109 
Alethopteiiis australis, Morris , sp. 
PI. XXYII, Figs. 3, 3a. 
Vecoptcris australis, Morris, Joe. cit., 1845, p. 248, PL VIII, figs. 1, 2, 2 a. 
„ „ M‘Coy, Prodr. Pal. Victoria, Dec. II, 1875, pp. 10, 17, PI. XIV, f. 3. 
Aletliopteris australis, Feistmantel, Joe. cit., 1878, p. 109, PI. XIV, figs. 1, la. 
„ ,, Tenisou Woods, Joe. cit., 1883, p. 111. 
Sp. Char. — Fronde bipinnata ; pinnis obliquis, alternis ; pinnulis 
obliquis, subfalcatis, subalteimantibus, lanceolato-oyatis, a])ice obtiisiusciilis, 
basim versus sensim dilatatis, tota basi adnatis subcontiguis, margine ple- 
rumquc integris, nonnunquam subsinuosis ; nervo medio tenero, subflexuoso, 
ad apicem subevanescente ; nervis secundariis obliquis, c basi nonnunquam 
etiam ad marginem, dicliotomis ; liabitu Asplenii ; fructificatione ignota. 
“ Frond bipinnate ; pinnae oblique, alternate, rather distant ; pinnules 
thin, falcate and rather obtuse, oblique and somewhat incurved, more or less 
adnatc to the rachis, and sometimes decurrent, dilate at the base or auriculate ; 
costa slightly flexuous, evanescing towards the apex ; veins oblique, bifurcate 
or dichotomous.” 
Ohs. — This species was one amongst three which were described by 
Prof. Morris from the Jerusalem Basin, Tasmania, and which were said to 
come from strata underlying marine beds. But, as already said, the 
occurrence of Aletliopteris ( Tecopteris) australis, together with Zcugo- 
pliyllites and Tecopteris odontopteroides , in marine beds could not be proved. 
On the contrary, I* e copter is australis is rather numerous in the Upper 
Mesozoic beds of Victoria, from whence Prof. M‘Coy figured a good specimen 
in his Prodr. Pal. Victoria, 1875. According to Prof. M‘ Coy’s opinion, this 
species can hardly be distinguished from Mr. Bean’s Tecopteris scarhurgensis, 
and which, according to Mr. Leckenby, stands between Tecopteris insignis 
and Tecopteris ligata. The only difference lies in the more pronounced 
denticulation towards the apex of the pinnules of the English species. 
I myself find a rather strong relation with Aletliopteris indica, Oldli., 
sp., from the Bajmahal beds (Lower Jurassic) in India. It is also related to 
Tecopteris ( Aletliopteris ) Lindleyana from the coal beds (Damuda Series) of 
India. The relation consists chiefly in the circumstance that they all belong 
to the group of Aletliopteris whitbyensis, Bgt., sp. (Asplenium whitbyense, 
Heer.) 
Locality and Horizon. — In the Upper Mesozoic beds at Bellarine, near 
Geelong, and in the Barrabool Ilills, in Victoria ; Jerusalem Basin, in 
