NOTE ON THE PERMIAN SEQUENCE IN THE WERRIE BASIN. WITH DESCRIPTION OF NEW SPECIES OF FOSSIL PLANTS. By S. Warren Carey, M.Sc. (Four Text-figures.) [Read 27th November, 1935.] Introduction.* The following observations were made by the writer, chiefly in the year 1932, in the course of the structural mapping of the Werrie Basin. The main problems of the investigation were the geological structure and the Carboniferous stratigraphy. The infolded Permian rocks were examined incidentally to that work, but as they were not the prime subject of enquiry the present discussion of them is not so exhaustive as it might otherwise be. Little work has hitherto been published concerning the Permian strata of the Werris Creek district. Carne (1913) recorded the occurrence of Glossopteris-bearing sandstones, which had been discovered by Mr. Hammond of Escott Park. Carne suggested that they might be correlated with the Greta horizon. These were later examined by Benson, who (1920, p. 306) tentatively referred them to the Upper Coal Measures. This suggestion has been proved to be correct by the present writer. Benson (I.e., p. 301) also described the Werrie Basalts, but regarded them as Carboniferous. He did not recognize the Lower Coal Measures, but grouped them with the tuffs and conglomerates of the Kuttung Series. Later, coal was discovered at Currabubula by Mr. Eugene McCarthy, and was briefly reported by Raggatt who, following Benson, regarded it as Carboniferous. In 1931 McCarthy discovered plant fossils which were identified as Permian by the present writer, thus also establishing the age of the Werrie Basalts. The general distribution and structural relations of the Permian strata in the Werrie Basin have already been recorded (Carey, 1934). Reference will be made in this paper to the maps and sections accompanying that article. The writer wishes to express his thanks to Professor W. R. Browne, for his constant advice and encouragement, and to Dr. Walkom, for helpful discussion of the plant fossils. He has also enjoyed the company and assistance of Mr. McCarthy of Currabubula on many of his fossil-collecting expeditions. The author is also grateful to Mr. H. Thomas for placing at his disposal records of the prospecting bores put down by him at Werris Creek. Many residents of the region, who have been referred to in the earlier paper, have assisted in the work by their liberal hospitality, and in connection with the Permian work one has particularly to thank Mr. and Mrs. McCarthy of Currabubula, Mr. and Mrs. Middleton of "Dunolly", Werris Creek, and Mr. and Mrs. W. R. Bridge and family of "Willawa", Quipolly Creek. * The work on which this paper is based was done while the author was holding the Deas-Thomson Scholarship in Geology and a Science Research Scholarship of the University of Sydney.
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