president’s address. 
1815 
During this period Australia and Asia were in some way or other 
connected by land, so that Labyrinthodonts were enabled to pass 
from the great continent into these regions. Before long however, 
as Geological time is reckoned, this communication ceased to 
exist, and has probably never been re-opened. 
The W'ianamatta Lake, which closes the series, being drained by 
the excavation of the Hawkesbury gorge on the same method that 
is at work now at Niagara, concludes the record in New South 
Wales, which is not resumed until the commencement of the 
Cretaceo-J urassic. 
I cannot but conjecture that the age during which Glossopterin 
disappeared from New South Wales was the same that introduced 
Glossopteris into the Wairoa formation (Permian?) of New 
Zealand and the Indian Talchirs. The admission of the Glossop- 
teris flora to Africa seems to be immediately followed by a 
subsequent immigration of the Treniopteris flora. This seems to 
indicate an unbroken connection between E. Australia and S. 
Africa, doubtless V)y means of the Antarctic continent, and also 
suggests that the introduction of Glossopteris to Afiica took place 
towards the close of its gr-eatest development in Australia. 
However this may be, we have good reason to suppo.se that 
the Indian Ocean of that time was a more or less closed or ISIedi- 
terranf.ian sea, and that by one means or other this Glossopteris 
flora was gradually extended over the whole outline of its coast, 
Iteing fully developcnl in the Lower Gondwanas of India, where it 
is accompanied by Libyrinthodonts, and in the Ihniufort shale.s 
of Houth Africa, where Reptilian remaiiw are abuiulaut. Jn this 
western area Ghmopteris is not of long duration, but in India 
to l>c distinguislie)! lithologically from tho original rock out of whoso dchris 
they arc constructed. To such an accidental and long HubHU({uent forma- 
tion wc must refer the remarkable OUtHa K.v. M. I’roc. Koy. 
Soc. N SW. 187!), p. !)5, whic.-h seems to l>e Tertiary, and pr<»bably Koceno 
(sec Baron v. Mueller’s pa|K-r, l.c.), though found in what was l>cliuved to 
L’ true Hawkesbury sandstone. 
