562 NOTICES OF NEW BOOKS. 



of certain genera (so far at least as our observations on different collections 

 have extended) which are abundantly distributed in the equivalent deposits of 

 northern Europe. Of the family Cephalopoda, no traces of the Nautilus, Clymenia, 

 or Goniatites have hitherto been detected ; nor have there been found any re- 

 mains of the true Leptcence, or scarcely of Orthidce (one doubtful fragment from 

 Booral excepted), genera so characteristic of the Devonian and carboniferous 

 strata of other countries. Trilobites appear to have been equally rare; and the 

 Crustacean family is represented by two or three species belonging to Cypridi- 

 form genera. On the other hand, the presence of a species of Bellerophon and 

 Conularia, seven or eight of Spirifer, and two or three belonging to the gibbose 

 species of Productus, — the latter being forms generally found in the carboni- 

 ferous limestone, — and these associated with carboniferous types of Polyparia 

 and a few allied forms of ConcMfera and Gasteropoda, — lead us to believe that 

 the deposits containing them may probably belong to that division of the 

 Palaeozoic series usually termed carboniferous. 



" The above observations apply chiefly to the great mass of ancient fossili- 

 ferous strata of these countries ; but it also appears, from the evidence of super- 

 position brought forth in thegeological section, as well as by the fossil remains 

 contained therein, that the deposits at Yass Plains and Shoalhaven, in New South 

 Wales, are anterior to the other strata, and may probably be considered the 

 equivalent of the Devonian system of Europe. The fossil species from these 

 deposits are but imperfectly known : Favosites Gothlandica, another species of 

 Favosites, and Amplexus arundinaceus (Lonsdale), fragments of Orthoceras and 

 remains of Trilobites, have only at present been noticed. Thus, the Palaeozoic 

 series of Australia and Tasmania may be regarded as partly the equivalent of 

 the Devonian and carboniferous system of other countries. 



" I cannot conclude these brief notes without remarking that many forms in 

 these deposits may have been obliterated ; and others so considerably altered, 

 that it is rather difficult to institute careful comparisons, from the metamorphic 

 action that has been induced on many of the strata by the intrusion of trappean 

 dykes, which appear to have been more frequent in Van Diemen's Land than in 

 the corresponding series on the Australian continent." 



The rocks of the carboniferous period, characterised by the pre- 

 sence of coal and occurring in New South Wales and Van Diemen's 

 Land, are considered by the author as belonging to a period some- 

 what more recent than that just described. However this may be, 

 the coal-bearing deposits are sufficiently important in themselves 

 to demand careful attention. 



There appear to be three basin-shaped deposits of this kind 

 which are described by M. de Strzelecky under the names of the 

 Newcastle, the South Esk, and the Jerusalem Basins respectively. 

 Of these the first mentioned is in New South Wales, and the two 

 latter in Van Diemen's Land. 



The Newcastle (N. S. W.) coal field occupies a tract, of which 

 the dimensions are not given, extending for some distance on both 

 sides the stream in the basin of the Hunter River near its mouth, 

 in about 33° S. lat. The northern limits of this basin consist of a 

 coarse sandstone, containing Conidarice, Spirifers, and Productce, 

 having a southerly dip and resting on a conglomerate. The southern 

 limits are composed of masses of fine-grained sandstone of a dif- 

 ferent kind, containing mica and iron glance, interspersed with 

 very thin seams of coal. Still further to the south, at Lake Mac- 

 quarie, coal crops out from beneath this sandstone. 



The coast line from Lake Macquarie northward gives a con- 



