PART I.— STRATIGRAPHIC AL RELATIONS OF THE COAL AND 
PLANT-BEARING BEDS. 
In Eastern Australia — -viz., in New South Wales, Queensland, and Victoria, 
as well as in Tasmania — there is, above rocks of Devonian age, a series of 
beds, which is interesting and important from a twofold reason. 
1. Certain of the beds contain, in some parts of the provinces named, 
valuable coal deposits, which A r ery often are simply designated as the “ Coal- 
formation” of those countries. 
2. To a great extent, however, these beds contain a Elora which 
is neither met with in the European nor in the American true coal-formation, 
but which has a more recent character. Similar deposits are found in 
India, and also in Southern Africa. 
The chief question Avas to determine approximately the position which 
these bods occupy, if compared with the sequence of geological formations 
in Europe and elsewhere, and it was especially Australia which Avas called 
upon to furnish the chief points in solving the question, for in that country 
there are in one portion of the coalbeds certain genera of fossil plants, 
occurring also in India and Africa, associated Avith marine animals of 
undoubtedly Carboniferous age, and thus it was presumed by some authors 
that also the higher beds in Australia, as avcII as the beds in India and 
Africa, containing the same plants, must be of the same age, Avliile others, 
considering the plants alone, claimed a younger age for the rocks containing 
the fossils mentioned. 
It Avas my task, Avhen engaged on the Geological Survey of India, 
to Avork out the fossil plants of the Indian coal deposits (Gondwana System) ; 
this, hoAvever, made it necessary to study also the fossil plants and similar 
relations in Australia, Africa, and elseAvhere. It will thus be necessary to 
notice, in the course of this Avork, the Eloras of the other countries 
mentioned. 
