owe ep il, Pibrary of the Museum OF COMPARATIVE ZOOLOGY, AT HARVARD COLLRGE, CAMBRIDGE, MASS, th Stud bak. No. [73 Gs | je “ge, S53 fret, LEE Y | c/ / < i, ¢ legal Tore — of ‘The gift of [fb TF TRANSACTIONS AND PROCEEDINGS AND Ee PCy Re OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY of SOUTH AUSTRALIA a INE Go te sir Ti WAS 2 (FOR 1881-82.) 1882. ~~ Ee Adelaide : G. ROBERTSON, 103, KING WILLIAM STREET. Ss 1882. Parcels for transmission to the Royal Society of South Australia, from Europe and America, should be addressed ‘*per Mr. W. C. Rigby, care Messrs. Thos. Meadows & Co., 35, Milk Street, Cheapside, London.” Hopal Society of South Anstralia. es OLS Patron : HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN. Gice-Dutron : HIS EXCELLENCY SIR W. F. D. JERVOIS, G.C.M.G., C.B., &c. One, Bal ee 32. S- [ELECTED OCTOBER 3, 1882.] president : CHARLES TODD, Esq., C.M.G., F.R.A.S., &e. (Representative Governor). Bice-Presidvents : D. B. ADAMSON, Ese. H. T. WHITTELL, Eso., M.D. How. Secretary: How. Treasurer: W. T. CLELAND, Eso, M.B. | THOMAS D. SMEATON, Ese. Other Members of Council: J. W. HAACKE, Eso., Pu.D. | WALTER RUTT, Eso. E. C. STIRLING, Esq., M.D., M.A. PROFESSOR R. TATE, F.G.S., &c. (Natural Science Director). Assistant Seeretaryp : MR. A. MOLINEUX. CON FENIES: — : 1 ~ - . . _ * ‘ . > x re oo ~ , . ? " - ; ' ’ Ya INI (<9) lit] il il ~—] Mi i] ITAL Cn LIALLOON, 40 Years. WooLNAH TRIBE, ADELAIDE River. Fa er ie ean ah dahil ce ee a EN ho mf mo {IH Ti ryt} (| WOoOoOLNAH TRIBE, ADELAIDE RIVER. LIALLOON, 40 Years. Sesser s sess 3ntnt 22.2.2 on 2a stenwsne mass nests ass ———_—_. | CCH a <9) it id — ll i ll li I Cn if | | tal hd fa HA DARBARBOON, 19 Years. WooLwonaaAH TRIBE, COLLETT’s CREEK. ery een ype = - r . _ ee ‘ On Rey vee mn BARRAH TRIBE, ALLIGATOR RIVER. ANNAOKA, 34 YEARs. mn np ee eee BARRAH TRIBE, ALLIGATOR RIVER. ANNAOKA, 34 Years, op) ] II i= TMGRANEOWOROAGRAE Ly intro WOOLNAH TRIBE, ADELAIDE River. MINMIRRAHMA, 27 Years. nin meg IE Bt a SS Sa ee ee ne ee hy i Mi ~ (hy y' 1 i TI i hi ih Lae} i nn ~ i hi} iit lit fy itil LS) oe ] ‘kl ae ee < . { ; +t i H ' BARRAH TRIBE, ALLIGATOR RIVER. WARREEIMBEE, 26 Years. OSE ESET ETE SES SELES SRRRRE ERE err keg SE anneee iy | 4 > ae } HANA BaRRAH TRIBE, ALLIGATOR RIVER. WARREEIMBEE, 26 Years, NOTES ON THE ABORIGINES OF NORTH AUSTRALIA. By Pau Foruscue, Inspector of Police, Northern Territory Corr. Memb. ’ [Read August 2, 1881.]} , A good deal has from time to time been written about the aborigines of Australia, and a vast amount of information on this subject has been gathered from all the settled parts of Australia ; but all that is known of the aborigines inhabiting the northern portion of this continent has been furnished by a few persons who have paid only short visits to the north coast of Australia, and consequently had not sufficient time to get well acquainted with the natives, their habits and customs. I, ‘therefore, venture to supply a few notes on the above subject, such as have come under my observation during eleven years’ residence in the Northern Territory. They may be of no great value, but when compared with the valuable paper on the “Aborigines of South Australia,” by Mr. J. D. Woods, in the Society’s Transactions for 1879, may furnish some informa- tion either in support of or against the supposition that the aborigines all round the Australian coastline have sprung from one source, as well as some new facts hitherto not brought under the notice of the Society. PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS. The few accompanying portraits of men and women of different tribes by way of illustration will show that the physical characteristics of the natives inhabiting the north coast of Australia vary considerably from those in the south, especially as far as the features are concerned. The majority of the men are well built, but the skin is smooth, and the strong covering of hair all over the body so often met with in the south is almost entirely absent on the north coast, at least among those tribes with which I have come in contact; and the growth of hair on the face is very scanty, but on the head it is invariably thick and curly, and I have met with instances where it strongly resembles that of the Papuans, but these are very rare. The women, asa rule, are not so stout as” in the south, and with a few exceptions the hair is not so curly as that of the men. The hair of both sexes is, in my opinion, not near so black asin the south; but all this may be the 2 results of climatic influences. The mouth, as a rule, is not so wide, and the noses not so flat, although the custom with both sexes of wearing sticks through the nose has a tendency to flatten it considerably. They have good strong teeth, but, as far as 1 remember, not so beautiful as those of the south. Physically speaking, the strongest tribes I have met with are those on the Alligator Rivers in Van Diemen’s Gulf—a great many of the men are over six feet high, and well proportioned. I have only been able to get a few samples of photos. of these tribes, as they very seldom come near the settlements. LANGUAGE. Each separate tribe speaks a different language or dialect, but whether they are only a modification of one form of speech or not I am not in a position to state. Itis surprising in what remarkable short time all natives learn to speak English. All natives round the coast, from the Coburg Peninsula to the mouth of the Roper River, in the Gulf of Carpentaria, speak the Malay language, acquired by long intercourse with trepang fishers from Macassar, who visit the coast in their prahus during the rainy season, and employ the natives as divers, &e. LAWS. Murder is punished with death, except when a native is killed by one of his own tribe, in such case the offender is punished by spearing him severely ; but care is taken that he is not mortally wounded. If a native kills one of another tribe, a party of young men is sent out by the tribe of the deceased to kill the murderer if he can be found, if not, one of his near relations has to suffer in his place,and after a lapse of some time that tribe visits the former, and a fight with small reed spears takes place, without any serious consequences, after which the tribes are on friendly terms again. Disputes between two or more of the same tribe are settled among themselves by fighting it out, if they cannot otherwise agree. Theft is punished by the offenders, of both sexes, having to submit to being speared, after which—in the majority of cases —they are allowed to retain the stolen property. This is looked upon as a reproach, and the thief generally disposes of the property by giving it to a neighbouring tribe. Adultery is not much thought of; the woman offender only receives a beating with a smallstick, and the male offender has to submit to a small reed spear being thrust through his arm by the suffering husband. Intermarriage between near relations is looked upon asa grave offence, and is the cause of constant quarrels between the offenders and the other members of the tribe; the former 3 are incessantly subject to being speared, which invariably ends in the death of one or both of the offenders. But should they be lucky enough to live till they have an offspring, then all quarrelling ceases, and the marriage is looked upon as legal. Elopementsand stealing of “lubras”’ are of frequent occurrence, and causes little or no row and fighting. It occurs only among young people, and the old men—who very often have several young lubras—are generally the sufferers. If a young lubra fancies a man, and asks him to go away with her in the bush, there is no quarrelling; but if a man takes or persuades a lubra to run away with him it causes a row, and often ends in fighting. After the parties have cohabited together for a nrght or two, and like each other, they live together, and after a while return to camp as man and wife. If, on the other hand, they are not pleased with each other, they separate at once, return to camp, and no more is said about it. In any kind of offence after the law—such as it is—is satis- fied, not a vestige of enmity seems to remain, and the matter in dispute is never referred to again. I have never known a second quarrel to arise out of a dispute once disposed of. MARRIAGE. There is no ceremony connected with marriage; in the majority of cases it is arranged when the parties are mere infants, and in many instances female children when born are promised to men of all ages; this accounts forso many middle- aged and old men having mere children for wives. As soon as the girl arrives at the age of puberty, and has undergone certain ceremonies, she is handed over to her affianced husband, whether young or old, who takes her to his camp, and she then travels about with him wherever he goes. If the husband is old, he very often has his young lubra stolen from him by a young man who has not been lucky enough to have one given to him, and in some instances young lubras themselves propose to young men to run away with them. Ifa young man has a sister not promised to any one, he gives her to another man who has a sister similarly situated, whom he takes in exchange. Sometimes, if a husband gets tired of his wife, or she does not suit him, he gives her away to another man, generally to one of another tribe; but such cases are by no means frequent occurrences. |] have never heard of a husband selling his wife, perhaps for the simple reason that they have no real or personal property beyond a - few spears to give in exchange. Men often send their wives to each other for one or two nights, or to any favoured individual; this is looked upon as a particular act of friendship. 4. Polygamy is universal, and I know natives who have as many as four wives. When a husband dies his wife or wives and children become the property of his brother or next of kin, irrespective of their having a wife or wives of their own, pro- vided the widows are not too old, in that case they remain widows. There is no restriction as to marriages, except among blood relations; but if parents are of different tribes, the children belong to the father’s tribe. CHILDREN. The average of births of children is not more than two to each married woman. It is the custom of some tribes, if the wives have more than three or four children, to kill the new- born ones. The reason assigned for this is that they encumber the parents in travelling about for food. Generally speaking natives are very fond of their children. There are very few half-castes, and it is generally believed that many of them are killed, although the natives do not admit this. CANNIBALISM Is practised by all natives on the north coast with whom I have come in contact, with the exception of avery small tribe inhabiting the immediate neighbourhood of Port Essington. This tribe is the most civilised on the northern coast, having for years been under the influence of the military who were stationed at the old settlement at Port Essington, which was abandoned in December, 1849. The eating of grown-up people—that is, of natives—is, as far as I can ascertain, not practised. Only children of tender age—up to about two years old—are considered fit subjects for food, and if they fall ill are often strangled by the old men, cooked, and eaten, and all parts except the head, which is skinned and buried, are considered a delicacy. Parents eat their own children, and all, young and old, partake of it. The only instance I have heard where grown-up people have been eaten, was that of two Europeans who were out exploring in the neighbourhood of the Tor Rock, about forty miles inland from Mount Norris Bay ; this was in 1874. These unfortunate travellers were, according to the statements of the friendly natives, killed by the “Tor Rock”’ tribe, cooked and eaten; and from my own knowledge of the natives in that neighbourhood I have no reason to doubt this statement to be correct. CORROBORIES. They are of a similar character as in the south, and are per- formed on various occasions, such as when differens tribes visit each other, when members of the tribe die, when returning 5 from a friendly visit to another tribe, when they feel inclined to be jolly, when preparing for fighting with another tribe, when portion of a tribe are about to start on some expedition and when they return, and on many other occasions either of friendly or hostile nature. Sometimes these corrobories last all night, and on mostly all occasions the men paint themselves. At corrobories in honour of the dead, men and women paint themselves red, white, and yellow; on all other occasions any colour they fancy, which sometimes takes hours to put on, and covers the whole body, when they very much resemble in appearance the clowns in circuses. Corrobories of a war-like nature are generally held before sundown ; for the dead, before and after sundown; and on all other occasions after sundown, whether moonlight or dark. FUNERALS. Dead children up to about the age of two yearsif in good condition are with few exceptions not buried, but eaten; above that age and up to about ten years they are buried about eighteen inches deep in the ground, and are never disturbed. After the body is buried all natives in camp blacken them- selves with charcoal, and squat down around a heap of yams prepared for the occasion, which are eaten by all present; after which, if deceased is considered to have been a good boy or girl, they corroborie till sundown. On the next day ashort pole about three feet long and six inches thick is put in the ground close to the camp, and painted red, white, and yellow. The natives then paint themselves of the same colours, and in the evening corroborie again for a short time; and next day the camp is deserted—unless it is an old favourite camping place— and locate themselves some short distance away. The painted pole is left in the ground. When young grown-up people die they are rolled up in bark perforated with pointed sticks or leaves to allow the liquid to run through. A corroborie is held, and the body is taken to some chosen tree and put up in the branches, on which bark is laid for the body to rest upon. On this the body is placed, and covered over with bark. They then return to camp and corroborie again ; after which a pole, similar to the one put up for children, is planted in the ground and painted as before mentioned, and the natives paint themselves the same colours—red, white, and yellow—and corroborie for three successive nights; after which the camp is deserted, and a new one formed some dis- tance away. When old people die the body is left on the ground till decomposition has well set in, when the body is buried in a shallow grave; up to this time corrobories are held night and morning. After the body is buried corrobories 6 are kept up for several nights, all night through, and on these occasions a great deal of red, white, and yellow paint is used by both sexes. After two moons the bones are looked at, and if the flesh is off them they are collected in a basket by old men and put in a tree close to the camp. If the flesh is not off the bones when the grave is opened it is filled up again, and the remains are left undisturbed. The day after the bones are gathered together and put in a tree they are taken into camp, and a corroborie follows. The following night the cor- roborie is kept up till next morning, and the bones are buried — in a small hole about two feet deep. The Port Essington natives have a custom after all the bones have been collected together to carry them about with them in a basket for a long time, sometimes for over twelve months; but this is chiefly done by the women. Sometimes old people, relations of the deceased, at certain times give way to fits of sorrow and grief, which is demonstrated by wailing and lamentation; at the same time they cut themselves with any kind of sharp instrument over the head, arms, and body until large clots of blood cover the wounds. RITES AND CUSTOMS. The youths, before being admitted into manhood, have to undergo certain rites and customs, 1n many respects similar to those practised in the southern colonies. With the exception of the few coast tribes from Port Darwin eastwards to the Liverpool River circumcision is practised by all the tribes with whom Europeans have come in contact; it is performed at about the age of from sixteen to eighteen years, after which they are entitled to all the rights and privileges of the tribe. The youths of those tribes that do not circumcise have to pass through several stages between the ages of twelve and twenty-four years before they are admitted into manhood. A few tribes have a custom of knocking out one of the upper front teeth. This is done at about the age of fourteen years but does not seem to be compulsory, and the custom appears to be dying out. In some tribes the young females are subject to some revolt- ing customs before they are allowed to be married or rather allowed to cohabit with their affianced husbands; but these customs are of such a disgusting nature that they are not fit to be mentioned here. Between the ages of twelve and twenty years, both males and females mutilate their bodies by making cuts in the flesh on the upper parts of the arms, just below the shoulder joints, across the chest, body, rump, and thighs, and raise large scars or wheals by way of ornamentation. This is done with a sharp kind of white flint stone, the same as is used for spear heads; they then chew leaves of a native plum-tree, fs and put it in the wound. This is left till it begins to fall off, when the flesh is found to have grown considerably above the surface of the original wound, sometimes to the extent of half an inch ; it is then allowed to heal. There is no fixed rule as to how many cuts are to be made on the different parts of the body, but is left to the option and fancy of each individual person. | The septum of the nose is also pierced, but this is done at a very early age ; it is done for the purpose of wearing a bone or stick through it as an ornament, but is only worn tili they become middle-aged, and never by old people. The only reason assigned for this custom is—giving their own words—“ to make young girls and boys look nice.” A singular custom prevails amongst the Larrakeah, Woolnah, Woolwongah, and Irambal tribes, inhabiting the neighbourhood of Port Darwin, Port Patterson, and Daly River. It is to remove the first two joints of the index finger of the right hand of some of the young females when of the age of about two years. There is nothing compulsory about this custom or rite, but is decided by the parents whether it is to be done or not. It is generally believed that females on whom this operation is performed, when grown up, are able to find plenty of yams and other food for their husbands and families. The operation is performed by making a ligature of large spider webs found in the jungles, which is tightened daily till the joint drops off, when it is buried; the wound is then covered over with chewed leaves of the native plum tree, and in about one month the flesh is grown over the bone and the wound healed. The leaves of this native plum tree, when chewed and placed on a wound, seems to have the property of promoting granulation, for after the finger has fallen off the whole surface of the joint is exposed, and in a month’s time it is nicely covered over and healed. DISEASES AND CURES. Smalipox.