3 8 Sedimentary Formations 
in ilio mind of an honest controversialist that “ Glossopteris ” 
does occur as early as the so-called Lower Carboniferous strata, 
and therefore our Coal-seams have a right to be held of that age. 
Now Sehimper, to whom 1 before alluded, considers that the 
Indian, African, and Australian plants are merely varieties of 
the same G. Broicniana . In India no Marine fossils have yet 
been found in connection with its Coal plants ; and in Africa the 
Glossopteris is not set down to any older formation than Triassic 
by Air. Tate; hut even that is older (although Mesozoic) than 
Oolitic, to the latter of which M‘Coy refers them. And if Glos¬ 
sopteris hns a range as extensive as some other fossils which pass 
through three separate series of strata, why might not it pass up 
into Secondary rocks, without denying its existence in Australian 
Middle or Lower Carboniferous V There it clearly does not 
govern, but must be subordinate to the Fauna. But it is not 
alone in that position: other plants also occur therein which have 
as much an Oolitic facies as itself. And yet it is undoubtedly 
true, ns is well shown by Daintrec, that in Queensland Glos¬ 
sopteris is confined to beds that are in association with Palaeozoic 
fauna, and that the so called Tamioptcris is found to accompany 
a Mesozoic fauna ; and I can aver, after thirty-nine years 
experience, that no Marine deposits of Secondary age have yet 
been discovered in New South Wales, although in Queensland 
beds of Coni occur iu supposed connection with such. 
There may, therefore, be two epochs of Coal as suggested by 
Murchison or as stated by Mr. Carruthcrs two portions of one 
series, without dispossessing the lower portion of its right to 
hold a property in a plant that may not have existed in the time 
of the younger part of the series. Whatever he the value or 
uselessness of reasoning on the point, this fact still remains — 
Glossopteris Broicniana does exist in New South Wales and in 
Queensland in Coal Measures that interpolate strata full of 
Palaeozoic -Marine fossils; and is absent in the hitter Colony, where 
the Marine accompaniments are called Mesozoic, and does not 
exist at all, so far as is yet known, in Victoria, where the Palaeo¬ 
zoic and other Marine beds arc at present missing. 
As to the division arbitrarily made by Professor M‘Coy, in a list 
re-arranged by him of Mr. Keene’s specimens, separating “ Shale 
with G. Brow/liana and Otopter is ” from the Palaeozoic beds, that 
excellent Paleontologist may be assured that a plant apparently 
the same as Otoptcris (? ovatd) is combined with Lepidodendron, 
Rhaeoptcris, and other plants near Stroud; and that at Greta, 
and at Mount Wiugen, Glossopteris is found below his own 
determined Palaeozoic Marine fossils, the smoke from the 
burning seams full of the plant at the latter locality passing up 
through cracks in the overlying conglomerate full of Palaeozoic 
shells, &c. 
