MR. A. W. WATERS ON FOSSIL LITHOTHAMNIA. 247 



seems to be found in most of the Tertiaries on the Con- 

 tinent. It is further found in the Chalk at Maestricht 

 and in the Jurassic sponge-beds at Schwabenbergs (in the 

 Frankischen Alb) . 



A calcareous seaweed (the Corallina reussiana) has, 

 according to Schimper, been found in the Silurian beds in 

 Bohemia, the oldest known at present. 



There are a few fine fossil specimens on the table from 

 the Murray River, Australia, kindly lent to me by Mr. 

 William Johnson. The few fossils from the same place, 

 from a cursory examination, seem to correspond with the 

 European younger Eocene or Miocene ; but I cannot say 

 exactly their position, though it is undoubtedly middle or 

 later Tertiary. It is very difficult to say much about its 

 distribution, since, from the extreme simplicity of appear- 

 ance, it is but seldom noticed by geologists or travellers ; 

 but doubtless, when geologists have paid more attention 

 to the question, we shall find it has a very wide distri- 

 bution, and has formed rocks of equal importance in other 

 parts of the world. 



Taking the Eastern Alps, with which I have a fair 

 acquaintance, viz. the Bavarian, Austrian, and North- 

 Italian Alps, in which, as you know, the Tertiary deposits 

 attain extraordinary importance, I do not think it is too 

 much to say that one sixth of the whole Tertiary rocks of 

 this district are composed of Lithothamnium. I do not 

 give this as an exact calculation in any way, but merely to 

 give an idea of its importance. 



The rocks formed by corals will only bear a very small 

 proportion to those thus formed. 



It would be very strange if this fossil, which is so abun- 

 dant on the Continent, should not occur frequently in 

 England ; but, as far as I am at present aware, it has not 

 been mentioned from any locality in Great Britain. 



The recent Melobesiacese seem to have a very general 