—The disease most dreaded by the natives is small- pox—tor which each tribe has, of course, a different name. It makes great havoc among the tribes that get infected. The last time this disease made its appearance on this coast is, as far as I can judge and ascertain, about twenty years ago. According to the tradition of a native living at Port Darwin named “ Mangminone,” alias Mr. Knight, about 25 years of age, he had the smallpox when a boy of about five years (this man is deeply pitted all over the face), and sometime before the white people arrived at Escape Cliffs—the Hon. B. T. Finniss’s expedition in 1864. The disease broke out in the dry season, when the natives burned the grass. Old and young 8 were striken down with it,and agreat many died, so much so that they could not bury them all, but left the corpses lying about. Among those that recovered were several who became totally blind, and there are now four of these living in this immediate neighbourhood. The disease lasted only during the dry season, from about May to November, and disappeared when the wet season set in. The Port Darwin natives call the disease ““Goobimwah,”’ and state it came from the Alligator River tribes, and travelled westward, but how far it went I cannot ascertain ; no doubt it spread a long distance inland, as pock- marked natives are found among all the inland tribes. The tradition of the Port Essington natives of the appear- ance of smallpox in their tribe is very similar to that of the Port Darwin natives. Some of the Port Essington tribe (called ‘ Yiarick,” also ‘“ Unallah,’ now numbering only about thirty all told) who had the disease are still alive, and from information gathered from them it leaves no doubt but that the malady raged there the same time and year it was at Port Darwin. They state it was a long time ago, and a long time after the soldiers had left (the old settlement was abandoned in December, 1849), and came one year shortly after the Malay prahus had started back for Macassar (about the end of May), and when the grass was burned it came from the tribes to the eastward of them, and went on to the Alligator and other tribes to the west of them. Plenty of old and young (and even dogs) died, but by the time the rain came on (about October or November) the disease had disappeared. One of this tribe named Jack Davis (a name given him by the soldiers), who is very intelligent and speaks English and Malay fluently, informed me that very old people had told him that when they were children smallpox (called by them ‘““Meeha-meeha’”’) killed plenty blackfellows, and adds that by-and-bye, when he will be an old man (he is now about 50), ““meeha-meeha”’ come on again. Malay prahus, about 30 in number, visit the coast eastward from Port Essington to Blue Mud Bay in the Gulf of Carpen- taria every year in search of “ beche-de-mer,” and have done so in all probability for centuries past. They arrive from Macassar the beginning of January, and leave again the end of May. During the time they are here they employ all the coast tribes trepanging for them, and they all live together ; and I think there can be no doubt as to smallpox having been brought to these shores by them, and on the last occasion by a prahus that visited the Gulf, for they leave so soon as the South-East monsoon has fairly set in, and shortly after the prahus had left the disease appeared, coming up the coast from the Gulf with the S.E. winds, as stated by the natives, and 9 travelled through all the tribes to the westward. Is it not likely that this terrible disease, ‘“ the smallpox,’ was intro- duced here by these trepang-fishers some hundred of years ago, and then spread gradually all over the Continent ? The remedy the natives apply to cure smallpox is a thick milky-looking juice obtained from a leafless vine* found along the shores of mangrove flats. It twines in among other bushes, and is called by Port Darwin natives “ Gaoloowurrah.” This juice is put on the sores, and left till it forms a scab, which is washed off so soon as it gets loose, when the sore is found to be healed, the skin is white, and takes about a year to attain its natural colour. This remedy is said to be a sure cure, although some who used it lost their eyesight; but strange to say some patients object to having it applied, but why they cannot explain. Fever.—Malarious fever is very prevalent among the natives, but they do not seem to have any remedy for this complaint, and it terminates fatally in many cases. Boils are also frequently met with, and affect young andold alike. So soon as they make their appearance they are poul- ticed with leaves and hot water till they break. Coughs and Colds are very common complaints among the natives, which they cure by eating a kind of grub found in mangrove trees, and drink the liquid with which the grab is surrounded when in the wood. This grub resembles very much the common earthworm. Ringworm, or a very similar disease, is a plague from which the natives in the neighbourhood of Port Darwin suffer greatly. This disease spreads over large portions of the body, and I have seen the whole of the abdomen covered with it as well as the greater portion of the back. The natives say the Woolnahs bring this disease from the Adelaide River. It certainly seems to be very local, for it is not known at Port Essington, nor west of Port Darwin. The Alligator and Adelaide Rivers and Port Darwin tribes seem to be the only ones troubled with this complaint. The only remedy applied is to put the affected parts close to a brisk fire till the skin gets scorched, which they say kills the disease. Syphilis is occasionally met with, but it is by no means common among the natives. I have seen only a few cases during the eleven years I have been here. Venereal disease is rather prevalent, and they have some means of curing it. Broken limbs are set with a good deal of skill and placed * On my recent visit to the Northern Territory, the plant, which was shown to me by a native in company with the author, proved to be Sarcos- temma australe, R. Br.—R. Tate. 10 in a kind of splint made of strips of bamboo and fastened together with string made of the bark of Banyan trees, and large enough to go round the injured limb. It is then tightly secured with string, and left till the break or fracture is healed. Should inflammation set in the part is bathed with hot or cold water. Neuralgia is cured by making a poultice of the fruit of the red Hugenia, if obtainable, by roasting them in the fire, mashing them up and putting it while hot on apiece of soft bark (paper bark), which is placed over the affected part till all the moisture is absorbed and the poultice quite dry, when it is replaced by a fresh one. According to the statement of the natives, the second application invariably cures the complaint. Gatherings in the ears, from which the natives suffer a great deal during the wet season from lying on the wet ground, is also treated with the above-mentioned fruit by squeezing the juice after the fruit is roasted into the ear. Lunacy in a mild form is occasionally met with, and the natives have great faith in the application of iron bark and native plum-tree leaves heated over a fire, with which the whole head and face is covered. Wounds are not much thought of, and are treated in various ways. Spear-wounds are generally stopped up with pounded bark of the native plum-tree, to keep out the air; fresh boiled urine is freely applied, which generally heals the wound, un- less internal injury has been received. Cut wounds and old sores, especially of a constitutional nature, are treated with a resinous substance of a blood-red appearance, called by the Port Darwin natives “ gnewaylah,” andis obtained froma Eucalyptus tree. When taken from the tree it is generally very hard, but when put in water and squeezed it gets soft like putty. It is well washed, and all the dirt removed. It is then spread thickly on a piece of paper- bark like a plaster and applied to the wound or sore ; and it is left on till it gets dry, which it does in a few days, when it is easily taken off; and if the wound is not closed, fresh plaster is applied until the sore is healed up. Fresh wounds are also treated with the scraped bark of a bush called by the Port Darwin natives “ malimgarracah.” It is soaked in urine, and appled to the wound. The juice obtained from the bark of the milk tree, and called ‘ gaolooantlkah,” is said to possess extraordinary healing properties. It is applied to the wound with the finger, and is very sticky. The natives state this juice destroys the eyesight if a drop should get into the eye, and they always shut their eyes when cutting the bark to get the uice. I have a native in my employ who had a good-sized sore on aE his foot which, according to his own statement, came of its own accord. Our medical officer here attended to it for upwards of six months ; occasionally the wound got smaller, but always opened out again, and would not heal up, At last the native got tired of this treatment and applied the resinous substance mentioned above. At this time the wound was about one-and-a- half inches long and three-quarters of an inch wide, but not deep ; in about a fortnight’s time he removed the plaster, when the wound was properly healed. Snakebite is treated by putting lgatures some distance above and below the wound, and then open the largest artery in the vicinity of the bite with a sharp stone, shell, or other sharp instrument; several incisions are made until copious bleeding is the result, the ligatures are not removed for two or three days, when the patient is all right. I have never heard of a native dying from a snakebite. On inquiry why the cuts are not made immediately over the bite, it was explained that the poison entered numerous small blood vessels which all run into larger ones through which it is disseminated through the whole body ; thus it shows the natives have some knowledge of the anatomy of the human body. Bleeding is considered a cure for all sorts of pains in the head or limbs, and is resorted to very freely. This paragraph on diseases and their cures relates more particularly to the tribes in the neighbourhood of Port Darwin. Doctors.—The tribes in the neighbourhood of Port Darwin have all recognised doctors, consisting of both men and women, but their knowledge of diseases is very limited, and the remedies they apply are very few, and what they cannot cure with them, they pretend to cure by charms. The remedies for diseases described in the preceding paragraphs are known to and practised by nearly all the elder members of the tribes, and acknowledged doctors pretend chiefly to cure internal diseases. These doctors teach their pretended knowledge only to their own children, who again teach their children. This accounts for there being female doctors who are considered to possess all the qualities the men doctors do. HUMAN FAT. Nearly all natives use fat obtained from dead bodies of either their own or other tribes for anointing themselves with, which they believe makes them strong and able to fight well. The fat taken from all parts of the body is mixed with red ochre to prevent it melting away. It is then tied in paper-bark, and in this state is distributed among the men, and very often some is sent to other tribes. It is not used by women, nor have I ever heard of its being eaten. 12 WEAPONS AND CANOES. The weapons are similar to those in the southern colonies, but shields and boomerangs are not used. The principal weapons are clubs and spears. The latter are of great variety. Some shaped out of solid pieces of wood are thrown by hand without the aid of woomerahs or throwing sticks. Poisoned spears are not used. Canoes are made of bark, of similar size as in South Aus- tralia; but the ends, instead of being bent up, are cut slanting and neatly sewed together with fine strips of bamboo, giving them a sharp stem and stern. The gunwales are made of bamboo, thereby being nicely shaped. They are propelled through the water by small hand-paddles at a great speed. The Port Essington natives have acquired the knowledge of cutting canoes out of a solid tree from the Malays visiting that part of the coast every year trepang-fishing, from whom they also obtain the necessary tools for that purpose. Weapons and canoes form the only real property the natives possess, but do not accumulate them. ROYAL FAMILY. None of the natives on the north coast that I have met with have a recognised king or royal family, but the old men seem to be the rulers of the tribe, to whom all cheerfully sub- mit. Any one individual distinguishing himself in war or in any other way is looked upon as a great man, and takes a prominent part in all disputes with other tribes. SUBSISTENCE. Australian natives in their wild state rarely provide for the morrow, and seem to have no idea to make provision for the future, and to this those inhabiting the northern portion of the continent are no exception. They start on a journey without a thought as to where the next meal is to come from, but as Nature has in this part of Australia provided a plentiful supply of reptiles, game, fish, &c., they procure sufficient as they travel along by the time they feel hungry. Native yams grow plentifully in many places, and are much sought after as food, as also the roots of lilies growing in swamps and lagoons. Their mode of procuring food is not attended with so much difficulty as people unacquainted with natives in their wild state imagine. Fish being plentiful in rivers, creeks, water- holes, and lagoons, it forms a principal part of the native food, especially along the coast. Large fish are speared, and at low tides small fish are left in holes on the reefs, and are easily caught; as also large crabs, which are plentiful. If they 13 cannot spear fish in waterholes or creeks, they strip the bark of certain trees, which is pounded with stones till the fibre gets soft. It is then put in the waterhole, which after a little while has the effect of stupefying the fish, and they float on the surface, when they are gathered up. Torches are employed by night, by which the fish are attracted and speared. Small nets made of the fibre of the bark of Banjan trees are also used for catching fish. Snakes, lizards, &c., are knocked over with sticks and stones. Inthe dry season the grass is set on fire, when all kinds of reptiles and other animals are easily secured. Kangaroos generally have regular beaten tracks or paths leading to water, on which they are waylaid and speared. Ducks and geese are killed in various ways. While feeding in swamps, the natives armed with short sticks crawl up to them among the rushes, and when near enough throw the sticks among the flock, which generally cripples some. The natives also climb up high trees near swamps, and with small sticks kill geese flying over to their feeding ground. But the more ingenious method of catching ducks and geese is to go into the water some distance from where the game is, cover their heads with lilies and leaves growing in the water, and then work their way with just their eyes and nose above water up to the game, which is seized by the legs and pulled under water. This method of catching game is also practised on the shores of Lake Alexandrina, in South Australia. Another method of catching geese—which at certain times of the year are very plentiful—is to build a small bell-shaped hut among the rushes and swamps visited by geese. The hut is constructed of rushes, and a few holes just large enough to admit the body of a goose are made round the bottom of the hut. In these holes are placed young lilies and roots, on which the geese feed. A native then gets into the hut and closes it in at the top. The geese come feeding about the hut, and seeing the lilies and roots, put their head through the hole to get them, when the native inside the hut seizes them by the head, pulls them through the hole, and twists their neck off; others seeing their mates disappearing through the holes have a look in also, and are treated in the same way, and great numbers are caught sometimes by this simple process. Turtle, geese, and alligator eggs in all stages and condition are delica- cies, and much sought after. Yams of different kinds are, when in season, a considerable item of food for the natives. Some of these yams when eaten raw cause the mouth and throat to swell, accompanied by great pain. These yams have to be specially prepared to render them eatable. To do this a hole is scraped in the ground, which is paved with stones. A large fire is then made in the hole till 14: the stones are of a sufficient heat, when it is cleared out and the yams put init. They are then covered over with leaves, and over all from four to six inches of earth. It is then left till next day, by which time the yams are cooked and all the noxious substance has disappeared. Shellfish of all descriptions form an important part of sub- sistence to natives on the coast. The natives’ mode of preparing their food is very simple. Everything that requires cooking is prepared on hot coals; small animals are cooked whole ; large ones, such as kangaroo, are torn in pieces and then cooked, and not the smallest par- ticle is wasted. Native fruits (not plentiful), roots of lilies and rushes, and tops of the cabbage palm, are eaten raw. ORNAMENTS. The ornaments worn by the natives consist of a stick through the septum of the nose, a sort of wig made* of the hair of natives of other tribes, which is exchanged for that purpose. Kangaroo teeth are fastened on to locks of hair with a resinous substance used for fastening stone spear-heads on to bamboo shafts; the heads of small birds and ducks’ bills are fastened on to the hair; bunches of white feathers fas- tened on to a short painted stick are stuck in the hair; and a narrow strip of bark painted white is tied across the forehead. Necklets made of grass stems cut in half-inch lengths, repre- senting beads, are put on strings and worn round the neck; also long tassels with small tufts of feathers are fastened to the hair on each side of the head; the same kind of tassels are also fastened on to the elbows, and rings of grass are plaited round the arms above the elbow, round the wrists and fingers. Painted belts made of bark, and some of female hair, are worn round the waist, but all these ornaments, with the exception ot a stick through the nose, kangaroo teeth, and ducks’ bills in the hair, necklaces and armlets, are exclusively worn by the men, who also wear a large tassel about nine inches long and six inches wide to cover their nakedness. The Port Essington natives and those along the coast as far as the Roper River wear also ornaments made of proper beads obtained from the Malays visiting the coast. SIGNALLING, The natives have a system of conveying messages to each other at considerable distance, almost as far as they can see each other, by means of signs made with the arms. This system of telegraphing is greatly practised, even when at speaking distance, and consequently some are quite experts in 15 the art. It has been asserted that Masonic signs have been discovered among the natives in North Australia; but during my whole eleven years’ residence here, during which time I have come in contact with a great many different tribes, I have noticed nothing approaching to Masonic signs, with which I am well acquainted. No doubt the above-mentioned system of telegraphing has been mistaken for these signs. DRAWINGS By natives are met with among all tribes, generally represent- ing existing objects. The only imaginary object I have seen painted is the so-called “ Devil-devil” (appellation borrowed from Europeans), an evil spirit in whose existence all natives believe, but for whom each tribe has a different name. Natives are constantly in dread of this evil spirit when travelling in the bush. ORIGIN. I once listened to a conversation between a Port Darwin and a Port Essington native. Being of different tribes, and speak- ing different languages, they commenced in broken English, which both spoke fairly. The subject of conversation was the origin of their race. Being at that time well-acquainted with the tradition of the Port Essington natives as to their origin, I felt anxious to obtain what information I could from the Port Darwin native on the same subject, and on questioning him he stated that he knew very little about it, but that “ Lirrawah,” of the Southport branch of the Larrakeah tribe, could give me the whole history, but that he was very reluctant to communicate to the other blackfellows. This native isa doctor, and held in great esteem by the whole tribe as a learned man, who, as they term it, “knows plenty all about.” I embraced the first opportunity of “ Lirrawah’s” visit to Port Darwin to gain what information I could from him on the origin of his race, and on the promise that I would not tell other blackfellows, elicited from him the following disjointed statement :—A very good man, called “ Mangarrah,” lives in the sky among the stars, a place called “Teelahdlah.”’ He made all living creatures upon earth, except blackfellows. He also made the trees, grass, water, and everything; and makes wind, rain, and thunder. He never dies, and likes all black- fellows. Another good man ealled ‘“ Nanganburrah”’ lives in the bowels of the earth, a place called “ Ahbybiggah.” He a long time ago made one blackfellow, called him ‘“ Dawed,” and taught him how to make blackfellows. ‘‘Dawed’’ made plenty of boys and girls, who grew up and multiplied. When “Dawed” was an old man the blackfellows growled plenty, 16 and would not do what he told them; he then made them very ill, and plenty died, but some got better. ‘“ Dawed’’ then caught some geese, and told blackfellows to eat them, but some old women refused, saying the geese were no good; ““Dawed”’ then made the first spears, and speared the old women in the legs, when a strange blackfellow called “Shares” appeared, helped the old women, and took them to his own country called “Tooparanlah ;” “ Dawed” followed him, and demanded the women back again, which wasrefused. “ Shares’ and these women had plenty of children, which now form the “ Woolwangah” tribe, inhabiting the country between Southport and Pine Creek. ‘Shares’? was a bad man, and when he died turned into a large stone in the Pine Creek country. This stone the natives state 1s situated on a large creek, and is much feared by them. They say any one touching it will soon die. ‘“ Dawed,” when he found he could not get the women back again from “ Shares,’’ went to ‘ Lingowah,” a place on the Adelaide River, where he saw a beautiful young girl called ‘‘ Abmahdam.”’ He liked her, but she refused to go with him ; he then sent something from his own person which had the appearance of a snake. This fetched the girl to him, and he had intercourse with her. ‘“ Dawed”’ then went back to his own country, and the girl remained on the Adelaide River, where, in course of time, she had plenty of babies, who grew up and now form the ‘‘ Woolnah”’ tribe on the Adelaide River. “ Abmahdam ”’ afterwards died, and turned into a tree ata place on the Adelaide River called “ Laylayloo.” ‘“ Dawed,” after making all about blackfellow, died and also turned into a tree on the Adelaide River at a place called ‘“ Ahlee ahlee.” These trees, the natives assert, are still growing on the Adelaide River, and are much reverenced, for ‘ Dawed” and ‘‘ Abmah- dam ”’ have been good people. Near the place where “ Dawed” turned into a tree, when he died, there is a large waterhole highly reverenced by the natives, who believe that sick persons bathing in this water get cured. “ Dawed”’ also taught all the blackfellows how to make the different kinds of weapons and all the other things which blackfellows are now making. ‘““Nanganburrah,’’ who lives in the ground, is designated “all same Government.” He can read and write, and when blackfelows growl write it down in a book. When black- fellows die they go down into the ground to “ Nanganburrah,” and if they have been good, which is ascertained by referring to the book, “ Nangdnburrah” gives them a letter to give to “Mangararrah,’’ with whom they then live among the stars. If they have been bad and growled they are sent to a place deep down in the ground called “ Ohmar,” where there is 17 plenty of fire; and long way under this place is a large water called ‘‘Burcoot,’’ where one blackfellow named ‘‘ Madjuit- Madjuit” sits down. He regulates the tides according to the changes of the moon. He, like “ Mangararrah” and “ Nan- ganburrah,” never dies. The tradition of the natives in the neighbourhood as to their origin is as follows:—A long time ago a big woman called “‘ Warahmoorungee,” in a state of pregnancy, came from the North, there being no water on earth at that time. She arrived at Port Essington, and finding it to be a good country she made a large fire in the ground, which, when burned out, made the sea and all the water. She then left plenty of blackfellows of both sexes and went further away into the bush, made more water and left more blackfellows, and gave each tribe a different language. After this she left a fire in the ground a long way in the bush, and set three blackfellows to watch it to prevent it breaking out. Should they neglect to look after it the fire will come and burn all blackfellows. ‘“ Warahmoorin- gee,” after walking about a little longer, died and turned into a stone a long way in the bush. These natives have no idea of a future state of existence. Nore A. Melville Island, about 30 miles north of Port Darwin, ig inhabited by a tribe of which very little is known. They do not circumcise, and speak a different language from those on the mainland. They are represented as a very strong and powerful race. Before the arrival of the Hon. B. T. Finniss at Escape Cliffs, in 1864, the Melville Island natives occasionally visited the mainland for the purpose of stealing lubras, in which they invariably succeeded ; but they have not done so since. This tribe is of a very hostile nature, and on several occasions have attacked Europeans visiting the island. Their canoes and Weapons are similar to those on the mainland. Nore B. A tribe or tribes inhabiting the western coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and for about 100 miles inland, between the Roper and Nicholson Rivers, have a most disgusting and unnatural practice of slitting the penis along the urethra from its opening right down to the root. When about the age of fourteen years the youth are circumcised by the old men with- out any particular ceremony or formality, and when about eighteen years old the operation of slitting up the urethra is performed on those selected for that purpose. It is done with B 18 a sharp shell or mussel, and sometimes with a white flinty kind of quartz, which is precured from some distance under ground, and the hole is carefully covered up again. After the operation a small stick or bone is placed in the canal to keep it open. As the wound heals the penis shrivels up, and has, in its col- lapsed state, the appearance of a large button. According to the statement of the women the men so operated upon cannot beget children, although able to have connection with them, and for that purpose are preferred to the others. It appears that the strongest and able-bodied youths are generally selected for this operation, which is considered an honour among the tribe. For the information on this subject I am indebted to Mr. George de Lautour, who has on several occasions travelled through these tribes, and at my request collected the above information. 19 PLANTS INDIGENOUS TO THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF HERMANNSBURG, ON THE RIVER FINKE, CENTRAL AUSTRALIA. Collected by the Rev. H. Kemper, Corr. Memb. [Named by Baron F. von Mueller, K.C.M.G., F.R.S., &c., Hon. Fellow.] [Read February 7, 1882. | Encouraged by Baron F. von Mueller, who informs me that the most common plants have been sent in by me, I continue the list of plants indigenous to this part of Central Australia, which was commenced in vol. 3 of the Society’s Transactions, pp- 129 to 137. The present communication gives the names of the species identified by Baron F. von Mueller, which had been sent to him during the course of the year 1881. The names of a good many critical species, not always obtained in a state of perfection, are still to be expected. It may be interesting to know that all the country round here consists of limestone. Even where there are sandhills the underlying rock is limestone, so that nearly all the soil is calcareous. The James and MacDonnell Ranges are made up of red sandstone (in my opinion Tertiary sandstone) and granite. The southern hill of the MacDonnell Ranges consists of a sort of conglomerate. DICOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. CRUCIFERE. Stenopetalum velutinum, F.M., and S. lineare, R. Br.; both growing chiefly on hard loamy soil. PITTOSPORES. Pittosporum phillyroides, De Cand. STERCULIACE®. Commerconia magnifolia, ¥. M., a perennial shrub, growing near the Ranges. C. Kempeana, F. M., grows only on sand- hills. Hannafordia Bissillii, F. M., perennial shrub, growing on the Ranges. 20 MaAtLvaceEg. Hibiscus Sturtii, Hooker, only on rocky tracts. H. Farragei, F. M., in the bed of creeks. Gossypium australe, F. M., on the Ranges; stem annual only here. Abutilon otocarpum, F. M., and A. eryptopetalum, ¥. M., stems annual, growing everywhere. Sida virgata, Hooker ; 8. rhombifolia, Linné. Plagianthus glomeratus, Bentham; by springs only, stem annual. URTICACER. Ficus platypoda, Cunningham, the native fig-tree ; only on and near the Ranges. SAPINDACE. Heterodendron oletfolia, ¥. M.; a very pretty tree, growing on rocks as well as on sandhills. ZYGOPHYLLER Tribulus terrestris, Linné. FRANKENIACEE. Frankenia laevis, Linné ; on hard stony ground. AMARANTACER. Alternanthera nodiflora, R. Br.; Achyranthes australis, R. Br. ; > Ptilotus alopecuroides, ¥. M.; and P. incanus, Poiret; all erowing everywhere: SALSOLACES. — Rhagodia nutans, R. Br.; Chenopodium auricomum, Lindley ; Kochia aphylla, R. Br.; K. lanosa, Lindl.; K. brevifolia, R. Br.; Chenolea sclerolaenoides, ¥. M.; Babbagia diptero- carpa, F. M.; Atriplex nummularium, Lindl.; A. velutinel- lum, F. M.; A. holocarpum, F. M.; and Salicornia leios- tachya, Benth. Most of these plants are good food for sheep ; they grow even on the most arid places. FICOIDER. Mollugo Cerviana, Ser.; a small annual, growing only after heavy rains. POLYGONACER, Polygonum plebejum, R. Br., and Muehlenbeckia Cunninghami, 1 ae LEGUMINOS2&. Mirbelia semiseptosta, ¥. M.; on the Ranges. JL oxyclada, i. M. 21 Templetonia egena, Benth.; a perennial shrub. Psoralea eriantha, Benth.; Swainsonia phacoides, Benth. Erythrina vespertilio, Benth.; a large tree in the Ranges. . Acacia sentis, F.M.; A. minutifolia, F. M.; A. Farnesiana, Willd.; A. aneura, EF. M.; A. pyrifolia, De Cand.; and A. salicina, Lindl. HALORAGES. Myriophyllum verrucosum, Lindl. ; only in water. MyYRTACER. Eucalyptus terminalis, F. M.; 2. tesselaris, KF. M.; and £. rostrata, Schl. RHAMNACES. Ventilago viminalis, Hooker, and Spyridium spatulatum, R. Br., are perennial shrubs, the latter growing only in the Ranges. CUCURBITACES. Cucumis acidis, Jacq. ; Mukia scabrella, Arn. STACKHOUSIACER. Stackhousia muricata, Lindl. THYMELE®. Pimelea microcephala, R. Br.; perennial shrub, growing only in shady places. PROTEACES. Grevillea striata, R. Br.; a large tree attaining a height of 100 feet. LORANTHACES. Loranthus Exocarpi, Behr. ; L. pendulus, Sieber, e¢ var. canus, F.M.; and LZ. linophyllus, Fenzl. SANTALACE®. Santalum aewninatum, A. De Cand. Exocarpus spartea, R. Br.; a perennial shrub in the Ranges and on the sandhills. RUBIACER. Pomax wmbellata, Sol. CoMPposiT#. . Minuria Cunninghami, Benth.; Calotis microcephala, Benth.; C. Kempei, F. M.; Polycalymma Stuartii, Sond. and Muell. Siegesbeckia orientalis, Linné. Millotia Kempei, F. M.; a small annual growing on sandhills. 22 Helichrysum Kempei, F. M.; Helipterum pterochetum, Benth. ; H. moschatum, Benth.; H. Charsleye, F. M. Senecio odoratus, Hornem ; Bidens bipinnata, Linné. GOODENIACER. Goodenia cycloptera, R. Br.; G. sepalosa, F. M.; G. Vilmorinia, F.M. These lovely little plants grow here almost every- where after a good rain. Scevola depauperata, R. Br. ASCLEPIADES. Marsdenia Leichhardtiana, ¥.M.; a creeping plant, the fruits: of which are eaten by the aborigines. SOLANACES. Solanum ferocissimum, Lindl.; Datura Leichhardtiana, F. M. Duboisia Hopwoodii, F.M.; the leaves of this shrub are used by the natives to poison emus. | CoNVOLVULACER. Convolvulus erubescens, Sims. BoRAGINES. Heliotropium pleiopetalum, F. M.; on sandhills. H. undulatum, Vahl. VERBENACESR. Newcastlia spodiotricha, ¥. M.; on sandhills only. Verbena macrostachya, F. M.; in the bed of creeks. Spartothamnus teucritflorus, F. M. Clerodendrum floribundum, R. Br. MYoPoRIN2?. Myoporum Cunninghami, Benth.; Eremophila Mitchelli. Benth. MONOCOTYLEDONOUS PLANTS. LILIace®. Thysanotus extliflorus, 7. M.; Corynotheca lateriflora, ¥. M.; om sandhills. CoMMELINES. Commelina ensifolia, R. Br.; under shrubs in shady places. NATADE. Naias major, Allioni. TYPHACES. Typha angustifolia, Linné. 23 CYPERACES. Cyperus textilis, Thunb.; Scirpus littoralis, Schrad.; in moist ground. GRAMINES. Panicum divaricatissimum, R. Br.; P. Gilesii, Benth. P. distachyum, Linné; P. decompositum, R. Br.; P. leuco- pheum, Humboldt. Setaria macrostachya, Kunth; Spinifex paradoxus, Benth. Lappago racemosa, Willd ; Imperata arundinacea, Cyr. Andropogon laniger, Desf.; A. sericeus, R. Br. Aristida stipoides, R. Br.; A. calycina, R. Br.; A.ramosa, R. Br. Perotis rara, R. Br. , Chloris acicularis, Lindl.; Hleusine digitata, Spreng. E. cruciata, Lam.; Sporobolus Lindleyi, Benth. Phragmites Roxburghi, Kunth.; Anthistiria ciliata, L. fil. Eragrostis Brownii, Kunth.; and Eriochloa punctata, Hamilton. ACOTYLEDONOUS PLANT. FILICEs. Cheilanthes tenuifolia, Swartz. The result of my investigations, as far as numbers are con- cerned, is now as follows :— List 1. List 2. Total species. 1. Dicotyledonee ... ese 94. 251 2. Monocotyledonex ae 4 30 34 3. Acotyledonee ... aa 1 1 2 Total eee ay Oe 125 287 24 OBSERVATIONS ABOUT THE HABITS OF SOME SoutTH AUSTRALIAN ANTS. By J. G. Orro Tepper, F.L.S., Corr. Memb. [Read February 7, 1882.} [ Abridged. | My own observations refer principally to the forming of new nests, though being only made haphazard, they are not en- titled to the authoritative weight of Sir J. Lubbock’s, yet they may probably furnish hints to others to clear up the question. The first incident to be related as bearing on this point occurred when I was still a youth. While walking along the edge of a lagoon, where the water had thrown up small pieces of dead timber, bark, &c., which I turned up in the search for insects, I came across a small number of workers of the com- mon brown Formica clinging to the under side of a piece of thick Eucalyptus bark that had evidently floated ashore in this position, being still within the reach of the larger wavelets. They occupied the only moderately dry spot, and had no female or eggs with them. Without intending any particular experi- ment, but meaning simply to give the hee a chance of escape, I took the piece of bark up and placed it on the driest spot near. Such pieces of bark being capital traps for various species of Coleoptera it was visited consecutively at irregular periods, while the ants were regularly noticed. For some time they were content with the habitation with which chance had furnished them ; but gradually getting bolder and venturing more frequently forth for food, they found that they had no near neighbours, which indeed was the case, as an ex- ceptionally high flood had destroyed all ants’ nests for some distance the year before. Atter some weeks, though, the beginning of the sinking of a shaft was noticed, and at some later visit all the ants had removed to their underground suite, of the growing dimensions of which the increasing height of the characteristic wall of pellets ejected from the shaft, and surrounding it, gave evidence. This shaft had been formed near the edge of the piece of bark so as to afford them shelter from sun and rain until perfectly established. For it must ‘be mentioned that 25 these Formice (popularly termed the “sugar ants’’) only move about on cool, cloudy days and dry nights, when they sally forth forage hunting. This nest was observed for years, and the ants seemed to increase, for on one occasion the swarming was observed, but I cannot remember especially noting whether both sexes were represented, and my observation is, therefore, somewhat incon- clusive. Sir J. Lubbock cites another observer who had succeeded in establishing a colony artificially, and mentions that he only succeeded in one or two instances out of many by introducing the strange queens at first only to a very few ants, and very gradually increasing their number. It may have been, there- fore, in the above case that the small number of ants was an important factor in establishing the colony, inasmuch that they captured one or two stray queens, and elected to be their subjects instead of destroying them. The “‘swarming’”’ of ants takes place on warm sultry days, in the afternoons and early part of the evening, not frequently before the summer and autumn, and generally before rain. In the morning preceding it the ants are unusually active, the numbers crowding about the holes increasing as the day advances, till at last the winged males and females begin to appear, at first a few, but in a few minutes pouring out, mixed with the workers in a continual stream. Ascending stalks of erass, &e., all who can take to the air, forming occasionally clouds of insects, and occasionally rising to great heights, exceeding that of very tall Eucalypts, where they only can be distinguished collectively by means of the reflected sun rays, like a faint mist. While flying thus, mates meet, and copula- tion takes place, the pairs dropping helplessly to the ground, settle on one’s clothes, or are carried along by the breeze and snapped up by the swallows. As soon as the act is completed, they cast their wings, and, if near a friendly nest, seek its shelter, to which they are conducted (sometimes assisted by dragging) by the active workers rushing excitedly about in myriads. Or, if not near, they seek some shelter under stones, bark, &e., or in hollows of the ground, where one often meets solitary ones, weakened by starvation, scarcely able to move. Strange to say, it seems that those who do not pair