4 
The classification formerly adopted by various authors was the sub- 
division of our New South Wales rocks immediately above the Devonian into 
Lower Carboniferous, Carboniferous, and Permian ; or simply Carboniferous 
and Permian. Pccent palaeontological investigations will probably lead to a 
modification of this classification, in so far that the whole of the beds beloAV 
the Lower IMarine Series may be regarded as more truly allied to the Carbon- 
iferous simply. On the other hand, that series and the beds above, viz., 
the Up^ier Marine and the whole of the Coal-Measures, having an affinity 
with both Permian and Carl)oniferous, might be termed the Permo-Carbon- 
iferous. The facts in detail, for the support of this view, are still under 
consideration, and not sufficiently matured for publication, but they appear 
to tend in the direction indicated. At the same time great caution must be 
exercised iu assimilating our geological subdivisions strictly with those of the 
old world. 
It is impossible, in the following pages, to minutely define the 
distribution of our uppermost Pala 30 zoic Coral-fauna, simply from our want of 
knowledge regarding the horizons yielding corals at several localities, such as 
in tlie Paterson, MTlliams, and Louchcl Brook Districts. Mr. C. S. Wilkinson 
informs me that these are prol)al)ly localities within the Carboniferous area, 
or as it would have been termed formerly the Lower Carboniferous. Presuming 
this to be the case, then we have here the first development of coral life 
above the Devonian, and it was a moderately copious one. In the Lower 
jMarinc Series, liowever, there would appear to be, so far as our present 
knowledge enables us to judge, a very considerable falling off, but in the 
Upper Marine Series corals again make their appearance, comprising several 
very interesting forms. 
