84 
Devonian series, represented by the Iguana Creek beds in Gippsland, have 
yielded only plant-remains,* belonging to the ferns and cordaitales. It is 
to the Lower Carboniferous that the Grampian Sandstones undoubtedly 
belong, in view of the evidence now brought forward. At the same time 
it should be borne in mind that in Victoria we seem to have no true palaeon¬ 
tological or stratigraphical break between the Devonian and the Carboni¬ 
ferous, as is the case in most other areas abroad where these two series are 
well developed. 
Mr. W. H. Ferguson has done excellent service in discovering, for the 
first time, definite fossil remains in. the Grampian Sandstones series. The 
genus, to which the ichthyodorulites or fish-spines are here referred, is essen¬ 
tially Lower Carboniferous in the northern hemisphere ; and further than 
this, additional corroboration of the age of the sandstone is afforded by 
the occurrence in large numbers of a local variety of the well-known fossil, 
Lingula sguamiformis , so typical of the Lower Carboniferous series in Great 
Britain. 
The rocks in which the fossils described below are embedded consist, of 
grey sandstone, and purplish micaceous mudstone. They are often rudely 
sun-cracked, the fissures being filled in with sandy-mud slightly differing 
in character from the general structure of the rock. In some layers the 
Lingula shells are crowded together in veritable sheets, having evidently 
drifted into small pools by tidal action. Here and there are worm-burrows 
filled with fine debris. 
Class PISCES. 
Ichthyodorulites. 
Genus Physonemus, McCoy. 
“ Spines laterally much compressed, strongly arched, often hook-shaped, 
base of insertion broad. Sides of exserted portion more or less ornamented 
with tuberculated longitudinal ridges; small denticles present upon the 
concave edge.” 1 
The original description runs thus—Gen. Char. Fin-spine of small 
or moderate size, much compressed, with a variable backward curvature ; 
base of insertion large ; posterior edge, with two rows of small denticles. 
Surface covered with very numerous cord-like longitudinal ridges, which 
swell at short regular intervals into smooth bubble-like tubercles.” 2 
Physonemus micracanthus, sp. nov. 
Plate V. Figs. 1, 2, 3. 
Specific Characters. —Spines very small, more or less falcate, strongly 
compressed laterally. Sides showing from six to eight thin, longitudinal 
ridges, which are swollen at intervals into tubercles or bead-like promi¬ 
nences. The tubercles near the margin, especially at the base of the spine, 
appear to form blunt spinous processes. Interspaces between the ridges 
about twice the width of the latter. True bony structure (vasodentine) 
can be seen below the surface in decorticated specimens. 
Measurements. 
Length. Width of Base, 
mm. mm. 
Holotype .. .. 7 1.5 
Paratype .. . 9.75 1.5 
1. A. S. Woodward. Cat. Foss. Fishes, Brit. Mus. pt. II. 1891, p. 130. 
2. F. McCoy. Brit. Pal. Foss., 1854, p. 638. 
