94 
Journal of tbe IRatural Ibistors anb Science Society 
of Mestern Husfralta. 
Some Avenues for Research open to N atural 
History Students in Western Australia. 
BY EDWARD S. SIMPSON, B E., F.C.S. 
(Rend 14th December, IQOQ.) 
This paper has been written in order to draw attention to 
one or two little-touched fields for research whicli have come 
under my notice, and in order that, by discussion, other equally 
promising fields may be made known to those of our members 
who have sufficient time and interest to explore them. 
Foraminifera, Porifera (sponges) and Diatoms are in their 
fossil and living forms very abundant in the South-West and 
Eucla Divisions' of this State. Whilst primarily within the pro- 
vince of the biologist, these organisms concern the geologist by 
virtue of the fact that important sedimentary beds axe built up 
of their mineral skeletons, and by the light which they shed upon 
the age of the strata with which they are associated. Material 
can be collected in abundance within a few miles of Perth and 
further material from more distant areas is easily to be obtained. 
Sponges. -It is common knowledge that living sponges occur 
fi'eely round our coasts, and some few of these, have been named 
by European scientists. It is not, however, these that I had in 
mind in preparing this paper, but the fossil sponges, the siliceous 
spicules of which are so well preserved in several localities. None 
of these had been described in detail until the present year, when 
a fragment of spicular earth fi-om Princess Royal, near Norseman, 
was submitted to Dr. G. J. Hinde, F.R.S., of Croydon, England, 
for description. In this small fragment Dr. Hinde found twenty 
known genera represented, besides other sponges still unclassified. 
The results of his work are being published by the Geological 
Survey of W.A.* 
A sandstone from Mt. Barker has yielded numerous spicules, 
which constitute about twn per cent, of the whole rock. Though 
this may be of the same geological age as the Norseman earth, 
most of the species in it are quite different. They have never 
been critically examined. 
At Cape Riche, east of Albany, there is a bed of so-called 
sandstone, which is very tough and which is composed almost 
* G.S.W.A. Bull. 36, p. 7. 
