1865.] Hull on the History of the British Coal Measures. 19 



In conclusion, the peculiarities of the Australian Mammal-fauna, 

 which distinguish it in the most marked way from that of every other 

 part of the world may, I think, be put as follows : — 



1. The presence of the only known members of the bird-like Order 

 Monotremata. 



2. The great prevalence of Marsupials, two-thirds of the whole of 

 the known Mammals of Australia belonging to the single order. 



3. The absence of all Placental Mammals, except Eodents, Bats, 

 and a single Carnivore. 



Explanation of the Illustration. 



Mr. Wolfs plate represents a moonlight scene on the verge of an 

 Australian forest. In the foreground, facing the observei*, to the left is 

 a Wombat (Phascolomys lasiorhinus) ; to the right an Echidna (E. hystrix). 

 In the open background are some Kangaroos (Maoropus major). A Koala, 

 or "Native Bear" (Phascolarctos cinereus), is slowly climbing a tree, on the 

 branches of which a group of Phalangers (Petauri) and Tarsipes are dis- 

 porting themselves, whilst a large Flying Phalanger ( Petaurus taguanoides) 

 is crossing the open space in full flight to the base of an adjoining tree. 



THE HISTORY OF THE BRITISH COAL MEASURES; 



Being an Account of the Range and Distribution of the Coal Formations 

 beneath the more Becent Strata of the Central and Southern Counties 

 of England. 



By Edward Hull, B.A., F.G.S., &c. 



On a former occasion* I ventured to give a condensed description of 

 the several coal-fields of Great Britain, along with an estimate of the 

 mineral resources of each ; and I then endeavoured to show that 

 several of the principal coal-fields of the central counties of England 

 are not to be regarded as independent, or self-contained, tracts of coal- 

 bearing strata, but are in reality the uncovered portions of a formerly 

 continuous sheet of these rocks, the greater part of which is now 

 overspread by formations of more recent age. To the reader who is 

 not thoroughly versed in the physical geology of our island, the 

 general arrangement of these various formations may be rendered 

 more intelligible by regarding for a moment the coal-fields as islands 

 rising from a sea of the newer strata. Like most similitudes, how- 

 ever, this one does not bear to be carried too far, for while all land- 

 surfaces (islands as well as continents) are connected under the ocean, 

 some of our coal-tracts (as I shall endeavour to show) were originally 

 dissevered from others by intervening barriers of Siluro-Carnbrian 

 lands. 



The determination of the question regarding the nature and age 

 of the strata which underlie those wide undulating tracts of red marls, 



* ' Quarterly Journal of Science,' vol. i. p. 24. 



c2 



