Fig. 2 a, Balanophyllia seminuda, sp. n., enlarged 2 diams. ; 2 b, part of calice, magnified.
3 a, Balanophyllia armata, sp. n., enlarged 2 diams. ; 3 b, part of calice, magnified ; 3 c, costae, magnified
4 a, Balanophyllia Selwyni, sp. n., slightly enlarged ; 4 b, part of calice, magnified.
5 a, Balanophyllia fragilis, sp. n., part of calice, magnified ; 5 b, costae, magnified.
6 a, Balanophyllia australiensis, Duncan, enlarged 2 diams. ; 6 b, part of calice, magnified ; 6 c, costae, magnified.
7 a, Balanophyllia cylindrica, Michel., var. a, nat. size ; 7 b, part of a calice, magnified.
8, Balanophyllia Ulrichi, sp. n., nat. size ; 8 a, the same var., enlarged 2 diams. ; 8 b, part of calice, magnified ; 8 c, costae, magnified.
9, Balanophyllia tubuliformis, sp. n., part of calice, magnified.
Discussion.
The President inquired whether the absence of reef-corals might not be indicative of the climate of South Australia having been much the same as at present in Tertiary times, as these forms required a temperature of about 68°.
Prof. Ramsay expressed his satisfaction at the manner in which Mr. Selwyn's work on the Australian Geological Survey had been appreciated by the author.
Mr. Jenkins, who had been working on the fossil mollusca of Australia, had arrived at the conclusion that at the time of the deposit of the beds mentioned by Dr. Duncan, the climate had been warmer than at present. The shells presented the same strange and abnormal features as the corals, in differing from other older and well-known species merely in some minute detail. There was no point of contact between the Australian and European faunas to afford a criterion of relative age, though there were some points of similarity to be found in the Mediterranean area.
Mr. Gwyn Jeffreys stated, as an instance of the singularities of the Australian fauna, that Rynchonella psittacea, essentially an arctic species, had occurred in the Tertiaries of Spain, in our Glacial deposits and the Norwich Crag, and is now found living in Australia.
Dr. Duncan shortly replied to the various speakers, and was disinclined to limit the occurrence of any forms of corals to particular temperatures.
2. Note on a New and Undescribed Wealden Vertebra. By J. W. Hulke, Esq., F.R.S., F.G.S.
[Plate XXII.]
This vertebra was found on the shore near Brooke, Isle of Wight, almost completely hidden in a large block of stone. Last autumn, when I obtained it, I showed the block to Mr. Fox, of Brighstone, whose knowledge of the Wealden strata in this neighbourhood is unrivalled ; and he without hesitation referred it to a bed which occurs near the top of the high cliff between Brooke and Chilton.
