i86 
Mines and Mineral Statistics. 
in New South 'Wales. But if the latter are proved to be of 
younger age than that which has been assumed for them, it is 
not necessary to place the two series (so widely separate in 
space) on the same actual horizon. 
AV^e have not recognised in New South AA^ales the Cycadeous 
plants of Ahetoria, nor is there a perfect agreement in the 
phytology of the AViauamatta and Ahetorian strata. In 1S61 I 
mentioned (“ liecent Geological Discoveries, cj’c.,” p. 4 , . 5 ) three of 
hr Coy B iN'e\y South A \ ales Plants, Gleicheiuics odonf opt oroides 
(called Pecopteria by Morris and Carrutliers) ; Odoniopteris 
microphyJla, and Pecopteris ienuifolia, as occuring in the At^iana- 
inatta beds ; these arc not reported from Aheton’a, whilst Spleno- 
jdcris alata. Brony. (Gramllni of Gorpp. and Scltimper) from New- 
castle, belongs to the Old Ctirboniferous in Crcnnany, and not to 
any Mesozoic formation. 
In the list given in “ Progress Beport of A'ietoria, 1874,” Pro- 
fessor M'Coy mentiojis three species of Gangamopteris, from his 
Upper Carbonaceous beds ; 2 Ncuroptens, 1 Pecopteris, 3 
Spheiioptcris, 1 T.-eniopteris, with 3 Zainites and 1 Phylloth’eca 
from the. Lower Carbonaceous and oidy one animal form, P>iio 
DacomVd. The alleged abundance and value of coal in these beds 
have been prrtved t<t be a myth. There is, however, more coal 
therein than in the smaller area of the AVTanamatta and Hawhes- 
hury rocks ; and ]irohably that is the reason why the Professor 
would i)lace them helom the former group of Neiv South AAhales. 
But wlien we consider the great improbability that a series of 
strata having a thickness of at least 5,000 feet could ever have 
e.visted between tlio Hawdeeshnry and AVianamatta series, and 
that not a_ trace remains anywhere in Ne\v South ATales of such 
intcrjmlatiou, that the fossil evidence is in opposition to it, 
and tl}at tlic areas arc totally dis[)roportionate,* — it w'ould appear 
a mere caprice of fimcy to liold such a notion as that hinted at. 
It may be well to make a final remark respecting IMr. Brough 
Smyth’s idea that the coal beds of New South ACales lie on 
‘Girnestones.” {Progress Deport, p. 26.) Had lie visited them 
himself he would have, seen that limestone, as such, is rather a 
1 arc rock in connection with tlic ?sew^ South AVales deposits of 
coal, which clearly interpolates the marine beds, but the latter are 
more frequently conglomerates, or saudstone.s and grits. The 
Upper coal measures re.st frequently on granite and slates as -well 
as on other rocks. The limestones in the Carboniferous rocks 
are rare, being few and of limited e.-ctent and far between. TIjc 
author just mentioned considers the relation of the coal-hearinq" 
to '^palceozoic rocks'’ as “ obscure,” hut it is not oh.scure to those 
w’ho have examined for themselves, nor more so than the feeling 
winch induces philosophers to keep out of sight and ignore the 
evidence which contradicts their own pre-eonceived opinions. 
