General observations regarding the classification of the upper Palaeozoic and Mesozoic rocks of Tasmania, together with a full description of all the known Tasmanian coal plants, including a considerable number of new species.

The two systems for the purposes of this paper are grouped as one under the term Carboniferous system. By common consent the name given to this system, in Europe especially, applies to a vast series of rocks, well represented in every division of the globe, composed principally of alternating beds of sandstone, shale, fireclay, ironstone, coal, and limestone.