Lachlan Eiver, I foimd some remarkable blocks, containing 

 large leaves in high relief, which would, at first sight, be pronounced 

 Tertiary ; but, from their position , I cannot separate them from the 

 siliceous beds intercalated with the auriferous shales, far older than 

 the Coal-measures. These leaves are accompanied by very distinct 

 impressions of Ferns ; and I beg to direct the special attention of 

 phytologists to the specimens from these beds which will be found 

 in the collection sent by me to the International Exhibition of 1862, 

 and presented by the New South Wales Exhibition Commissioners to 

 the Bath Philosophical Society. 



The upper beds of the " Sydney Sandstone " contain shales which 

 I have called " the false coal-measures " (the " Wyanamatta shales " 

 of the Eev. W. B. Clarke). These shales are invariably mistaken 

 by even intelligent miners for the Coal-measures, and I have been 

 frequently called upon to examine them for coal ; but their position 

 is 800 feet above the upper coal-seam ; and the name I have given 

 them is justified by the fact that, although in places they present 

 a thickness of 150 feet, only a few thin coal-pipes have been found 

 in them. 



On approaching the coal-seams (from the false coal-measiu'es), the 

 Vertehraria austraUs makes its appearance ; and this, with the Glos- 

 sopteris, accompanies the entii'e series of the Coal-measures from the 

 topmost to the lowest seam. 



Reckoning the workable seams to be eleven in number (and I 

 know from observation in many natural sections that this is not far 

 wrong), we find, on approaching the two lower seams, abundance of 

 fossils — Pachydomus and Belleroplion. Spirifer is rare, until we 

 approach the lowest seam ; and here, as well as below, the Spirifer 

 abounds in great variety, as also Fenestella and Ch^thoceras ; but I . 

 must repeat that the Olossopteris and the Yertehraria never cease, 

 but are constant through the whole series. 



Marine remains other than those indicated above are rare; but a 

 fish with heterocercal tail, in a very distinct impression, was found 

 in the Australian Agricultural Company's B. Pit at Newcastle, in the 

 shales above the "Yard Seam." 



Conglomerates indicative of strong drift-currents are found between 

 nearly every seam of coal; and immediately below the Coal-measures 

 coarse siliceous grits and porphyritic clays envelope a considerable 

 amount of the Carboniferous flora. Very well-defined specimens of 

 the Lepidodendron are occasionally to be met with in these siliceous 

 deposits. 



The lower fossiliferous limestone, the chlorite- schists, and the 

 auriferous quartzites were, in many places, upheaved to a high angle 



