CHAPTER VI. 
THE PEEMO-CAEBONIEEEOUS SYSTEM. 
The greater part of the stratified rocks of the eastern I’anges of Queensland may he 
grouped together in a system to which the name of Permo-Carboniferous may appro- 
priately ho applied. This system includes at least four, and possibly five, distinct 
formations, namely — the G-ympie, Star, and Lower, Middle, and Upper Divisions of the 
Bowen Eiver Coal Eield. 
The two first yield a flora in no way allied to that which is found in the three 
succeeding divisions but possessing a decidedly Carboniferous facies, the distinguishing 
plant being Lepidodendron. The plant beds are associated mth a marine fauna, which, 
indeed, preponderates largely over the flora in the Gyrhpie Eormatlon. 
There is not, indeed, much to indicate whether the Gympie Eormation is older 
than the Star, or vice versa. Certainly no section has come to light revealing their 
relation to one another. But from the fact that the strata of the Gympie Eormation 
(except in a limited area of the type district) are almost always highly inclined and to 
some extent metamorphosed, while the Star Eormation is generally little disturbed and 
little altered, it may be surmised that the latter is unconformably related to the former; 
and for the present it is desirable to keep the two formations distinct, although the 
accumulation of palaeontological evidence appears to be tending to bridge over the gap 
between them. 
J. 
The three Bowen Eiver Eormations arc distinguished both by the presence of a 
copious marine fauna, partaking of a Carboniferous and Permian nature, and a flora from 
which Lycopodiaceous plants are almost entirely absent, being rciflaccd by others of a 
less Palaeozoic and more Mesozoic description. In the Middle Eormation of the Bowen 
Eiver Coal Eield we find a preponderating Pala 30 zoic fauna, and the much-debated fern 
Glossopteris scantily represented. On the other hand, in the Upper Eormation of the 
Bowen Elver Coal Eield this fern assumes a prominent position, and the older fauna is 
either absent or reduced to a minimum. The Lower and Middle Bowen Eormations and 
their representatives in New South Wales have usually been termed “ Carboniferous.” 
They do not, however, wUolly correspond to that formation as developed in Europe, but 
rather homotaxially represent both it and the overlying Permian Eormation. Hence, 
referring to the Queensland beds only, I some years ago* proposed to call this series of 
beds Permo-Carboniferous. I still believe this to be the nearest comparison which can 
be made, and am desirous of extending it to the whole of these deposits throughout 
Eastern Australia. 
The notably Carboniferous yiecies of the Lower and Upper Marine fauna of New 
South Wales, and the Bowen, Gympie, and Eockhampton corresponding series, hardly 
requires demoustration, whilst a resemblance to the Permian is brought out greatly by 
such forms as Sirophalosia, Stenopora, and large Polyzoa of the Protoretepora type, and 
* Proo. R. Phys. Soc. Edinb., 1880, v., p. 319. 