retain their wings fora lengthened period, as I have found solitary ones days after the swarming still with their wings and have kept some, captured at once, in boxes, and forgotten to be killed for the collection, that were afterwards found dead with the wings still firmly fixed, while pairs caught dropped them mostly immediately On one occasion I came across a nest of the giant Myrmicide, 26 the black “Bulldog Ant.” This was a rather formidable affair, owing to many hundreds of the large creatures (the females above an inch in length while alive) flitting about one’s head, all armed with a sting about a quarter of an inch in length, while the shrubs near the nest were covered with scores of pairs and single ones. This took place on April 7, 1880, between ten and eleven o’clock a.m., and I learned here for the first time that the males differ so much in form from the more formidable and aggressive sex that till then they had been looked upon as belonging to a genus of wasps. They are only from half to two-thirds the size of the females ; are much more slender in build, and much more active; their heads are small in proportion, no larger, in fact, than those of certain species of wasps; have weak mandibles (the females and workers possessing very strong ones) ; and the first joints of the antenne differ in no wise from the remainder ; while the females and workers generally have a very long one at the base, thus producing the appearance of a break or knee-like bend. Though owning a sting, yet this is not long, and they do not employ it very readily. Reverting to the forming of new colonies of ants, this can be observed easily with two species of ants very common and numerous in many parts of South Australia, viz., the purplish city-building Formica (about a quarter inch in length), and the small black ant (scarcely one-eighth inch), overrunning in countless numbers all dry localities, even cottages, especially where there are trees or shrubs and the grass not dense. Both act essentially in the same manner, but the habits and habita- tions of the larger species being more conspicuous, I select it for illustration. These ants belong apparently to the Formi- cide, but possess nevertheless a not quite despicable sting in addition to strong mandibles and a very excitable temper. As localities for their habitations they prefer hard, dry, barren spots, in which they sink their circular and mostly perpendicular shafts, a number of which being situated in close proximity, the distance between them being from three to fifteen inches, varying according to the strength and age of the nest. The ejected grains of gravel and pellets of clay, &e., are placed on the waste ground around and between the holes, get solidified by alternate wetting and drying, and gradually attain very respectable dimensions. One of the largest seen measured about a yard in perpendicular height, and some two or three across, the heap being chiefly composed of ferruginous pebbles from a pin’s head and upwards in size, and containing more than a score cf shafts. Generally, though, they are only a few inches high in the centre, and where not protected by surrounding shrubs no materials collect, the wind removing 27 them as fast as deposited. Yet this does not at all incommode the little worker, or interfere with the increase of population, for I have seen colonies up to ten yards in length and one or two wide on barren roads and even garden walks, prospering exceedingly. Their time of greatest activity in the hot season is the morning and evening, each community having its own district, to the more distant parts of which regular beaten tracks lead, real roads very well defined near the towns, being between one and two inches wide, and trodden out by their own tiny feet, and by their motion kept clear of grass and other obstacles. At varying distances these “roads” become less and less marked by giving off ramifications to trees and shrubs, and finally disappear altogether. Near human habita- tion their bold, prying, and aggressive habits are apt to become disagreeable, and it was an experience of this kind that led me to notice how nests were formed de novo. Some 50 or 60 yards from my residence, on an old track, was one of these towns. Between it and the former the children used to play, and frequently to consume their luncheon, when, of course, the scattered fragments were left behind. There the ants discovered them and carried them off to their strong- hold. After a short time, the sinking of a shaft was com- menced at the very spot, which happened to be within some ten yards from the house, and this was quickly succeeded by others, a new colony being thus established. Between it and the parent-nest a continual connection was kept up by a continuous double stream of ants travelling in the one beaten track. On this track again, solitary holes occurred, like hotels ona main road. From the new centre the ants extended their excursions even into the cottage, and, at last, commenced mining operations in front of the door, when I had to interfere in earnest to prevent it. The above facts point to the conclu- sion that in the selection of anew locality for a nest the ants are guided by the proximity of a copious supply of food as one of the determining causes. Those ants who are somewhat lazy, &c., construct at first a temporary home, saving themselves from a hurried run should a shower of rain threaten, &c. At the time of swarming, no doubt some of the fertilised females find their way into it, lay their eggs, and thus convert the temporary into a fixed place of abode. If we consider that in the course of the long years these nests remain in existence the localities of the most copious sources of food must change by the decay and growth of shrubs, trees, &c., it is easily seen that the establishment of new settlements will occur in various directions, but without breaking their connection for a long time, thus forming dis- tricts over which the ants are all friendly, and find shelter in 28 each other’s homes. This also will prevent too close inter- breeding, the females of all parts of such a district being scattered ad libitum, but eagerly preserved by the workers, as being possessed of the same “scent,” while those bred from nests originating from a different centre, or the connection of which had been severed by some cause or other for a very con- siderable period, are destroyed, as Sir J. Lubbock’s experiments rove. : When the interests of two hostile districts (z.e., such without previous connection) interfere with each other war ensues, and is kept up for days and nights, if dry weather prevails, with an outrageous determination and cruelty. Thousands of ants may then be seen in groups of two, three, or more, trying which can disable the other first, the dead bodies, with the crippled ones who have lost more limbs than necessary to move with, lining both sides of the track along which the slaughter proceeds. The latter appears only to cease with the utter exhaustion of one of the parties or a heavy continuous rain. Battles like the one described seem to take place but rarely, as I have but three or four times met with them during many years’ observation of insects. The small “ Black Ants’ do not form “ cities,’ but each nest has only one, rarely two, entrances, surrounded by a conical dyke of ejected pellets, or are quite unprotected. They avail themselves of hollow spaces under stones and in walls—even those under bark or in rotten wood are not despised. But they likewise have roads or tracks, along which they pass through the grass, and in the course of which occa- sionally new shafts are sunk, thus exhibiting the same manner of operations as the larger species. 29 DESCRIPTIONS OF SOME RARE NEw SouTH AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTERA. By J. G. O. Tepper, F.L.S., Corr. Memb. [Read April 4, 1882.] Smerinthus (?) Wayii, spec. nov. This rather large moth was captured in the evening of February 15th, 1882. Being attracted by the light of the lamp, it entered my room, making its presence known by the very loud surring noise of its darting, erratic flight, peculiar to Sphingide. Examining it closely one finds that it unites affinities belong- ing to widely different families—thus, the form of its body conical, smeoth, and ending ina point; the small head and eyes ; large, hairy, and jointed palpi; and the moderately-long spiral tongue; also the general form of the anterior wings, together with its habit of flight, relate it to genus Smerinthus, of the Sphingide; while the long thin antenne (though in other respects like those of Smerinthus), and the great width (and length) of the posterior wings place it in relation to the family of Oecneria, some of which, like O. monacha, likewise show the peculiar form of the abdomen. Finally, the colora- tion of this moth is that common to Geometride, trom which it differs in most other points, notable the very heavy body. Only one specimen has as yet been seen, thus nothing is known about its habits or transformation. Considering, under the circumstances stated, that this moth is new, I beg leave to name it after His Honor the Chief Justice, and distinguished President of the Royal Society of South Australia, who so assiduously promotes and patronises science in our province. Derscriprion.—Head small, same colour as body, &c. Eyes not large, blackish, with silvery lustre. Antenne thin, pointed, about half the length of body; silvery white; fringe bristles minute, greyish-ochre. Wings strong, proportionally wide ; when at rest extended, but obliquely elevated; colour light ochreous-brown, irregularly sprinkled with minute blackish dots; a straight, narrow brown bar extends from near the extremity of anterior wings diagonally to near the middle of interior margin, thence extending across the posterior wings to the middle of their interior margin; another, less distinct, curved band, concave towards base, crosses anterior wings 30 half-way between base and the long bar measured along middle of wing. A small silvery white lunar spot with black edge is situated between the two bars and crossed by the fourth rib; a similar one, but smaller still, and close to the bar, occurs be- tween the third and fourth rib on the posterior wing. The underside of both pairs of wings is similarly coloured, but paler, with the lunar spots, but without the bars; the ribs are but faintly visible, and of lighter tint than the rest. The anterior margin of first pair is strong and very straight, the extremity forming a sharp projection where joining the outer margin, which is distinctly scolloped, but scarcely fringed ; the interior margin is subconvex, the basal part thickly fringed. The anterior margin of posterior pair is convex, and somewhat longer than the inner, which is straight; the outer margin is rounded and lightly scolloped; the wings extend nearly to end of abdomen. The body is of the same colour as the wings; the thorax is covered above with long hair; the abdomen is conical, quite smooth, the scales being very small and adherent, and termi- nating in an attenuated point. The legs are weak, bare, smooth ; colour a light silvery ochreous tint, covered with numerous minute, black dots ; femurs of fore legs almost cylindrical ; those of middle pair with two, and the hind legs with four spurs. Only one specimen seen. Inches. Length of body an hy jo If Span of wings add ia ae 23 le Diameter of thorax ... Lithosia rubratra, spec. nov. This is one of the few gaudy-coloured moths of South Aus- tralia, which are so rare here. Three specimens—one male and two females—were captured ; the first in a wooded gully near Cherry Gardens on November 9th, 1881, late in the afternoon ; the others a few days later near the Almanda Mine, Scott’s Creek. Its flight is weak and slow, more a fluttering, and of short duration ; when resting (which they do on dead branches, especially on such as have been blackened by fire, or covered with lichens) they fold the wings, like some Tineade, but do not roll them. Not being aware of any previous description, I beg to attach to it the name Lithosia rubratra (the red and black Lithosia) provisionally, as its general appearance agrees best with that genus. Descrietion.—Rather small; colour bright red or crimson and black. The basal half of both pairs of wings, as well as a narrow band and fringe along their outer margins, is bright red or crimson; also the head, collar and the last segment of the abdomen; the remainder is black, this tint forming a broad 31 bar across the distal end of the wings. The under side is similarly coloured, but somewhat paler, the posterior ones showing some yellowish streaks amongst the red. The pos- terior part of thorax and the two first abdominal segments (much wider than the others) are brownish. The legs are unequal in length, the first pair being only about half as long as the last; the middle pair being intermediate. The two first pairs of legs are wholly black; the former of the last is dark red, and the foot-joints tinged with the same. Spurs are absent from the front legs; the median pair has one, and the hind legs have two near the middle and one at the end of the femur. Claws are very minute or absent. Antenne two- thirds of length of body; sealed on upper and inner margin of the eyes; compressed; the basal joint large, sub-globular; other joints minute, numerous; furnished with short sete. The female is alittle larger and brighter coloured than the male. Length of body three-eighths to half inch; span of wing, 1,3, to 1,5, inch. Thryphena (?) tinezformis, spec. nov. This day-flying moth is, in the whole, not so rare as the fore- going Lepidoptera, it being found in moderate numbers in the Tertiary scrubs, and coming sometimes in the early parts of sultry evening into the room, being attracted, like many others, to the light. The above provisional name has been adopted to denote that, though the very marked coloration, &e., is that distinctive of the genus Thryphena (Family Agrotidae) yet the slender legs and long palpi establish relationship with the Tineade. Descrietion.—Colour brown, orange, and black. Body rather slender, somewhat compressed conical. Anterior wings rather narrow, triangular; colour brown; a broad whitish indistinct bar near its extremity ; a larger and a smaller black spot on first rib near middle, reproduced on the under side; the latter light yellow, except frontal margin, tip and outer margin, which are light blackish brown, with a narrow light band along the latter. Posterior wings orange yellow; a broad black band from.upper angle to last rib; but one underside light yellow; band reproduced but fainter; fringe narrow, light yellowish. Body light brown above, silvery white below; legs white, very long and thin; forelegs with one pair of spurs; middle and hind legs with two very unequal pairs; one spur of each being very long, the other minute. Head projecting, neck long; these and the thorax dark brown; eyes large, projecting, black; antenne long, slender; palpilong, slender, brown. The female is a little larger and brighter-coloured than the male. Length of body—yin. to 3in. Span of wings—l1} to 12 in. Locality—Clarendon. 32 NOTES ON SOME SOUTH AUSTRALIAN LIZARDS. By J. G. Orro Tepper, F.L.S., Corr. Memb. [Read May 2, 1882.] In the course of the last week of December, 1881, two rare and remarkable lizards were handed to me by Mr. Bilney, Kangarilla, who caught them in the Tertiary scrub adjoining that town- ship. ieee to Gray’s “Lizards of Australia,” 1867, it is easy to see that one is a very near relation to Hinulia Gerrardi, from Rockhampton, Queensland; but neither the coloring nor the proportion of the various parts of the figure agree with the specimen. The transverse bands are much more dissimilar, some from the one side not meeting those from the other at all in the middle of the back, while there are short but very dis- tinct rudiments of bars between the principal ones, which are scarcely indicated in Gray’s figure by adventitious lght markings. Then, again, the figure of H. Gerrardi shows thirteen light transverse bars from the base of the tail to its tip, while the Kangarilla specimen presents only five or six distinct ones and one or two faint ones. Another difference is seen in the much shorter tail in proportion to the body. When caught from under the rocks it was very lively, and exerted itself much for a day or two to escape, even snapping at the hand, but it soon became quiet, taking raw and cooked meat freely from between one’s fingers. The example is unique. Another species of the genus Hinulia Greyit in Gray’s work (plate 10), which is recorded by him from Swan River, has lately been noticed by me living, seemingly in pairs, under rocks, close to the river Onkaparinga. My specimens appear to be somewhat larger than the one figured by Gray, but in other respects there seems to be no difference. The third species is one of the snake-like lizards, which are considered and treated by most people as snakes. It isa Pygopus, the genus being easily distinguished by the large plates of the head and the flapper-like rudiments of the hind legs at the base of the tail, and was taken from a small hole in sand by the same person who captured, in the same locality, the large fTinulia. The specimen differs very much in detail from Pygopus 33 squamiceps, as figured by Gray (plate 8, fig.3). The first frontal plate, which is whole in the figure, is divided in two in m specimen. The body of the latter is much wider than the head, increasing gradually in width till within a short distance from the base of the tail. The tail is somewhat abruptly joined to the body, and is almost as long asit. The body of Pygopus sqguamiceps is scarcely half as long as that of my example, but is thicker in proportion. The only markings are some minute black dots along the sides of the body, while my specimen presents five conspicuous black marks on the posterior part of the head. The largest one is on the middle line of the body, oblong, with an anterior stalk-like projection; on each side, but farther forward, is a smaller but similar spot, the “stalk” pointing to the upper angle of the eye; ina line with them are two others, but bar-like, one on each side, commencing opposite the hindmost extremity of the central spot and extending diagonally backwards and upwards. The length of the central spot and these bars is about one-fourth of an inch; that of anterior ones one-eigthth of an inch. I cannot discern any dark spots along the sides of the body, but they are distinctly visible from the base to near the tip of the tail at irregular distances, and bordered with white on the lower side. The last inch or so of the tail is covered with very much smaller scales, which are of a yellowish-grey tint, and are marked with short longitudinal lines. The tip of the tail is very thin for about three-sixteenths of an inch, and not hard. The general color : * clear ashy grey above and light grey, tinged with pink, elow. Should this specimen prove to be new, the name Pygopus longicaudatus might be suggested as appropriate. Several examples of Pygopus squamiceps have been brought to me that were captured under rocks on the hillsides about Ardrossan, Yorke’s Peninsula. 34 List OF DIURNAL LEPIDOPTERA ABOUT BAL= HANNAH, Co. ADELAIDE, WITH DESCRIPTIONS OF NEW OR LITTLE-KNOWN SPECIES. By E. Guest, Local Correspondent. [Read May 2, 1882.