A LARGE SPIRAL STRUCTURE FROM WESTERN QUEENSLAND. 
203 
A LARGE SPIRAL STRUCTURE FROM THE 
CRETACEOUS BEDS OF WESTERN QUEENSLAND. 
By F. W. Whitehouse, Ph.D., M.Sc. (Department of Geology, University of 
Queensland). 
(Plate XXXII ; Text-figures 1-4). 
Explanation. — Mr. J. K. Ellis of Blackall recently forwarded to th e 
Queensland Museum several portions of a large spiral object found by Mr. 
C. Catchlove and himself at a locality 8 miles north of Duthie Park homestead 
and about 25 miles east-north-east of Blackall. With it was sent a group 
of associated nodules. All these objects are now lodged in the collections 
of the Museum. 
Description . — The spiral object, illustrated on Plate XXXII, figs, la, 
16, is not complete. When the several portions of it are put together a gap 
is noticed (indicated by a dotted line on the figure) where a section 
representing one or more whorls is missing. 
The specimen, to this extent incomplete, is 203 centimetres long. The 
maximum width is 22*5 cms. 
In form it is a dextral, helicoid spiral with 25 whorls preserved. The 
individual whorls are in contact and impressed at their junctions but they 
do not overlap. The whorls are approximately circular in cross-section except 
the end members in which a flattening takes place, while the externa] surface 
of each whorl is arched convexly. On the average the diameter of each 
whorl is approximately four times its length. 
A very slight curvature is developed on what has been determined as 
the horizontal plane of the specimen. 
At one end (the right-hand end in the figures on Plate XXXII) the 
final whorl is pillow-shaped, relatively large, and with its axis oblique to the 
maximum length of the specimen. The transverse diameter of each succeeding 
whorl is approximately normal to the general length. There is a noticeable 
decrease in the size of the whorls towards the middle of the specimen, after 
which a progressive increase in size takes place. At the opposite end the 
final whorl is unfortunately incomplete and abuts upon a mass of nodular 
structures. The seven whorls adjacent to this end have, on what would 
appear to be the lower surface, a shallow^, transverse, median depression that 
is shown on Plate XXXII, fig. 1 a. 
Dimensions . — The following measurements were made upon the specimen. 
I here is of course a variation in. each individual whorl, The figures for the 
