come into my hands from Western Australia, twenty at least are species identical with those of this country; and had it not been for the worn and abraded exteriors of many of the others, there is no doubt that the list which follows might have been extended : —
Organic Remains common to England and Western Australia.
Ammonites aalensis, var. Moorei, Lycett. Upper Lias. —radians, Rein. Upper Lias. —Walcottii, Sow. Upper Lias. —macrocephalus, Schloth. Oolite. —Brocchii, Sow. Oolite. Nautilus semistriatus, D' Orb. Upper Lias. Belemnites canaliculatus, Mill. Oolite. Gresslya donaciformis, Goldf. Upper Lias. Myacites liassianus, Quenst. Middle Lias. Cucullaea oblonga, Sow. Oolite. Pholadomya ovulum, Ag. Oolite. Avicula Munsteri, Goldf. Oolite. —echinata, Sow. Oolite. Pecten cinctus, Sow. Oolite. —calvus, Must. Oolite. Lima proboscidea, Sow. Oolite. —punctata, Sow. Oolite. Ostrea Marshii, Sow. Oolite. Rhynchonella variabilis, Schloth. Oolite. Cristellaria cultrata, Montfort. Oolite.
Of the new species associated with the above, the most important, from its apparently great abundance in all stages of growth, is the Trigonia Moorei, Lycett, very closely allied to T. costata. Fifteen, more or less perfect, separate valves of this shell may be counted in a single block. The single valve presented by Mr. Gregory to the Geological Society, and the example sent by Mr. Shenton to the Exhibition from the Greenongh Flats, belong to this species.
Knowing the interest felt by Dr. Lycett, of Scarborough, in this group, I forwarded the specimens to him, and he has favoured me with the description appended to the species.
The Lamellibranchiata appear to have formed a very marked feature in the Western Australian fauna, about twenty genera being represented in the collection. Besides those already mentioned, Cuculloea, Myacites, Astarte, and Avicula are the most abundant. The matrix with which their valves is filled may be seen to be crowded with Encrinital remains, spines of Echini, and other small organisms, but for the most part so worn as not to be recognizable.
Of the Gasteropoda there are five or six genera, but nearly all in very bad condition. The Brachiopoda are represented by a single species, Rhynchonella variabilis, of which there are many examples ; the Entomostraca by a single species ; and the Foraminifera also by a single species of world-wide distribution, the Cristellaria cultrata.
Unfortunately, with all the Australian fossils there is an absence of sectional details. The fact of the separate blocks having organic remains representing several European formations, and the abraded and water-worn condition of many of them, lead to the conclusion.
VOL. XXVI. — PART I.R
