28 
Sedimentary Formations 
He mentions one seam of Silurian age ; several others 
Devonian strata ; blit lie adds “ the great hulk of the most ividch/ 
distributed and most valuable coal-beds are proved by numerous and 
very characteristic marine fossils to belong to the true carboniferous 
Alter the close of that epoch the deposition continued without 
interruption through the Permian, till probably towards the elo*« 
of the Triassic epoch." 
These are his own words, and he justifies his determination of 
epochs by informing us, that “ lie first determined with some 
accuracy the geological age of the sedimentary formations by a 
great number of prolific fossiliferous localities,” Nowhere iu 
this account of his do we find mention of* Oolitic or Jurassic coal 
So that really China should not bo quoted to uphold the “ same 
group as the Cape Paterson series" (.Report p. 5). Rather might 
it uphold the coal of New South Wales. If marine fossils 
arc “ necessary,” none exist in Victoria as we have already seen 
and as the Report allows. “The coal measures of Richmond 
Virginia”—the Report also says—“are stated by Sir C. Lyell to' 
belong to the lower part of the Jurassic group,” (p. 8). " Well, 
he did once say so, but ho found lie was wrong, and so he placed 
them finally in tlie Trias , Professor Ilecr considering that the 
plants “ have the nearest affinity to the European Keuper.” 
(Student's Elements of Geoloyy , 1871, p. 362.) 
In Africa, the association of the genera Glossopteris, Phyllo- 
theca, and Dietyopleris, “ affords some evidence of Mesozoic 
affinities” says Mr. Tate, who, nevertheless, shows that the shales 
in which they occur are not Jurassic, but Triassic. (Q. J. G. 8., 
xxm, p. 112.) Paheoniscus and some of the reptiles and an 
cneriuital stem, might refer these Karoo beds to a lower position 
still. Mr. Tate admits the analogy is with the Keuper (p. 1G9). 
On a former occasion, I entered upon an inquiry as to how far 
the coal fields of India were parallel with those of New South 
AY ales, and how far they corresponded with the view of a 
Palaeozoic age for the latter, as shown by the determinations of 
Dr. Oldham, the able Superintendent of the Geological Survey 
of that country. On this occasion 1 may mention that, being 
desirous of ascertaining whether any change had taken place in 
the views of that excellent geologist on the question of age, I 
wrote to him to request he would kindly satisfy my inquiry/ On 
2nd June, 1871, I received his reply, dated 2nd April of that 
year, so that it may be taken to givo the actual present state of 
the Indian Coal Fields history. I shall, I believe, involve no 
breach of confidence in quoting his own words, which will save 
the necessity of again searching the Memoirs and Records of the 
Survey:— 
“We hare seen,” ho says, “no reason whatever to alter our views with 
reference to the age of our Indian coal rocks. The plant evidence is tolerably 
conclusive with us. Our upper beds, which contain thin patches and threads 
