170 
Mines and Mineral Statistics. 
liis own idea, says — “ If their view be correct it is not likely that 
seams of coal, as thick and as persistent as those occurring in the 
Lower Mesozoic beds of New South ^V^ales, will be found in any 
part of Victoria. It is to be regretted tliat a geological exami- 
nation was not made of the northern coal-fields, during the many 
years the Victorian Government maintained a stalF of geological 
surveyors, for the purpose of ascertaining by comparison the 
position of our beds Avitli all the exactness ])racticable.” 
Tlie value of such evidence as the geologist and the paheonto- 
logistcan give in such investigations as these is priceless. They 
alone can determine where the practical miner can pursue his 
explorations with fair chajiccs of success.” 
Tlius speaks out tlie modern Delphi— hut what becomes, after 
-all, of the expedation of the anticipated Mesozoic coalbeds of 
Victoria, and wliat must Mr. Daintree, who Avas one of the staff 
spoken of, tliiiik of tlio Avay in wliicli his success in carrying out 
tlie investigation recommended at Stony Creek is rewarded wdien 
that very important work is totally ignored by tlic Palieontologist 
of the survey, by wliom all tlie specimeus collected, scut to him 
by me, were examined, and wlio now has had his eves so far 
opened as to acknowledge that some “ Paheozoic” coardocs exist 
ill JS'eAV youth A\^ales 
As to the fiict of changing an opinion on conviction being 
wrong, lie wlio so changes is not to be taunted with it unkindly, 
and I do not advance it except to acknowledge that so far as the 
In iH'fnronce to the nijorp roniark tin? following: from “ GGoloa;ii*al Xotes, witli 
rifiQ Siictioij, by HicliJinl I);iiulrt3c. VicM ViftoriUj'’ may bo ])rupiir!y cited. 
“From Kn-vvciijitbi to Stony Cn'ck is ljut a .Uioi't trip, .Tnd ;is those aro tho soclions on 
Kfi ■ 5..1. > r.. < tl .. ..t ... 1. : ?.» - . t » «.. I _ . . ■ - .. . . . *■ ^ 
\vhicli AU*. ( larkf bases his cTidence of the I*al«30^Dic ugi) of part, at least, of the Xen- South 
\\ ales coal seams, it i.s one of the necessary pilginnmi^Ds for tlin wamleriuir KOOlomst ia 
search of trutli. What f >--.m lliere I >viU state in as few words a.'^ po.ysilile. 1 saw three 
Fhafls ou -Mr. Itu^seirs esUile— ladder shaft, working sbafl. ami 2o0 feet shaft.-' 
lie then gives his measurements, wiiich aiv not material to 
goes on : — 
citu in this place, and 
“ Wlien tlic details of those shafts wore fir.'it inado known hy Air. Clarke .as a proof of th 
Paheozoio agi^ of the coal, Spivifers, reuostella, .tc , being found in' abiuidaneo, an 
Ulossopteris as.'^oeiated witli and below the coni, it was smrgosted by Professor Al‘Cov tha 
r the 
and 
-- - . uggosted by Professor Al‘C‘oy that 
the d.ata iriven by Atr. 1 larke shova^l tlieexmenee of a fault Ixdweeii ‘ workiu"- ’ and * 200 
loot shaft,’ and Unit possibly to this fault the rerersion of bed.s might be duo, but the 
I'abxozoic. clmra<-t4‘r of the Fauna was not called in dueslion. 
‘• This error arose from talcing the absoliiti‘ ilistancc; between the shafts (.OGO feet), instead 
>of the reduceil distaneo to the line of dip of 280 feet. 
“ilelW’riiig to the extimsion of Uussell’s coal seain.s to tho XortUern Uailwat’’ nuforta- 
nntoly at a point win-re no markeil bed of Kus.seirs soi*ies can be absolutely identified ” 
( but At that )»oLnt may bo ideutitii'd both plants and marine J’ossUs and traces of coal in 
the strata there disfurhed] “ we have an apparently unbroken series of strata dipping in 
Uie .same direcltnn, and at about the same angle, a.s tho.-se in Russidr.s coal nits, exfouding 
froma poiut at lU miles 7G cliains from Honeysuckle Fiat to 21 miles 07 chains fnim the 
.same place, the beds furthest to the eastward dipping at a greater amde 
“ThisnlTordsa thirkuess (taking the angle of dip at 10 deg.) of ijGo feet of strata, 
abounding in los.sil fauna Iroin bottom to top, very low dovu in which coal seams -with 
Glossoptcris occur. 
“lyssibs from each of the cuttings on the Railway and from RussellAs shafts were pro- 
cured, that I’aheontfilogi.sts may .satisfy themsidves of their Ruropeau parallel 
“ ifit be adiuillGd that tlie Fauna found in the upper strata of these shafts’is Paheozoic, 
then tlicsc coal seams at least arc Paheozok*. and Uiossoptoris has a much low’er ran^-e 
than has hitherto been assigned to it, except by Afr. Clarke. “ 
“ Noitlier does there .seem any reason why Afr. Clarke should not place the Newcastle 
coal seams (hi.s Xo. 3 Carboniferous group) in the upper portion of this Stony Creek ^roup, 