| Considering the acknowledged paucity of South Australian Papilionide, this locality must be reckoned a fairly good one for this family, as I have collected fifteen species in three years. These and two species known to exist, but not in my cabinet, make a total of seventeen species for this very limited area of ‘ about three miles radius. A species of Synemon occurs, but I do not consider it a butterfly. 1.—Pieris Aganippe. This is not very common, especially the male. I believe it is generally considered double-brooded, but in this locality at any rate 1 am almost sure this is not the case. The eggs are lain in the spring, and the imago emerges early in autumn, which is the only time when I have ever seen the male. The female passes the winter in some secure spot, and is seen commonly in early spring, but they pair in the autumn, and the male seldom or never survives. , 2.—Terias smilax. Common some years in October; entirely absent in others. It is sometimes—but I think abnormally—double-brooded, as I have more than once seen single specimens in March. 3.—Pyrameis itea. Not uncommon most years in October, but I am uncertain whether there is one brood or two. It flies in the autumn, and some at least of the females pass the winter in hollow trees, &e., where I have found them in August. 4,.—Pyrameis cardui. Very abundant. The same remarks apply to this species as to P. ztea. 5.—Juno velleda. Very abundant. Flies all the year round except in depth of winter, when it hides away like the two preceding insects. I 35 think, however, there is no doubt of there being two broods of this species per annum. {Lasiomata atlanta. {Renica Klugii. This insect is very common, but here, at any rate, there is certainly only one brood, and I have never seen a single speci- men in the autumn. The two sexes are almost exactly alike. 6. 7 (Lasiomata merope. ‘| Heteronympha merope. The sexes vary so much as to appear at first sight to belong to entirely distinct species. It is as common as J. atlanta. The males appear about ten days before the females, and are almost exactly like P. atlanta, though nearly double the size. 8.—Lasiomata ocrea, spec. nov. This insect appears to be undescribed, and is so named in allusion to a very peculiar marking, like a Hessian boot, on the underside of the wing. It is very rare; I have taken only one specimen, which is, I believe, a female, but Dr. Gaze had, however, previously captured two specimens. The following is a short description :— Expanse of wing, two inches. General colour of all the wings, yellowish cinnamon. The apical half of the fore-wing is crossed obliquely by four interrupted black bars, in the centre of each of which is a round black spot with a white eye. The hind wing has a dull round black spot on the costa, and a white one near the centre of the wing, surrounded by a very narrow black line. The underside of the fore-wings is a reproduction of the upper side. The ground colour of the hind wings is nearly white, and there are two jet-black spots with white centres; there are also several dull, blackish-brown smears, and about the centre the large and curious boot-like mark mentioned above. The antenne are rather short and excessively fine. Body very short. I now come to the Lycenide, of which I have six species included in the genera Lycena and Cupido. Unfortunately, however, the descriptions in Mr. Tepper’s paper, Trans. Roy. Soc., S.A., Vol. iv., are so short (where, in fact, they are described at all), and the plates illustrating only the top side of the wing, that I cannot with certainty identify all my species. 9.—Cupido Beetica. It is very common, flies very fast, and is double-brooded. But is it correctly named ? 36 10.—C. agricola. This insect I believe I have also, but it is not common here. 11.—C. adamapuncta. This is another insect that I think I can recognise, but Mr. Tepper appears to have only the female. The male is exactly the same size, but of a beautiful rich plum colour. I once found both sexes of this swarming in extraordinary numbers round the white flowers of a shrub called here the box tree. This was in January; but I have on two or three occasions taken the female sitting half asleep on grass-stems in May. It evidently hybernates, and is seen in a tattered state in October. The other species of this family in my collection I cannot at ‘all identify from either the plates or diagnoses of Mr. Tepper. JT have, I think, two species of Lycena, and one of Cupido, that do not agree with any of his. 12.—Cupido molybdena, spec. nov. It bears a distant resemblance to C. fasciola, Tepper, but the markings do not agree, and the male, though smaller, is much lighter coloured than the female; the superior surface of the wings of the female being of a very dark burnt amber brown, with a white fringe interrupted with dark brown spots. The under sides of the wings agree pretty fairly with those of C. Sasciola. 13.—Lycena pervulgatus, spec. nov. Strange to say, thisis the very commonest insect we have. There are at least three broods of it, and it may be taken all the year round, even in the depth of winter if the sun should shine out warm for two or three days together. It approaches nearest to Cupido delicatus, Tepper, but there is no sign of the appendage or black spot in either sex, otherwise in size and colour it agrees pretty well. I possess also what I suppose to be a dwarf summer brood of this, for I can see no specific difference, that is only three-fourths of an inch across the wing. 14.—L. paradoxa, spec. nov. This is a very singular insect, but unfortunately very rare; size, 1} inch. Both sexes nearly alike. Colour, rich bronze, shot with plum colour; this last rather more prenoncée in the male. There are no spotsor markings of any kind, excepting that the wing rays are yellowish brown. Fringe, bluish white. Underneath, the entire surface of both wings is shiny white, with the least possible tinge of blue, without markings of any kind, excepting a row of very minute jet black specks along and close to the outer margin of both wings. Body and thorax coloured both above and below, the same as the wings. 37 15.—Hesperilla fumosa, spec. nov. It approaches nearest to H. gracilis, Tepper, but can be dis- tinguished at a glance at the underside, the lower wing having a broad, chalky, white band across the centre; with one white spot above it and no other markings. It is not uncommon ; is double brooded, and appears to be particularly fond of the flowers of the stinkwort, almost the only insect I know of that is. 16.—Synemon leta. This is pretty common most years, but local. Its short rapid flight and mode of settling with its hind wings hidden by the top ones, put me in mind of a Noctwa rather than a butterfly, in spite of the clubbed antennez. ON THE PROPAGATION OF CYMODOCEA ANTARCTICA. By Pror. P. AscuErson, Berlin. Translated and communicated by J. G. O. Tepper, F.LS., Corr. Memb. [Read June 13, 1882.] When residing at Ardrossan, on the eastern coast of Yorke’s Peninsula, Baron F. von Mueller, K.C.M.G., &c., the illus- trious Government Botanist of Victoria, requested me to pay special] attention to the above plant in order to obtain flowering and fruiting specimens. This was done accordingly, as far as my other duties permitted, and the observations made were recorded in two short papers published in Vol. IV. of the Transactions of this Society. The separate prints were subse- quently forwarded with a number of specimens to Dr. P. Ascherson, Professor of Botany in the Berlin University, who did me the honour to reply by a lengthy letter, expounding his views in the matter under consideration. As this is of general interest in regard to botany, I beg to place a translation of this communication before the Royal Society, as far as relating to the subject. It will be seen that, though my observed facts were correct, the explanation (through insufficiency of the means of critical examination) was not so. (J. G. O. T.) 38 ‘Berlin, April 3, 1882. “Dear Sir—For your interesting remittances of the 4th February last, | render you my sincerest thanks in the name of the Botanical Society and in my own. “Your two papers upon the habits of the Cymodocea antarctica have interested me in a high degree; the riddle, which has occupied me for half a generation (more accurately, since 1867), is in its main points solved by your admirable observations. “As far as I could, I critically examined the material kindly sent me by you. I find your statements of the facts and the illustrations of the same confirmed. “T cannot, however, entirely agree with your explanation of the same. According to my opinion the whole process is to be looked upon as ‘ vegetative rejuvenescency.’ This expression of the late eminent morphologist and biologist, A. Braun, my ever-memorable teacher, suits in this case most fitly the nature of it. The sexual organs you have not observed, and just this prolific rejuvenesce is qualified to explain their excessive rarity. The ‘male organs’ are most likely animal inhabitants of the plant, which may probably be specifically determinable. Also in the ‘fruits’ I can find nothing of the organs of a pistillate blossom, seeds, &c. The male flower is figured by Gaudichaud, consisting of two stamens, joined together longi- tudinally, borne upon a long stalk, and enveloped in leafy foliage, the sheathing of which they probably lttle surmount. Each partition of the stamina is surmounted by separate spikelets. “The structure of the female flowers appears, by the only specimen submitted to me by Baron F. von Mueller, not to differ much from that of the other species. They also consist of two adjacent free carpels, each surmounted by two long ribbon-like stigmata (or pistils). The fruit of those species of Cymodocea that is known in the locality of their own home— viz., C. nodosa, rotundata, isoetifolia, manatoram:—is always strongly compressed, and about half-circularly round, fur- nished with a hard ‘bony’ shell, which splits along the margin when germinating. “The development of the processes you have observed, I imagine to take place in about the following manner :—A bout the present time—therefore in your autumn—an organ is formed at the apex of a leafy branchlet, recognisable at once by its turning in a right angle to the previous position of the leaves. The same, must in consequence of being con- cealed in the preceding foliage, not be easy to detect, although the lowest leaf of this bud (from which the ‘horny cup’ originates) may betray itself to the touch. This 39. lowest leaf, which also is the first that crosses the preceding ones, is presumably four-celled from the commencement. The arrangements of structure, promiscuously mentioned by you, of the narrower and wider partitions render it somewhat im- probable for four, or two, separate organs, while presenting no difficulty if viewed as parts of a single leaf. Your ‘remains of seed’ is, according to my idea, nothing but the rudiment of the internode preceding the ‘germ leaf,’ as I shall call the organ ; the ‘lid of the ovary,’ probably but the point of disjointure, by whose death the young plant becomes free. The ‘ floral scale’ is very probably but a first lamina, and perhaps also the succeeding one, which certainly leaves horny remains. How the following ones are circumstanced, which have already dropped off the young plants, cannot be made out from the material submitted; probably they are leaf-like, though smaller than their successors. A similar process occurs in the formation of the fruit of a water plant appertaining to the old world, Trapa natans. The fruit of this plant is built up of four calyx cells; along the midrib horny spikes become free through decay of the external coverings, which remind one of the arrow-barbs of savage tribes, and most likely also bring about the anchoring of the fruit in the soft mud. “In respect of the rooting process, I had formed a similar idea a year ago, agreeing closely with the facts observed by you, as you would see from my letter to Baron F. von Mueller. “In the words you were good enough to cite from my former letter an error is to be corrected, which has been doubtlessly produced by my handwriting. You believed, no doubt in- fluenced by your explanation of the process, that I also speak of a pistil (German—Stempel ; see note), while, in my case I must have written stem (German—Stengel).”’ Nore py Mr. Terper.—The contrary is the case, as I had formed no explanation till I found in the expression stated what I considered a key to the structure, but which now turns out to have been a misapprehension occasioned by the learned professor’s handwriting, which is sometimes difficult to read by one not very familiar with it. 40 NOTES ON THE TERTIARY STRATA BENEATH ADELAIDE. By Proressor Ratpu Tate, Assoc. Lin. Soc., F.GS., Corr. Memb. Acad. Sc., Phil.; Roy. Soc., Tasm.; Lin. Soc., N.S.W., &e. Pruate I. [Read June 13, 1882.] Hitherto the knowledge of the existence of Miocene strata beneath the City of Adelaide was limited to a small exposure of fossiliferous sandstone in the quarry at the rear of the Government Domain and to shallow well-sinkings, which for the most part do not penetrate the uppermost fossiliferous bed just mentioned. Towards the end of last year the Hydraulic Engineer com- menced a boring in the Waterworks Yard at Kent Town with the view simply of putting the machine on its trial, and to afford persons interested in the application of the diamond drill to the search for subterranean water the opportunity of seeing it in action. By request, I periodically visited the work, and reported on the progress of the boring, which was brought to a close after penetration to a depth of 411 feet, 360 feet of which was in Tertiary strata, and the remainder in the underlying fundamental rocks. ‘The extracted cores range from eight and a-half to six inches in diameter. These reveal so interesting and complete a section of the Older Tertiaries that it seems desirable to record the stratigraphical succession in full; but as the boring section does not commence with youngest member of our Marine Miocene, I have incorporated m the section on Plate I. the strata exposed in recent drainage works, and in the quarry section (now concealed) at the rear of the Government Domain, which fill up the hiatus. Indeed, over the site of the bore-hole a considerable thickness of the Older Tertiaries has been denuded, and its place occupied with Pliocene drifts. : The horizontal section, Plate I., represents the grade from King William-road along North-terrace to the Kent Town Waterworks Yard. The western end of the section gives the stratigraphical succession supplied by the drainage works and the quarry; the eastern end, that of the vertical section, deter- mined from an examination of the bore-cores. Canna AsAnemriin ORES EF pa, aka a 4 MW Yorticod ocale fipeh Slow pe, QOS HortinenrCoh Seale y wrehes CJ mice RT oe 41 The combined section agrees in general features with that of the coast cliffs of Aldinga Bay (for notice of which, see Trans. of this Society, vol. i., p. 121, 1878). The series of the Older Tertiary strata in the Adelaide basin may be summarised as follows :— a. Estuarine or Lacustrine clay, exceeding 50 feet. B. Marine—total thickness, 197 feet. (a) Calciferous sandstones, with oyster banks. (6) Sandy and calcareous clays, with argillaceous lime- stones, chiefly in the lower part. (c) Glauconitic limestones and sands, &e. c. Lacustrine and Estuarine clays and sands, with carbona- ceous debris—total thickness, 142 feet. Series a at the Government-House quarry has yielded very few species of fossils in a state for critical determination, as with the exception of oysters and pectens, their tests have been removed. Nevertheless, these beds are on the same palxontological horizon as similar rocks forming the uppermost fossiliferous strata in the Aldinga and R. Murray Cliffs, which I have else- where (Trans. of this Soc., vol. I., p. 121, and vol. II., p. liii., et seq.) named the Upper Aldinga Series and the Upper Mur- ravin Series respectively. List OF SPECIES. Nautilus sp.: related to NV. pompilius, but of large pro- portions. Cassis textilis, Zute. Haliotis sp.; Bulla sp. Ostrea ct. edulis, Linné. Pecten spondyloides, Tate. Pecten asperrimus, Lamarck, var. Pecten subbifrons, Tute. Nucula tumida, Woods. Pectunculus McCoyi, Johnston. Cardium. Placotrochus deltoideus, Duncan. Series 5 corresponds with the Middle Aldinga Beds, which form the main mass of Blanche Point Cliff. Ag in both, Turritella Aldinge occurs in great profusion. Not many fossils have yet been extracted from the bore- cores, so that a paleontological analysis of series 6 and ¢ is postponed. The glauconitic limestone which forms the base of the fos- siliferous series at Aldinga differs lithologically somewhat from its probable equivalents in the Adelaide section, and the rarity in the latter of echinoderms and palliobranchs is another point of dissimilarity. D 42 Beneath the glauconitic limestone at Blanche Point, Aldinga Bay, there is an unfossiliferous iron-shot sand of unknown thickness, but which to the north of Blanche Point gradually rises in the section until it attains a level above that of the Upper Aldinga Series, and is seen reposing, at a considerable inclination, against the old slate rocks. It is doubtlessly coeval with lignitiferous clay and sands in the Adelaide Basin. SEcTION OF THE SrraTa PENETRATED BY BOREHOLE, KENT Town Waterworks Yarp. Level of Surface—138.83 feet above Low Water Mark. Thickness No. Description of Strata. in Feet. 1. Soil, &e. tit cH. at aA aca Me PLIOCENE DRIFT. . Red clayey loam a xe AP sta ge . Fine waterworn gravel ay Grey pipe-clay, intermixed with ‘sand Subangular gravel, to one-fourth inch gauge Grey pipe-clay, intermixed with sand Sharp sand and small gravel Grey pipe-clay intermixed with sand . Fine yellow sand, somewhat clayey . Grey pipe-clay, intermixed with sand . Sharp sand f= See Se ee We We be Ob © © = —_ 12. Very sharp white quartz sand, of large dimensions, intermixed with subangular quartzite gravel to 13 inch gauge. Water i ay ee | Miocene (Marie). 13. Greenish-grey clayey sand and sandy ey dee | 14. Grey and reddish mottled clay ... a2 Re 15. Fine clayey sand a Bs 16. Black clayey sand (fossiliferous) 25 17. Lighter-coloured and more sandy than No. 16, w ith thin bands of sharp white quartz sand, which are slightly inclined to the horizontal Reh sti 18. Light blue calcareous clay, graduating into eee 19. Blue argillaceous limestone (fossiliferous) ae 20. Black, clayey, calcareous sand ... 3 21. Black, argillaceous limestone with elauconitie erains. Very fossiliferous ... 5 22. Grey shelly marls, with glauconite, varying to compact limestone ... ie a ees 10 23. Sandy and shelly marls . 10 24, Brown and green clayey sands. “Very fossiliferous 23 25. 26. . Decomposing felspathic quartzite uM . Decomposed slaty rock, quartz vein ) . Decomposed felspathic rock, quartz vein § . Felspathose-quartzite eritstone .. . Thinly bedded fine-grained sandstone with talcose- 43 Miocene ? (Estuarine and Lacustrine). Very find grey sand __... Very fine grey sand with carbonaceous debri ws, con- taining water-worn pebbles and rolled fragments of shell of species occurring in No. 24... . Lignite mixed with fine mud __... . White pipe-clay with lignite fragments and nests of iron pyrites . Brown argillaceous earth mixed with carbonaceous matter and nests of iron pyrites . White pipe clay with lignite . Fine sand. Water . Kaolin clay, mixed with sand in ‘the upper part and sharp quartz grit in the lower PRE-SILURIAN. slate partings SUMMARY. Recent surface accumulations aa Habe Pliocene loams, gravels, and clays... eae Oe Marine Miocene = ne ... 