Proceedings. 511 
extreme west, and south-west districts of Tasmania, and whether it bears 
any analogy to the old red or Devonian of the European system, a circum - 
stance rendered more than doubtful in the opinion of Mr. Milligan,—first, 
from the non-discovery of the characteristic fossils, or indeed of any fossils 
in it hitherto; and, secondly, from its passing by degrees into a coarse 
ferruginous conglomerate, having amongst its components fragments of 
recent rocks, a 
The Secretary reported having recently received from Mr. James Mac- 
arthur, of Calstock, a small quantity of a fine pulverulent substance, 
washed by that gentleman from the combustible schist found at the Mer- 
sey (of which specimens have been Tepeatedly exhibited to the Society), 
which Mr. Archer had examined with a pocket microscope and pronounced 
to be resin. Mr. Archer described it as being in minute, smooth, flattened 
grains, giving the impression that it had exuded from the leaf or bark of 
the plant or tree by which it may have been produced, nearly of the size 
and form which it now possesses,—that it probably fell like small dust 
on the surface of the ground, where from its nature it would remain 
unaltered until swept by rain and other causes, intermixed with fine 
argillaceous particles into a lake or estuary where it would be deposited, 
and thus eventually form the thick beds in which it is now met with. 
Dr. Agnew thought the point of its being of vegetable origin scarcely 
settled, and inquired its geological relation to the coal at the Mersey 
River, 
Sir W. Denison stated that at one place it is clevated some 200 feet 
above the coal, and that it would probably be found to be a much more 
recent formation. 
Mr, Milligan observed that the cliffs of incoherent sandstone forming the 
eastern margin of the estuary at Macquarie Harbour, which contain lignite 
of a jet-like aspect, and precisely similar to that obtained in the channel of 
the Derwent, near Cawthorn’s, yield nodules of resin more or less perfect, 
and from which a peculiar fragrance is distinctly elicited by friction—these 
cliffs being beyond all question of a comparatively recent age, p 
The relative age, character, and qualities and structure of the different 
kinds of coals and lignites fell under observation, and a discussion of some 
interest arose upon the existing conifers, their respective habits and range 
in Tasmania, the size and yalue of their timber, and the appearance and 
mode of cultivation of the several genera and species Mr. Archdeacon 
Davies mentioned having sent to England several eases of Arthrotaxis 
selaginoides, but that the plants invariably perished on the voyage, and 
that he had more recently sent a case of the same to Sydney. 
A member suggested the great difficulty generally experienced in cul- 
tivating the conifers of Tasmania, Mr, Archer informed the meeting that 
his attempts with them had usually been successful; and that he has 
now, in a thriving condition, in his garden at Cheshunt, (immediately at 
the foot of the Western Mountains), the following species :—Arthrotazis 
