New South Wales. 
33 
beds in the coal measures were deposited over various older 
formations, some here, some there, which occur at different levels 
so that some of the strata are missing in a few of the localities 
and all are seldom seen together. Thus the coal scries at the 
height of 3,000 feet does not contain so many scams as near 
the sea level. And, perhaps, in describing them it would be 
preferable to separate the deposits into various local basins or 
saucers ; though the conditions of a true basin can only bo exhi¬ 
bited on the large scale. 
It is at least certain, that in the Western districts, though 
many of the conditions of the Newcastle and Illawarra beds exist, 
there are found certain fossils which are not found in the latter, 
and which would lead to the presumption that, as we ascend in 
height above the sea wc find the introduction of genera gradually 
approximating to a more recent epoch. .For example, the upper 
beds of the Lithgow Valley coal measures contain a fossil which 
I first collected in 1803, and of which Mr. Wilkinson has lately 
gathered some striking examples. These coniferous fossils con¬ 
sist of stems and branches ending in Strobiliies. Professor 
l)ana, to whom I sent specimens, informed me that he had never 
seen such before. To me they appear not unlike the Strobilites 
from the Gres bigarre of Soulz-les-Bains, in the Vosges, figured 
by Schimper and Mougeot ( Monographic des PI aides fossilcs de 
la Chaine des Vosges. Leipzig, 1844, tab. xvi, p. 31.) 
In another direction, viz., on the Clarence River, there is a 
patch of coal measures in which there are forms resembling that 
of Walchia, with abundauco of fragments of a plant common in 
the Mont d’Or coal measures of New Caledonia, together with 
plants that have a Tamiopteroid character, but are not Tomiopteris. 
On the other hand, on Eundauoon Creek, in the county of Cam¬ 
den, there is a Dietyopteris, 
As far as some of the plants are concerned, it may be admitted 
that they are in an unsatisfactory condition at present; but the 
balance in favour of a “ Carboniferous” age for the Glossopteris 
beds is, to my mind, conclusive. 
With Dr. Oldham’s arrangement in view, as given above 
(p. 20), there is no difficulty in admitting that in New South 
Wales there might bo as many groups as in India, each younger 
than the other, without underrating the antiquity of the oldest. 
With respect to the uppermost Paheozoic rocks, Mr. Etheridge 
states that “The occurrence of Permian strata has not been 
confirmed in Australia,” which Professor M‘Coy surmised from 
Productus calm and Aulostegcs or Slrophalosia, submitted by mo 
to the latter naturalist in 1860. It is but just to Professor IVPCoy 
to explain, that they were collected in 1856 by Mr. Gregory on 
the Mantuan Downs, and forwarded to me by him in 1S60. 
c 