149 Lacustrine Miocene 7 Ju eve ae Pre-Silurian .... i Ee issu ek —_———_— Total £3 BE. . SE treet: Water was tapped in stratum No. 12; it was very salt, and rose to a height of 43 feet in the borehole. Bed No. 12 I have regarded as the basal member of the Newer Tertiary series, because of its angular gravel, and that the underlying clayey sands, though unfossiliferous, insensibly graduate into others of undoubted Miocene age. A fair supply water was also obtained in Bed No. 81, it yielded 117.4 grains of solid matter to the gallon. taste it was sweetish and slightly saline. The chief ingredients determined were :— CaCO, 5:2, MgCO, 1.3, NaCl, &., 1109. To the 44. DIAGNOSES OF NEW SPECIES OF MIOCENE i FOSSILS FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA. By Proressor R. Tare. [Read June 13, 1882.] Pecten subbifrons, spec. nov. An equivalve, somewhat flattish shell, having the general form of the recent P. bifrons, and with the same shagreen-like sculpture ; but from which it differs in its compressed and truncated ribs. The ribs are about twelve in number, with one or two longitudinal furrows and small tubercles; one or two slender ribs in the flat interstitial spaces. | Locality and Horizon—In the calciferous sandstones, Ade- laide. Pecten asperrimus, Lamarck, var? A very common pecten in the Upper Aldinga series and its equivalents, I refer with some doubt to the Lamarckian species, P. asperrimus, of our waters, which has been subse- quently named by Sowerby, and better known as P. australis. The chief differences are printed in italics in the following brief characters :— Ribs, 24 to 26, flanked on each side by two or three secondary ribs, with or without one rib in the furrow; all the ribs with imbricating sub-erect scales or lamellae. Ears rather larger than in recent examples. Largest examples much exceeding recent individuals. Locality and Horizon—Upper Aldinga series at Adelaide, Hallett’s Cove, and Aldinga; Edithburgh, Yorke’s Peninsula. Pecten spondyloides, spec. nov. Shell equivalve, equilateral, inflated, about as long as broad, covered with numerous compressed spiniferous ribs; the spines are of the nature of compressed imbricating squame. There are usually from seven to nine primary ribs, two or three secondaries and a variable number of tertiaries between each pair of primary ribs, all similarly ornamented, the dimensions of the spines varying with the size of the ribs. Front margin of valves curved or slightly crenulated, not at all angular. Ears equal, of moderate size, truncated ; there is no byssal sinus. 45 Dimensions of a largish specimen, length and _ breadth, three and a-half inches; a large spine of the same, one inch. Locality and Horizon—Upper Alding series at Adelaide, Hallett’s Cove, and Aldinga. , This very handsome shell has much the appearance of a Spondylus, to which genus I had referred it until I succeeded in obtaining a specimen with a perfect umbonal region. The test in the umbonal region is very thin, and often destroyed, otherwise it is fairly thick; and as the matrix is very hard, it is impossible to work out the hinge. Cassis textilis, spec. nov. Shell ovate, ventricose, whorls seven, varices at successive intervals of about two-thirds of a whorl. Surface ornamented with numerous longitudinal threads crossed by folds of growth. Last whorl bearing on the superior angle a row of (9-10) nodular tubercles, and on the medial portions two others equi- distantly placed, the tubercles of which are smaller, much more so are those of the third row. Spire short conic. Columellar callus dentate; outer lip thickened, margin plain; columella very tortuous beneath the callus, canal recurved. Dimensions.—Total length, 45; breadth, 32; thickness, 29 ; length of aperture, 31 millimetres. This fossil bears much resemblance to C. jfimbriatus of South Australian waters, but differs from it in being more ventricose with a much shorter aperture, in the spiral ornamentation, and im possessing three rows of tubercles. Locality and Horizon—The type is from the gastropod-bed beneath the oyster banks of the Upper Murravian, near Morgan, on the River Murray. Casts of much larger size, which may reasonably be referred to C. textilis, occur in the Upper Aldinga series at Aldinga, Adelaide, and the Bunda cliffs of the Great Australian Bight; also in the craggy lime- stones at Mannum, on the River Murray. Turritella Aldinge, spec. nov. Shell acutely pyramidal, a little more than three times as long as broad, with three prominent ribs. Whorls about 20 in a length of 35 millimetres, subangular or flattish, separated by amoderately-impressed suture. Base flattened, ornamented with many spiral, unequal-sized threads, which are crossed by very fine radial strie. Aperture subquadrate, margins united by a thick callus, which extends over much of the base; outer lip deeply and broadly sinuated. The ornament on the whorls varies much in different speci- mens as well as in different parts of the same shell. The medium prominent rib is generally granulose ; the pos- terior rib is bisulcated, or not infrequently replaced by two 46 or three strong threads ; the interspaces between the ribs and adjacent to the sutures are ornamented with a few spiral threads crossed by curved lines of growth. On the anterior whorls of large examples there are about eight unequal-sized spiral ribs—the posterior rib on the earlier whorls has developed into three prominent ribs, and one or more of the intermediate threads have become conspicuous, whilst the . granulations of the medium rib have disappeared. The posterior six whorls or so have occasionally all the ribs granular, thus resembling 7. Sturtii, Tenison Woods, of the Tasmanian Miocene; but at this early stage 7. Aldinge does not possess intermediate ribs as described for that shell. I am afraid that Z. Sturtii has been established on too immature specimens ever to allow of satisfactory identification. Dimensions.—Length, 36; breadth, 10°5 millemetres. Locality and Horizon.—Argillaceous limestone and associated clays at Blanche Point, Aldinga, and Kent Town bore; also in the “ Turritella limestone” about Ardrossan. : Fissurellidea malleata, spec. nov. The Rev. Tenison Woods referred a Table Cape fossil to the recent Fissurella concatenata, and I had given the same name to examples collected by me from the R. Murray Cliffs and at Muddy Creek; but a more critical comparison shows that I have been in error. The recent and fossil forms agree in shape and in the general character of the sculpture; but in the fossil the pits are of smaller dimensions and more numerous; moreover the foramen is relatively larger and the median contraction is either absent or only feebly shown in the larger specimens. The fossil species is referred to Pissurellidea because of its affinity with the living South Australian Fissurella concatenata, Crosse, Journal de Conch., 1864, which must be transferred to that genus, because the mantle envelopes the shell, as I have ascertained by repeated observation on the living animal. Dimensions of largest specimen.—Major and minor diameters, 30°0 and 20°0; height, 7°5 millimetres. Locality and Horizon.—Gastropod bed, River Murray: Cliffs, near Morgan, and its equivalent at Muddy Creek in Victoria ; Kent Town bore, Adelaide; probably also Table Cape, Tas- mania. 47 THE LAND AND FRESHWATER MOLLUSCS OF TROPICAL SOUTH AUSTRALIA. By Professor Ratrn Tare, Assoc. Lin. Soc., F.G.S., &e. [Read July 5, 1882.] The land snails of Tropical South Australia are confined to the basin of the northern rivers—to that well-marked natural region which extends from the seaboard to the escarpment of the “ Desert Sandstone” plateau, inasmuch as no species has up to the present time been recorded from the extensive tract of country lying north of the MacDonnell Ranges, on the verge of the tropics, to within about one hundred miles of the coast of Arnheim Land. That the Desert Sandstone, presumably of Miocene age, extended to the seaboard will be readily conceded by those who have studied the physiographic features of the northern part of Arnheim Land; and therefore, the region of the northern rivers, occupied by metamorphic rocks, is as a land- surface of recent date. The area of the “ basin of the northern rivers’ is rapidly enlarging by the removal of the ‘desert sandstone,” by issue of water at its junction with the schistose rocks, thus originating the numerous affluents of the several large rivers of this well-watered portion of North Australia. The very large number of immigrant plant species and genera in this region points, likewise, to a more modern origin of its flora as compared with that of the plateau of the Desert Sand- stone. We need not, then, wonder at the paucity of its land snails, whose means of dispersal are so limited, or even at the absence of those genera so characteristic of Tropical Polynesia and N.E. Australia. The climatic phenomena are, moreover, un- favourable to the establishment of species requiring shade and humidity ; and the absence of land snails, over the area of the “desert sandstone” and the country to the south with which it is physically and geographically connected, must be attributed to aridity of soil and want of shelter in the form of trees or rocks. Nevertheless, it is not improbable that some species will be discovered in those insular-like masses of old rocks constituting the Ashburton, Forster’s, and other Ranges. 48 The number of species of land mollusea now known from the region of the northern rivers is eight, distributed generic- ally as follows :—Heliz six, Bulimus one, and Stenogyra one. Six of these are either specificaliy identical or closely allied to extra-limital species. The Helices are considered peculiar to the country, but with the exception of two of them no critical comparisons seem to have been instituted. H. pomum, the most widely diffused, is very closely related to H. pachystyla of N.E. Queensland; and AH. Meadei and H. Lyndii are also near allies. H. prunum has an analogue in H. argillacea of Timor, but on the other hand, it is questionably distinct from H. Ooxeni from Whitsunday Island, off Port Denison, Queens- land; and H. Bennetti from Ipswich, Queensland, is another critical species of the same group The facts are few, but almost warrant the inference that the Northern Territory Helices are forms of Queensland species modified in the course of their migration. The other land pulmonates are Bulimus Beddomet, previously known from Torres Straits, and Stenogyra Tuckert, of Polynesian, if not of American origin, and probably an alien. The freshwater shells are fairly well represented specifically, and include a greater number of endemic species than might have been expected. Almost every perennial water-course or lagoon has its molluscan denizens. But just as there are two well-marked geographical regions in tropical South Australia, so do we find a corresponding difference in the freshwater shells of the two regions. The central portion of the continent yields Unio Stuartit, Paludina Waterhousei, and P. Kingit. The basin of the Roper, Unio Angasi; that of the Ade- laide, several Limnea, Bulinus, Planorbis, Paludina, Unio, Corbicula, and one species of each of Physopsis, Ancylus, and Neritina; that of the Lower Victoria River, Melanie, a Paludina, «1 Bulinus, a Bithinia, a Corbicula, and a Mycetopus, nearly all specifically peculiar. Several of the species have a wide range throughout the eastern half of the continent, and, with two exceptions, the genera are of world-wide distribution. Mycetopus has its head quarters in tropical America, but a species is known from Siam. Physopsis includes another species belonging to South Africa. The Australian representatives of these genera are confined within narrow limits. MZycetopus in one species is only known from the lower Victoria River, and Physopsis from the basin of the Adelaide River and Coburg Peninsula. 49 Helix pomum, Pfeiffer. Reference —Cox, Monograph Australian Land Shells, p. 40, t. 4, f..7, 1868. Synonym.—H. pseudo-Meadei, Brazier in Harcus’s S. Aust. Handbook (name only). This species is peculiar to Arnheim Land, though closely allied to H. pachystyla, Pfr., which ranges along the whole of the north-east coast of Australia. It was first obtained by MacGillivray, at Port Essington, and has since been collected in the Port Darwin district. I found it widely, but sparsely distributed over the country from Palmerston southwards to Pine Creek; it was only in the jungles near the coast that it seemed to be at all plentiful. H. pseudo-Meadei was proposed for individuals of H. pomum, which exhibit a stippled ornament on the columella and callus development overspreading the body-wall of the aperture of the shell. As this character belongs to adult shells and there are no co-ordinate peculiarities, the specific name should be suppressed ; it is, moreover, inaptly chosen. Helix Meadei, Brazier. Ref—Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 662, 1870. Syn.—H. Edwardsi, Cor, Mon., p. 109, t. 19, f. 3 (mon Bland). Alabitat.—Banks of the Liverpool River (Cadell Ex- pedition). Helix Lyndii, Angas. ftef—Proc. Zool. Soc., 1872, p. 610, t. 42, f. 1. Hab.—Port Essington. Helix prunum, Ferussac. Ref— Cox, Mon. Aust. Land Shells, p. 48, t. 4, £. 6. Hab —This species affects the sea coast, and has been col- lected at Port Essington on the bark of Melaleuca by Mac- Gillivray, and at Palmerston by Bednall. I found many examples around Palmerston creeping about in the early morning after rains, but inland it occurred to me in single specimens at Rum Jungle and at the Stapleton River, 26 and 42 miles respectively from Southport. Remarks.—The periostracum of the young shell is raised into short bristles, and traces of them may be seen in some indi- viduals just prior to attaining their full size. Except in the larger size and deciduous bristles, I fail to note any other difference between this species and H. Coxeni, from Queens- land. Helix Creedii, Coz. Ref—Mon. Aust. Land Shells, p. 110, t. 19, f. 2. Hab.—Cadell’s Straits (Cadell Exped., 1867). 50 Helix Wresselensis, Coz. Ref—Op. cit., p. 110, t. 19, £. 4. Hab.—Wessel Islands (Cadell Exped.). Heli« Gaertneriana, Pfr., recorded in Cox’s Monograph as from Port Essington, belongs to the Aru Islands, and is not Australian (teste Brazier). Bulimus Beddomei, Brazier. Ref—Proc. Linnean Soc., N.S.W., vol. iv., p. 895, 1880. Hab.—On trees, under the loose bark, Fanny Bay, Port Darwin (Mr. E. Spalding). Also known from Mt. Ernest Id., Torres Straits (Beddome). B. Beddomei is doubtfully distinct from B. DMacleayi of the same author, which extends to Yule Id., New Guinea. Stenogyra Tuckeri, Pfr., sp. Ref.—Bulimus Tuckeri, Pfr. ; Cox, Mon. Aust. Land Shells, Deo. te, eo. x Generally distributed throughout Queensland ind its islands from Brisbane to Cape York. ound generally in the isles of the S.W. Pacific, and has been introduced to Sydney with plants from Aneiteum.”—MacGillivray, in Cox, op. cit., p- 70. Srey —At the bases of papaya trees, Palmerston (Inspector Foelsche). I refer this species to the tropical American genus Stenogyra, of Shuttleworth, and on comparison with specimens find it not readily separable from S. mimosarum, D’Orb (Bulimus). GENUS LIMN®A. The following species and Z. Lessoni, Deshayes, are usually referred to the genus Amphipeplea, but without knowledge of the contained animals. With respect to the generic position of the last-named species, Mr. E. A. Smith, in Pr oc. Lin. Soe., London, 1882, p. 272, writes:—‘ It is very doubtful whether this species is a true Amphipeplea, upon which subject Martens (Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist., 1866, vol. xvii, p. 212) offers some very interesting remarks.’ J am not able to consult the refer- ence alluded to in the for egoing quotation, but having examined the animal of Amphipeplea Melbour nensis, Pfr., now included among the synonyms of LZ. Lessont, I can confidently assert that it is a Limnea, and not an ‘Amphipeplea ; so also is a species inhabiting the Lower Murray River, which is with diffi- culty separable from the tropical ZL. vinosa. From analogy of shell-form, it may therefore be inferred that the Northern Territory species, which have a very close agreement one with 51 another, belong to Limnea rather than to Amphipeplea. Per- sonal examination of six species inhabiting the southern part of Australia has elicited the fact that one only, A. papyracea, mihi, has the mantle peculiarities of Amphipeplea (see Trans. of this Soc., vol. iv., p. 140, and Proc. Lin. Soe., N.S.W., vol. Werpeode) Limnea Phillipsi, A. Adams and Angas. Ref—Proc. Zool. Soc., 1863, p. 416; Reeve, Icon. Con., t. 6, f. 41, 1872. Hab.—Arnheim Land (Stuart’s Expedition). Limnea vinosa, Adams and Angas. Ref'—Proc. Zool. Soc., 1863, p. 415; Reeve, op. cit., t. 6, £. 37- Hab.—Mary River, Arnheim Land (Stuart’s Exped.). Limnea Angasi, Sowerby. Ref—Reeve’s Icon. Conch., t. 2, £. 11, 1872. Hab.—Port Darwin. GENUs BUuULINUSs. The sinistral spiral pond-snails of Australia have been placed (incorrectly so, 1 believe) in the genus Physa. The thick periostracum of most of them, which in many is pro- longed into cilia or bristles, is incompatible with a largeiy- reflexed mantle. I have not examined all the Australian so-called Phys@, but in no instance have I found those distinc- tions which characterise Physa as separable from Bulinus. The mantle margin is neither expanded nor digitate; in A. tenuistriata, however, it has three small serratures on the columella side. Of the Northern Territory species, I have seen alive only B. concinnus and B. Reevei, which present the characters proper to Bulinus. According to Binney, ‘ Fresh- water Shells of N. America, 1865,’’ Adanson’s name, Bulinus, has priority over Aplexa, Fleming, and is accompanied by a careful description and excellent figure. Bulinus Hainesii, Tryon. Ref—American Journ. Conch., vol. ii, t. 2, f. 9, p. 9, 1866 (isidora). Syn.—Physa latilabiata, Sowerby, Reeve’s Icon. Conch., t. 5, £533(:1873. Hab.—Victoria River. Bulinus ferrugineus, Adams and Angas. hef—Pro. Zool. Soc., p. 416, 1863; Reeve, Icon. Conch., t. 4, f. 25 (Physa). Hab.—Mary River, Arnheim Land (Stuart Exped.). 52 Bulinus concinnus, Adams and Angas. Ref—Pro. Zool. Soc., p. 417, 1863 (Physa) ; Reeve, Icon. Conch., t. 5, £.35; Smith, Pro. Lin. Soc., vol. 16, p. 281, t. 6, f. 18-14, 1882. Hab.—Arnheim Land (Stuart Exped.), Pond at ‘ The Gums,” twelve miles south from Bridge Creek, Arnheim Land. (R.T.) Bulinus olivaceus, Adams and Angas. hef—Pro. Zool. Soc., p. 416, 1863 (Physa) ; Reeve, Icon. Conch., t. 5, £. 34; Smith, loc. cit., p. 281, t.6,f.15. , Hab.—Arnheim Land (Stuart Exped.). Bulinus exaratus, 7. A. Smith. Ref—Loce. cit., p. 292, t. 6, £. 28, 1882 (Physa). Hab.—Port Essington. Bulinus badius, Adams and Angas. Ref—Pro. Zool. Soc., p. 416, 1863 (Physa) ; Reeve, Icon. Month, tol, tke Hab.