IN THE NEW BRITAIN GROUP. 91 
coe by — sp itech of rocks which are classed with 
aelel es are collectively known as the rocks of the 
chalk or mr period, from the fact that they contain 
certain fossils in common 
Rocks belonging to the chalk or eretaceous period have a very 
wide distribution, being found in Europe, Asia, Africa, America, 
and in Australia from Western Australia to Queensland, and 
It may; perhaps, be mentioned as an argument in favour of 
the pro ability 0 of the New Ireland limestone being pro i 
regard retaceous see that we have cretaceous rocks in 
Guschaland as far north as 11° S., and in New Guinea, still 
nearer to New Ireland, we “i rocks which undoubtedly hela 
to the mesozoic or secondary period, for amongst the geological 
ene brought by Signor D’Albertis from the Fly River, and 
submi to me for examination, there were belemnites, an 
ammonite (this ammonite- bears a very close resemblance to a. 
liassic oem) and other fossils, such as carcharadon teeth and ssmne 
all of which may or may not belong to the cretaceous age. 
It would be by no means a startling thing to find that these 
secondary beds had an extension to the New Britain’ group 0 
Islands, a distance of only a few hundred miles, which would 
comprise an area by no means equal to the extent of country 
occupied in Europe by the typical white chalk. 
Tt should, however, 4 mentioned that no true white chalk has 
yet been found either i in yer or in New —— 
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