588 W. H. HTJDLESTON OTv T WEST-AUSTRALIAN 



almost be taken for the well-known Favosites polymoipha, which 

 now figures as Pachypora cervicornis in correct lists of fossils. The 

 above species has been quoted as occurring in the Lower Devonian 

 of the Macleary river. This is the only trace of a thoroughly Devo- 

 nian fossil in the whole collection. If really collected from the same 

 beds as the others, its presence is somewhat singular. I can scarcely 

 believe it to have been remanie from lower beds. 



Portions of crinoidal stems are numerous in the collection ; these 

 probably belong to Poteriocrinus and CyatJiocrinus. Along with 

 these are many single "joints " and smaller fragments occurring 

 together with pieces of Polyzoa, &c, in the matrix of the larger 

 fossils, forcibly reminding one of the contents of Carboniferous rocks 

 at home. 



The Polyzoa also are well represented ; and besides forms hitherto 

 recognized as abundant in Australia, are others whose allies must 

 be sought in America. There are two species of the very curious 

 genus Euactinopora, only known hitherto, so far as I am aware, 

 in the Lower Carboniferous of the Mississippi valley. Besides these 

 are several specimens of Fenestella plebeia, common in the Carboni- 

 ferous Limestone of Ireland, and quoted from nearly every Carboni- 

 ferous locality in Australia. One of the many varieties of Protore- 

 tipora (Fenestella) ampla is also met with in the collection ; of this 

 there are two specimens. 



The improvement in the list of Brachiopoda is not so great as in 

 the lower forms of life just quoted ; but Mr. Gregory's list is confirmed 

 and strengthened. In Mr. Forrest's collection there occur one species 

 of Athyris, four species of Spirifer, of which two belong to the 

 alate group, and two species of Productus, one of which may be a 

 Stroplialosia. These are all from the " Range containing fossils," 

 and there is a cast of an Orthis ? from station No. 2, in all eight 

 species of Brachiopoda. 



Here, again, the whole facies is strongly Carboniferous, as will be 

 seen on referring to the table of fossils, though one or two species, 

 which have a great range both in time and space, are common to the 

 Carboniferous and Devonian. 



The Conchifera are represented solely by Aviculopecten, of which 

 there are two sj>ecies. The specimen of A. illaivarensis is very fine. 

 This fossil has a considerable amount of adherent matrix, consisting 

 of a coarse red marly quartz-grit full of crinoidal fragments and of 

 Polyzoa. Two fragmental casts of A. limceformis occur in a brown, 

 ferruginous, fine-grained sandstone. 



Concluding remarks. — If any doubt still exists as regards the age 

 of the coal-bearing beds on the Irwin river, in lat. 29° S, and on 

 the "Fitzgerald river, in lat. 34° S, which were regarded by Mr. 

 Etheridge as of Mesozoic age *, it is at least satisfactor}^ to know 

 that a thoroughly Carboniferous fauna occurs in the " Range con- 



* See " Description of the Pakeozoic and Mesozoic Fossils of Queensland. 

 Quart. Journ. Greol. Soc. vol. xxviii. p. 320. 