—Mary River, Arnheim Land (Stuart Exped.). Bulinus proteus, Sowerby. Ref—Reeve’s Icon. Conch., t. 6, fig. 43 (Physa). Hab—Adelaide River (Brit. Mus.). Bulinus Bonus Henricus, Adams and Angas. Ref—Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 417, 1863 (Physa) ; Reeve, Icon. Conch., t. 5, £. 388; H. A. Smith, loc. cit., t. 6, f. 29, p. 2938. Hab.—Arnheim Land (Stuart Exped.). Bulinus Cumingi, H. Adams. Ref—Proc. Zool. Soc., p. 144, 1861 (Ameria) ; Reeve, Icon. Conch., t. 6, £. 44 (Physa). Hab.—Port Essington. Bulinus Reevei, Adams and Angas. Ref—Proc. Zool. Soc., 1863, p. 417 (Ameria); Reeve, Icon. Conch., t. 6, £. 40 (Physa.) Hab.—Arnheim Land (Stuart Exped.). Ponds by the River Adelaide, and between Howley and Yam Creeks (R.T.). Also in Yam Creek by Glencoe (J. B. Robinson, goll. Brazier and Bednall). Physopsis Jukesii, H. Adams. Ref-—Proc. Zool. Soc., 1861, p. 144; Reeve, Icon. Conch., t. 9, ok ft Hab.—Port Essington (Jukes, Fly Exped.). Yam Creek by ‘Glencoe (J. B. Robinson, coll. Brazier and Bednall). 53 Planorbis Essingtonensis, EH. A. Smith. Ref—Proc. Lin. Soc., vol. xv., p. 294, t. 6, figs. 33-35. Habitat.— Freshwater lagoons, Point Smith, near Port Essington (Brit. Mus.) ; on submerged plants, River Adelaide R.T.). ( ) Planorbis meniscoides, spec. nov. Shell shining, pellucid, yellow-horn colour, with a sunken spire, and flattened base; umbilicus deep and narrow. Last whorl obliquely convex above the angulated periphery. Whorls four, convex, separated by a deep suture. Surface marked by strong sigmoidal strize and folds of growth coinci- dent with the outline of the margin of the aperture, which is very oblique. This species resembles Segmentina Victoria, Smith, Proce. Lin. Soc., 1882, p. 296, pl. 7, figs. 11-13, from which it differs by its smaller umbilicus, flatter base, and less convexity of the upper surface. Greatest diameter, 4°5 millim.; smallest diameter, 4, nearly ; height, 1°5. Hab.—Buftalo Swamp, Port Darwin (coll. Mr. Brazier). Ancylus australicus, Tate. Ref.—Trans. Roy. Soc. 8. Aust., vol. iii., p. 102, t. 4, £. 4, 1880; id. Smith, P.L.S., t. 7, figs. 836-37, 1882. Hab:—River Adelaide; a single specimen, but lost before comparison with type examples (R.T.). The two examples of an Ancylus in the British Museum from Comet Creek, Queensland (Leichardt Exped., 1844) seem to be correctly referred to this species. Melania australis, Lea. Ref—Proc. Zool. Soc., 1850, p. 185; Reeve, Icon. Con., t. 12, f. 82. . Hab.—River Victoria (N.- Aust. Exped., 1855); Port Essington (Brit. Mus.). Melania carbonata, Reeve. Ref'—TIcon. Con., fig. 88, 1859. Hab.— Port Essington (Brit. Mus.). Melania venustula, Brot. Refi—Con. Cab. ed. 2, p. 331, t. 34, fig. 5, 1874; Smeth, Proc. Inn. Soc., 1882, t. 5, figs. 9-10, p. 260. Hab.—River Victoria (N. Aust. Exped.). Melania onca, A. Adams and Angas, Ref—Proc. Zool. Soc., 1863, p. 415; id, Brot, op. cit., p. 330, t. 34, £. 7. Hab—Mary River, Arnheim Land (Stuart Exped.) ; River Adelaide (R. T.). 54 Melania Elseyi, EH. A. Smith. Ref—Proc. Linnean Soc., 1882, vol. xvi., p. 261, t. 5, £. 12. Hab.—Australia, probably Victoria R. (N. Aust. Exped.). Melania Balonnensis, Conrad. Ref —American Jour. Conch., vol. ii, p. 80, t. 1, £.10; Smith, op. cit., t. 5, £. 1-3, p. 257. Hab.—Australia, probably Victoria River (J. R. Elsey). Paludina Essingtonensis, Shuttleworth. Ref.—Frauenfeld, Zool-botan. Gess., Wien, 1862, p. 1,169. Syn.—Vivipara supratasciata, Tyron, Am. Jour. Conch., t. 11, f.71, 1863. Hab.— Port Essington (MacGillivray); Victoria R. CN. Aust. — Exped.). Paludina australis, Reeve. Ref.—LIcon. Con., t. 11, £. 71, 1863. Sya.—P. ampullaroides, Hanley in Reeve, Icon. Con., £. 30; P, affinis, Martens, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., 1865. | Hab.—Port Essington (Capt. Wickham); Victoria R. (N. Aust. Exped.) ; Depot Creek, ten miles south from R. Adelaide; and lagoons by The Gums, twelve miles south from Bridge Creek, Arnheim Land (R.T.); Yam Creek at Glencoe (Mr. J. B. Robinson, coll. Mr. Bednall). Paludina tricincta, H. A. Smith. Ref —Proc. Linn. Soc., 1882, vol. xvi., p. 265, t.7,, £. 16 (Paludina). Hab.—North Australia [probably Victoria R.] (J. R. Elsey, N. Aust. Exped.). Paludina dimidiata, H. A. Smith. Ref:— Loe. cit., t. 7, £. 17 (Vivipara). Hab.—Victoria River (N. Aust. Exped.). Paludina Waterhousei, A. Adams and Angas. Ref.—Proc. Zool. Soc., 1863, p. 414; Smith, Proc. Lin. Soc., 1882, t. 7. f. 14 (Vivipara). Hab.—Neweastle Waters (Stuart Exped.). Paludina Kingii, Adams and Angas. Refi—Proec. Zool. Soc., 1863, p. 415; Smith, P.LS., 1882, t. 7, f. 15 (Vivipara). Hab.—King’s Ponds (Stuart Exped.). Bithinia Smithii, Tate. Syn.—B. australis, Smith, Proc. Lin. Soc., 1882, p. 267, t. 7, f.18; non, Zate and Brazier, Proc. Lin. Soc., N.S.W., 1881, p. 562. Hab.—Victoria River (N. Aust. Exped.). 55 The genus Giabbia was founded on an erroneous interpreta- tion of the characters of a freshwater shell from New South Wales. “Shell like Amnicola; operculum, paucispiral and caleareous.” “The figure of the unique species G. australis, Tryon, Am. Journ. Conch., 1865, p. 220, t. 22, £.7, reminds us of Bithinia rather than any other genus, for in it the operculum is represented as decidedly concentric, although said to be paucispiral in the description” (Stimpson, on the Hydrobiine, . 56). : . Mr. Brazier described a shell from New South Wales as Bithinia hyalina. An examination of typical specimens proves the correctness of the generic position assigned, but a comparison with the figure of Gabbia australis leaves no doubt as to the specific identity of the two. The shell has, therefore, been catalogued ‘by Messrs. Tate and Brazier as Bithinia australis, Tryon, sp.; consequently a new name must be given to the B. australis of Mr. Smith, and I have much pleasure in proposing that of Smthz, after its original describer. Neritina crepidularia, Lamarck. Ref—Reeve, Icon. Con., t. 8, £. 38. Hab.—Port Essington (Capt. Wickham and J. B. Jukes). Corbicula ovalina, Deshayes. Ref:—Proc. Zool. Soc., 1854, p. 343 ; Smith, Proc. Lin. Soc., 1882, p. 299, t. 7, figs. 24-25. Hab.—Port Essington. Adelaide River (R.T.), a doubtful identification. Corbicula Deshayesii, H#. B. Smith. Ref-—Op. cit., p. 303, t. 7, figs. 28-29. Hab.—Victoria River and Port Essington. Unia Stuartii, Adams and Angas. Ref—Proc. Zool. Soc., 1863, p. 417 (Alasmodon) ; Reeve, Icon. Con., t. 54, £. 279 (Anodon). Hab.—Newecastle Waters (Stuart Exped.) ; also in extra- tropical Central Australia. Remarks—I do not know why this shell was placed under Alasmodon. In all stages of growth all the teeth are developed, all are laminar, elongated, and slightly crenulated on the margin ; anterior 2.1, posterior 1.2. A large example from Newcastle Waters has the following dimensions :—Length, 107 ; breadth, 52; thickness, 30; anterior side, 28; posterior side, 79 millimetres. 56 Unio Bednalli, spec. nov. Transversely elongate-oblong, about twice as long as broad ; thin, sub-compressed. Epidermis thick, dark brown, radially striated, and concentrically striated between the folds of growth, wrinkled in the flattish postero-dorsal region. Umbones, at about the anterior third, moderately inflated; anterior margin rounded, ventral nearly straight, posterior obliquely truncate. Teeth as in U. Stwartii. Interior of valves iridescent bluish, radiately striated. Length,79; breadth, 40; thickness, 30; anterior side, 23 ; posterior, 56 millimetres. Hab—River Adelaide, at the ford (R.T.); Yam Creek, at Glencoe (Mr. J. B. Robinson, coll. Mr. Bednall). Remarks.—U. Bednalli is related to U. Stuartiz, from which it differs in being more tumid, less inequilateral, and in its truncated, not acuminate, posterior margin. The epidermis of young shells of U. Stuartii is of a pale brown colour, whilst that of U. Bednalli is always blackish-brown. I have much pleasure in naming this form after Mr. W. T. Bednall, to whom science is indebted for bringing to notice many interesting marine species from the Northern Territory and other parts of Australia. Unio Angasi, Reeve. Ref:—Icon. Conch., t. 55, £. 282, 1867. Hab.—Strangway’s River, tributary of the Roper (Stuart Exped.). Unio (aff.) Angasi. Hab,—Ponds by the River Adelaide at the ford and tribu- taries of the River McKinlay (B.T.). This form differs from Angasi in being more depressed and more arched behind the umbones; the interior is bluish iridescent. Leichardt recorded Unios from the South Alligator River, “smaller than those in the Roper;” these may belong to the same species inhabiting the McKinlay River. Mycetopus rugatus, Sowerby. Ref-—Reeve’s Icon. Conch., t.17,f. 7; E. A. Smith in “Voyage Erebus,” t. 4, f. 1. Hab.—Victoria River (Capt. Wickham). en PLATE = ri € Sa nay Creek “il! Ml A oy oa te \ie Lo ay \ ~ a Nig fink st Yu xe BART TI “oa Hana Lee I 46 3 St . Me ench co feet. YQ * S SnSS RAS SSS SEES SES a .. = = ES MOSSES WEST NYY \\ = aS WI REG EAS SIA ZEN \\ A = ~ SEN SS : S SSA S SS WY \ = ———- ORNS SS Q|_ER__OANRERS SS SAMKMjRKNMKNCLLL* \\ nies aR Qa SS RAAT VR GAASSSEEEE BA Gas“ ase SSS Lj EN \\ \ =A S SX SES SAS SS Yess SSS: NS SES 3 SS Z$\\ ‘ SS ~R SRA Zi \ \ Wwe) = ™ WS 8 Ss SS - \ \\ A \\a! WS H ovizonral Scetion on linc A-RB from Gawler G Nandy Creck (Grievances! 4A miles), g a Hee ~ Z ho J gf NS wa LE N Uj i WY a y d A a Vy lon) Yi Why PS \ 5 if fy aN rd NA &G 14 \ j 4) J / Yj tf 4 4 Yp | “bacolus heads [\\! if’ WY, é / Uy ti) Ii Balt, Ay, Y/ fg - ay : pein ‘2 Uy / tie 1 1S ae Vig, y [ wael coonerey WY GD Sy é tu a) Yj [= |) 769 Tan / Vs WY 1 fi ‘i Ly, % barb pinoy) \ , y 4 Ging x 4 3280 § Ai 32719 s Y a A iz) > Toad § 4° 5 ALLUVIUN ORT PIIOCENE CLA ip BEATE 2s . ; QUARTZITE 4 MARBLE BAVDS fe rae 5 i oa ? ep sa eae : eS Se Tee ne ee THE GEOLOGY OF THE NEIGHBOURHOOD OF . GAWLER. By Gavin Scovnar, Corr. Memb. (Read August 1, 1882.] [Plates IT.] The geological features of the site of the town of Gawler are somewhat diversified and interesting, for no less than four different formations are represented, viz., the fundamental, or “ Pre-Silurian Rocks,” as displayed on the north bank of the South Para and south bank of the North Para Rivers respec- tively ; Marine Miocenes well exposed in Thorup’s Ravine to the east of High-street ; Drift, or Pliocene deposits, through- out the Church Hill and old Cemetery area, extending east as far as Blanche-street ; Quaternary, in the channels and adjacent to the Para Rivers. PRE-S1inuRIAN Rocks. The surface configuration of the Pre-Silurian country, which is situated to the east of Gawler Town, is undulating and ridgy on the south-eastern section, whilst on the north-eastern section it is that of isolated conical hills, which for the most part are crowned with reconstructed Miocene detritus, but in a few instances the capping is composed of the original deposit. Clay Slate—This rock comprises quite 98 per cent. of the area occupied by the fundamental rocks, and may be studied where outcropping from beneath the Miocenes on the north bank of the South Para (Allotment 327, Hundred Nuriootpa), and on the north side of the town, on the south-east bank of the North Para and bed of Whitlaw Gully, leading through Section 7 of the same hundred. From these points the beds can be traced in ascending order on either side of the Gawler Marine Miocene escarpment, especially on the north bank of the South Para may the various intercalations of the beds be studied with advantage ; and in Section 3034, Hundred of Barossa (Cockatoo Creek) a fine section of the slate is exposed in a vertical position. There can be no doubt that in this place we have revealed to us a synclinal axis, which is trace- able in a northly direction from the south bank of the South E 58 Para—Section 1026, Hundred of Para Wirra, to Section 3064, Hundred of Barossa, a distance of four and a half miles. Though clay-slate is frequently seen at the surface over the south-western portion of Barossa, yet it is only from a few of the outcrops that accurate bearings are obtainable. In Allot- ment 330, dip 40°, and easterly strike 15° to west of mag. north. The clay-slate here has been used for building pur- poses, is of the usual argillaceous character, and of medium hardness. In the bed of Spring Gully—Section 5, Hundred of Barossa—a fairly-readable section of the beds is exposed. The dip is 35°, and easterly strike 10° east of north. In Section 3034 the clay-slate is exposed in a vertical position. On the north-western side, in Section 7, Hundred of Nuriootpa, dip 45° easterly, strata somewhat taleose, and much crumpled transversely to the line of strike; also associated with siliceous infiltrations. Section 3044 (Whitlaw Gully), dip 30° easterly, beds presenting the ordinary appearance. Quartzites—In Barossa, as well as in Munno Para, as shown in my geological sketch of that Hundred (Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, vol. 11., page 106), do the more massive intercalations of quartzite determine to a large extent the surface configuration of the area in which they occur. The gentle and undulating surface of Western Barossa con- trasts with the rugged grandeur constituting the almost inac- cessible slopes and peaks of north-western Munno Para. Of the many quartzite bands so extensively developed in the latter area only one or two at the most extend into Western Barossa, and that only for a distance of three-quarters of a mile. But the quartzite bands that do occur in Western Barossa are the northern extension of the quartzites of Western Para Wirra that are shown in the horizontal section accompanying the “Geology of Munno Para” (Transactions Royal Society of South Australia, vol. ii1., plate 6, figure 2.) Though probably diminishing slightly in thickness as they extend through Barossa, yet their stratigraphical characteris- tics, especially those of the lower or western band, become very interesting. On the south bank of the South Para River, in Section 1702, Hundred of Para Wirra, the first tangible sign of disturbance or folding of the strata is displayed; and on the northern side of the gorge, about 200 feet above the bed of the stream, on the western boundary of Section 110, Hundred of Barossa, the practised eye can discover that the strata have been subjected to a powerful pressure acting transversely to the strike. In Section 1702, Hundred of Para Wirra, the synclinal and anti- clinal folding of the strata, as shown in the cross section 59 accompanying this paper, becomes first observable, and it is only at intervening places going north to this point that the axis of the syncline is preserved—as only tlhe most depressed parts along the axis of the syncline have escaped denudation. The localities where these phenomena are shown most visibly | are laid down on the map. On the south side, but especially on the northern side of - Cockatoo Creek, in Sections 1030 and 3034, a conspicuous section of the synclinal folding is displayed. From the some- what indistinct manner the quartzites are exposed on the south side of the creek, it is difficult to describe their exact relative position. Here the synclinal axis seems to be confined within the quartzites, and so severely have the upper beds of the band been acted upon by pressure whilst undergoing the process of folding that a casual observance of the beds in that particular place might readily be set down as a re-deposition of the original material. On the northern side of the creek the section is less obscure, and a pretty correct analysis of the position of the beds has been ascertained. Whilst in company with Professor Tate, on the eastern side of the band, in Section 1030, we found the beds well defined, and dipping 80° westerly. Very nearly on the same line of strike, and about five chains north from this point, in Section 3034, we found the dip to be 70° westerly. The strike at both places is 10° west of mag. north. Though no exposure of the quartzites on the western side of the band is here displayed, it is evident from the position the clay-slate assumes a few chains to the west, viz., dipping easterly, that the axis of the syncline, if not actually occurring within the quartzites, must be in close proximity on the western side of the band. As further proof of the uninterrupted occurrence of this synclinal fold extending for miles along the strike of the beds, the high westerly inclination of the quartzites is well ex- hibited in two separate quarries in Sections 3035 and 3036. In the southern quarry, in Section 3035, dip 80° west, strike mag. north, and the northern quarry, situated on the southern side of Section 3036, dip 75° west, and the strike also mag. north. Here it is also evident the synclinal axis must either be within the quartzite beds or in very close proximity west of them, for, as at Cockatoo Creek, the westerly dipping side of the fold, by artificial means, is also well exposed. The easterly dipping section, though it cannot be far distant, is obscured by the overlaying detritus. From this point quartzite is but faintly seen on the higher ground, and it is not until reaching Section 3064 that it again boldly comes to view. Here a quarry (Springbett’s) has beep opened on it on the southern slope of the east and west 60 ridge. The stratigraphical relation of the beds are much easier determined here than in Sections 3034, 3035, or in 8086, and, as shown in my horizontal section, the eastern limb of the syncline of the quartzite band dips 35° westerly, and the strike is 10° west of mag. north. The quartzite folding round the superim- posed clay-slate appears on the western side of the reserve, in Section 722. As represented by horizontal section, it will be seen that the anticlinal axis of the. band and a considerable portion of the subterimposed clay-slate have been carried away by subsequent denudation, and that the actual dip side of the quartzite band constitutes an integral part of the formation about 20 chains to the east. The stone in this quarry, and also in those situated in Sections 3036, 3035, and 3034, is better adapted for road than architectural purposes. It is noteworthy that for a distance of over four miles we have indubitable evidence of the occurrence of foldings nearly parallel with the strike of the beds; this by some might be re- carded as being only on a small scale, but its presence suggests the probable existence of others of greater magnitude hidden from our observation; therefore a difficulty arises in cor- rectly estimating the actual thickness of partially-concealed strata. Eastern Quartzite Band.