New South Wales, 
a 5 
liis own idea, says—“ If their view be correct it is not likely that 
seams of coal, as thick and as persistent as those occurring in the 
Lower Mesozoic beds of New South Wales, will he found in any 
part of Victoria, It is to be regretted that a geological exami¬ 
nation was not made of the northern coal-fields, during the many 
years the Victorian Government maintained a staff of geological 
surveyors, for the purpose of ascertaining by comparison the 
position of our beds with all the exactness practicable.” 
“ The value of such evidence as the geologist and the palaeonto¬ 
logist can give in such investigations as these is priceless. They 
alone can determine where the practical miner can pursue his 
explorations with fair chances of success.” 
Thus speaks out the modern Delphi—but what becomes, after 
all, of the expectation of the anticipated Mesozoic coal beds of 
Victoria, and what must Mr. Daintrec, who was one of the staff 
spoken of, think of the way in which his success in carrying out 
the investigation recommended at Stony Creek is rewarded when 
that very important work is totally ignored by the Paleontologist 
of the survey, by whom all the specimens collected, sent to him 
by me, were examined, and who now has had his eyes so far 
opened as to acknowledge that some “ Palaeozoic” coal does exist 
in New South Wales?* 
As to the fact of changing an opinion on conviction being 
wrong, be who so changes is not to be taunted with it unkindly, 
and I do not advance it except to acknowledge that so far as the 
* In reference to the above remark the following passage? from “Geological Notes, with 
Plan and Section, by Itiehard Daintreo, Field Geologist, Victoria,” may bo properly cited. 
“From Newcastle to Stony Creek is but a short trip, and as these are the sections on 
winch Mr. Clarke bases his evidence of the Palaeozoic age of part, at least. of the New South 
Wales coal seams, it is ono Of the necessary pilgrimages for the wandering geologist iu 
search of truth. What I saw there I will state in as few words as possibly. I, saw three 
shafts on Mr. Russell’s estate—ladder shaft, working shaft, and 200 foot shaft.” 
He then gives his measurements, which are not material to cite in this place, aud 
goes on:— 
“When the details of these shafts wore first made known by Mr. Clarke, as a proof of the 
Palaeozoic ago of the coal, Hpirifers, Fenestella, &c, being found in abundance, and 
Glossopteris associated with anil below the coal, it was Suggested by Professor M‘C’oy that 
the data given by M r. Clarke showed the existence of a fault between ‘ working ’ and ‘ 200 
feet shaft,’ and that possibly to this fault the reversion of beds might be due, but the 
Palaeozoic character of the Fauna was not called in question. 
“ Tills error arose from taking the absolute distance between the shafts (SCO foot), instead 
of the reduced distance to the line of dip of 2S0 feet. 
“ Referring to tlio extension of Russell*? coal seams to the Northern Railway, unfortu¬ 
nately at a point where no marked bed of Russell's series can be absolutely identified,” 
[but at that point may Ih* identified both plants and marine fossils and traces of coal In 
the strata there disturbed] “we have an apparently unbroken series of strata dipping in 
the same direction, and at nlxmt tho same angle, as those in Russell's coal pits, extending 
from a point at 39 miles 715 chains from Honeysuckle Flat to 21 miles 37 chains from tho 
fame place, tho beds furthest to the eastward dipping at a greater angle. 
“ This affords a thickness (taking the angle of dip at 10 do-?.) of 2.C0."> fret of strata, 
abounding in fossil fauna from bottom to top, very low down in which co.il seams with 
Glossopteris occur. 
“ Fossils from each of the cuttings on tho Railway and from Russell’s hafts were pro¬ 
cured, that Palaeontologist* may satisfy themselves of their European parallel. 
“ If It bo admitted that thu Fauna found in the upper strata of these shafts Is Palaeozoic, 
then these coal scams at least are Palaeozoic, and Glossopteris has a much lower range 
than has hitherto been assigned to it, except by Mr. Clarke. 
“ Neither does there seem any reason why Mr. Clarko should not place the Newcastle 
coal seams (his No. 0 Carboniferous group) in tho upper portion of this Stony Creek group, 