—The eastern quartzite band, as it appears on the south bank of the South Para River, in Section 3281, north-western Para Wirra, makes the prominent land- mark locally known as the Boar’s Snout. This band, which is here of vast thickness, constitutes the high ground to the west of the deserted auriferous Miocene cement workings of Victoria Hill, passes through mineral Section 426, where it has been invaded transversely by denusive agency to such an extent as to admit of the detritus of the auriferous cements on the eastern side being carried some considerable distance to the west. Passing immediately to the east of ‘‘Malcolm’s Barossa”’ Mine, it constitutes the high ground between that mine and the alluvial diggings of Spike Gully; it intersects Cockatoo Creek in Section 782, from thence through Sections 3021, 3022, and 721. In Section 726, where also a quarry of road metal is situated, the dip of the band is 68° easterly, strike 5° west of mag. north, thickness estimated from 60 to 80 feet. It is here of medium hardness, and is composed of fine grains of quartz held together by felspathic paste, which being subject to decay renders the stone somewhat too friable for road purposes. FUNDAMENTAL LIMESTONE, OR MARBLE. The susceptibility of this stone to uniformity of decay and the frequent occurrence of Miocene debris spread over its sur- face throughout the area of Western Barossa make it difficult 61 to trace its outcrops for any appreciable distance, There is no doubt, however, that the bands occurring in Sections 3347 and 1032, Hundred of Munno Para, extend north into Sections 1728 and 3095, Hundred of Barossa, while the lne of outcrop of the western Para Wirra band can be easily followed in Para Wirra for a distance of nearly three miles, is on entering Barossa only well exposed on the road leading between Sections 107 and 106, becoming entirely obscure in Section 105. Quartz VEINS. The primary object of the geologist is simply to characterise the stratigraphical relation of the beds upon which he essays to treat. But the district of Barossa bemg one, in some measure at least, associated with mining enterprise, and the subject of discussion, viz., “quartz veins,’ being fraught with much interest to the public—especially to those engaged in a mining venture—as to the percentage of their metalliferous contents, for this reason it 1s with considerable diffidence to suit the various feelings I approach this part of my subject. Also, 1 trust, the scientist in this particular walk will kindly correct any inadvertency into which the following remarks may tend to lead. On the north bank of the South Para River, in allotment 337, there occurs a quartz vein of considerable thickness in connection with numerous leaders, or rather subsequent in- filtrations, of quartz throughout the adjoining clay-slate; the dip and strike of the vein itself is apparently in conformity with the lay of the surrounding beds. A vein of quartz in Section 479, Hundred of Barossa, 1s of considerable thickness, but is barren of metalliferous properties. Another which ex- tends south into Munno Para is exposed in uniformity with the dip and strike of the slate rocks in the precipitous bank of the river in Section 3095. The apparent strike of this vein leads me to conclude it to be the southern continuation of the vein exposed on the southern side of Spring Gully in Section 482. Here the vein-stuff is composed of barren massive white quartz, and over twenty feet in thickness, which on the northern side of the ravine is entirely hid from view by the overlying Miocene beds. On the south side of the gully, in the same section, to the west of this reef a heterogenous interlamination of slate and quartz peeps out, and is traceable for a considerable dis- tance conformable with the general strike of the beds. This phenomenon, has, however, evidently no direct connection with any well-defined system of quartz veins, but is merely one of those nest-and-string-like occurrences so frequently found displayed throughout the slate rocks of the neighbourhood. North-east of Gawler, in the bed and south bank of 62 Whitlaw Gully, Section 7, Hundred of Nuriootpa, a deserted drive, situated on the southern side of the gully, has been extended into a similar heterogenous mass, a distance of from 20 to 30 feet. This adit penetrates the strata at an angle of about 45° south-east to the line of strike. Though of little or no mineralogic value, it is, nevertheless, interesting to the geologist in so far as it exposes a rock section which otherwise would have been concealed. On the western side of the eastern quartzite band laid down on the map, and embraced in the sketch, a quartz vein, which has several quartz leaders, intersects Sections 424, 425, and 426, and is well known to extend into Section 834. Here the leaders, or quartz interlaminations, have been proved in the Malcolm’s Barossa Mine to contain copper and gold; but up to date neither of the metals has been found in payable quan- tities. I may here remark that none of the Barossa quartz veins has proved metalliferous in a high degree, and it-is a note- worthy fact that the quartzite band passing immediately to the east of this mine and extending north and south many miles throughoutnorthern Para Wirraand southern Barossa at least is the line of demarcation between the more highly metamorphosed rocks on the eastern side and the less altered rocks on the _ western side of the band. If accessive metamorphism be at all conducive to the concentration of metallic deposits, then, as metallic deposits are only sparingly distributed in the reefs on the eastern side of the band where metamorphic agency has been most potent, they will be still more sparingly distributed on the western side where metamorphism has evidently been much less active. MIOCENE. Superficial Area—The debris derived from this formation constitutes most of the soils and subsoils immediately to the east of Gawler and throughout the higher tracts in Concordia District, and in the same detached condition it stretches south- easterly into upper Cockatoo Creek. Also the gravelly gold- bearing cements of Yatta Creek, Victoria Hill, and neighbour- hood, and on towards Williamstown belong to the same geological epoch. Indubitable evidence still exists to show that this formation, in a fragmentary state, extends to a height of at least 1,000 feet above sea level, and that that portion of Barossa Hundred, comprising the Barossa goldfields, Cockatoo Creek, Lyndoch Valley, Concordia, and immediately to the east of Gawler, was at one time uninterruptedly overlain with Miocene strata. In the immediate neighbourhood of Gawler its vertical thickness must have been something very consider- 63 able, for the portion still remaining east of Murray-street— Thorup’s Ravine—still represents a thickness which cannot be far short of 80 feet. A section of the beds in this gully, and adjoining slope south of the horizontal sectional line, is as follows :— Strata unseen, occupying the southern slope between actual summit of the quarry, and where the cross sectional line traverses the strata. Additional depth a ao 16 feet Gravels ye a. i # iil) satay Gravels, sometimes conglomerates es Se Sea Micaceous sandstone... 5 ip? > BULLI OE Sandstone, fossiliferous... ie (x no) Sens Unseen immediately opposite the quarry, but lower portion shown elsewhere in bed of the ravine, much thinner bedded sandstone +f We whe Total from top of quarry to bed of ravine ... 54 “ From the escarpment at Gawler these Miocene beds extend uninterruptedly inland to the east for a distance of about three and three-quarter miles, and they are also exposed in many isolated patches throughout western Barossa, but do not, however, afford any good sections. As a rule, the beds are composed of fine sand and a gravel chiefly of quartz pebbles. The pebbles, though generally small, are present in various forms—from the rhomb, as it newly torn from the parent rock, to that of the highly waterworn and_ globular. The ferro-arenaceous and pebbly character of the beds, and the high slope of the surface of the old rocks on which they rest, indicate that the portion now remaining is merely the littoral deposit of the formation. Under such circumstances it is not to be wondered that the organic forms are few and ill pre- served. Sir Charles Lyell, in his ‘Elements of Geology,” sixth edition, page 445, where he treats of the “ Origin of New Red Sandstone and Rock-salt,” says :—“It is a general fact, and one not yet accounted for, that scarcely any fossil remains are preserved in stratified rocks in which this oxide of iron abounds; and where we find fossils in the New or Old Red Sandstone in England, it is in the grey and usually cal- careous beds that they occur.”’ This oxide of iron is the constituent the Gawler and Barossa beds abound in; but whether its presence has any bearing upon the non-fossiliferous condition of the Gawler and Upland Miocenes is a subject well worth further consideration. The sparsely fossiliferous beds at Gawler extend without a break to the east, and attain an elevation of about 420 feet above sea 64 level, and outliers of this formation are distributed at much higher altitudes over the adjoining country. These outliers differ very much in stratigraphical character ; some are highly ferruginous, whilst others are chiefly composed of small quartz pebbles cemented together by a ferruginous paste; others again consist of fine sand particles impregnated with ferru- ginous matter. The best section of one of these outliers is that exposed in a cutting on the road leading between Sec- tions 83035 and 3059. The excavation is from 4 to 5 feet, com- prising bedded sand rock 3 feet 6 inches under a cover of earthy sand and surface deposits 1 foot 6 inches. The plane of bedding, as nearly as could be ascertained, is horizontal. The following is a vertical section of the Gawler Reservoir, which has recently been excavated to a depth of 12 feet in the Miocene beds, situated in Section 3073, Hundred of Barossa, and at an elevation of 389 feet above sea level :-— FT. IN. Dark-coloured soil ... Uae Subsoil, marly clay ... i ee et ty is) ee Stiff chocolate coloured clay, supposed to be Miocene... 6 O Soft unfossiliferous sand rock, ferruginous 4 0 Total ta hi rae ae Fossil Remains collected from the Gawler beds at Thorup’s Rayine, and determined by Professor Tate, are as follows :— Clathurella, sp.; Teredo, sp.; Cardium, sp., aff. acuticostatum ; Trigonia semiundulata, McCoy ; Leda Marthe (?), McCoy. In Thorup’s Ravine, and throughout the area of Gawler East, especially at Mars Hill, many fine specimens of silicified wood have been discovered, both in situ and in the debris. Though chiefly found in a fragmentary state, yet the freshly woody-fractured appearance many of the specimens present leads to the conclusion that the site of their growth was not far distant. Also on the south-south-east side of Cockatoo Valley the leaves of a tree evidently belonging to some of the existing Australian species have lately been discovered in a highly ferruginised sandstone of Mioceneage. This interesting specimen is exhibited in the Gawler Museum. In treating of the silicified wood of Gawler, Professor Tate, in his annual address to the Philosophical Society of South Australia for 1878-9, page 59, says :—‘ Again, the scarped ridge east of the main street of Gawler is made up of coarse sand, crowned by rounded gravel. The sands contain blocks of stone, resulting from consolidation of the sands by carbonate of lime, which yield a few marine fossils, and also silicified stems, having a structure resembling that of Casuarina and Eucalyptus.’ The Professor adds :—‘‘ The process of silicification took place sub- 65 sequent to entombment in the marine or estuarine beds, be- cause the stems are not infrequently found to be drilled by Teredos.” Such a commingling, as witnessed at Gawler, of portions of comparatively stately land plants with marine forms undoubtedly reminds us that a much greater annual rain- fall took place in Australia during probably the close of the Miocene period than what we at present witness. In concluding this sketch of the Miocene, I might instance three notable sites where highly waterworn conglomerates of Miocene age are found resting immediately upon the up- turned edges of the old rocks, viz., in a small gully leading into Whitlaw Gully on the south side, and south bank of the North Para River, both of which are situated in Section 12, Hundred of Nuriootpa. Also on the eastern side of Section 479, at an elevation of not less than 400 feet, a ferruginous con- glomerate of the same age and kind occurs. All these sections are well exposed, and exhibit strong proof that they at some distant period constituted portions of a Miocene shore-line. Drirr, oR PLIOCENE. Avrea.—On account of the bold character of the pre-existing surface immediately to the east of Murray-street, very little of the formation has been preserved én situ east of the Miocene escarpment. So far as the lower or western part of the town is concerned, the deposits embracing the site of that part have ina marked degree been laid down against a Miocene cliff, which prior to the period of the Drift must have presented a high and bold outline to the eastward, where Murray-street is now situated. In defining the boundary of the main sheet of this formation as developed at Gawler, I] might here say a small patch of it occurs on the north bank of the South Para River, in allotments 327 and 3828, and continues to extend north along High-street, embracing the site of the Old Cemetery, Church Hill area, &c., Gawler North, and several other small detached areas throughout the tract embraced in the sketch. Thickness—The vertical depth of this formation about Gawler must vary with the increasing distance as we recede from its outcrop. Tracing it from east to west, the thick- ness of the formation at Gawler cannot be compared with what it attains in parts of the eastern seaboard of St. Vincent’s Gulf; as, for an instance, the bore-hole at Port Wakefield shows the depth ot the Drift to be there 292 feet below present sea level, and the main mass of the formation on Gawler plains attain an altitude of 450 feet above the present sea-line ; therefore we have pretty conclusive evidence that a continuous depression or sinking of Gulf St. Vincent and neighbourhood 66 took place during the deposition of the Drift to the extent of something closely approaching 800 feet. By directing atten- tion to this fact, I do not mean to infer that the formation ever attained a thickness of 800 feet in any part of the neigh- bourhood referred to, but that a steady oscillation of land and water to that extent over the area has taken place so recently, geologically speaking. This view harmonises in a marked degree with Dr. Croll’s cosmical theory of the glacial epoch of the northern hemisphere, and was applied by me as originative of the Australian Drift period (see Transactions of the Adelaide Philosophical Society, 1878-9, pages 65 and 66). (JUATERNARY. This formation embraces a considerable portion of Murray- street, the lower portion of the site of the town, the greater portion of the Park Lands, and also detached areas, as exhibited in Spring Gully, Cockatoo Creek, Whitlaw Gully, aud North and South Para River. Sorts anp SUBSOILS. Alluvial.—The site of the greatest part of this description of soil about Gawler precludes its fullest utilization for garden or other productive purposes. Drift.—Soils derived direct from this formation are chiefly confined within the limit of the site of the town, therefore they are also of little or no agricultural or horticultural value. Miocene.—The soils of Gawler, which have been chiefly de- rived from the waste of the underlying Miocene rocks, present a kindly character and greater adaptability to the growth of the native pine and kindred species, shrubs, &c., than either the soils of the Drift proper, or those immediately derived from the fundamental rocks. To the north-east of this tract, throughout the sub-division of Western Barossa, known as the Concordia District, the surface outlines of the country are undulating, and the soils and subsoils of a mixed character ; the hill-tops being covered with soils—including many quartz pebbles—which have evidently been derived from the waste of pre-existing Miocene beds, whilst the adjoining flats—the beds of which, since Miocene times, have been denuded below the horizon of the fundamental rocks—are now covered with soils and subsoils derived from both formations. On my examina- tion of this part of the district I was impressed with the idea that the soils and subsoils of the flats were outliers of the true Drift ; but on further consideration, after having revisited the locality, I have satisfied myself that they are chiefly of a sub- aerial wash from the adjoining slopes. Fundamental Rocks.—QOn the south of the Gawler Miocenes, 67 and extending to the quartzite band passing between Sections 111 and 726, on the east, the soils and subsoils—with a few exceptions, where outliers of the Miocene beds oceur—have been derived from the decay of the underlying fundamental rocks. Where the substratum is clay-slate, and the soil and subsoil of moderate depth to the bed rock, these, though at first less fertile than those derived from the Miocenes, are much more enduring. Water, SURFACE AND SUBTERRANEAN. Surface—Surface water at Gawler during the summer months is obtained chiefly from the North Para. Though a plentiful supply pours down the channel of the South Para in winter, the stream, on reaching the drift formation, ceases to flow during the months of summer. In Cockatoo Creek a moderate supply is sustained at all seasons of the year; and Mr. John Martin informs me that Spring Gully, though at no season of the year a large stream, continues to trickle through the pebbles in its bed during the dry months of summer. In connection with these creeks, I might here remark that the drainage area of both is, in a great measure, overlain with Miocene beds. As to the hydrological properties of the Up- land Miocene, I refer to Transactions of the Royal Society of South Australia, vol. iii, page 110. None of the minor gullies throughout the tract embraced in sketch sustains surface water all the year round. Water-bearing Properties of the Drift at Gawler compared with those of Munno Para, East of Smithfield—The Government well at Gawler, is undoubtedly situated in the drift area, and according to Parliamentary paper, 5th July, 1881, a section of the strata penetrated is as follows :— Surface portion of the shaft, chiefly gravel and sand, with some bands of clay intervening. Water struck Thirty-five feet from the surface, sand and boulders 35 feet. Shaft sunk a further depth of 17 feet is RES Tubes were driven down a further depth of 40 feet into sand and gravel rb a ri AQ — Total depth of perforation... oe The base of these interbedded clays, sands, and gravels which I refer to the Drift, is only 75 feet above the present sea level. That they are water-bearing here, and not elsewhere in Munno Para (see Transactions of the Philoso- phical Society of South Australia for 1878-9, page 63), can only be attributed to the excess of inflow over the outflow. That this excessive inflow is not due to subterranean permea- tion direct from the older rocks is pretty evident, because no 68 water is found in the Miocene of the immediate neighbourhood, and in Section 3076, Hundred of Barossa, where water is found in the fundamental rocks, the waterline is considerably higher than that in the Gawler drift sands. Taking into consideration the limited depth of clayey deposits overlying the drift sands in the beds of the North and South Para Rivers, it is therefore evident that the water supply obtained in the Government and private wells throughout Gawler is chiefly derived from infil- tration of river waters as they pass over the thin superficial stratum of pervious deposit at or near the junction of the Drift with the old rocks. In support of this opinion I have to state that the South Para ceases to flow for five months in twelve over the Drift within a few yards of the Government well, which is only 35 feet in depth from the surface to the water- line ; and as the bed of the river is 15 feet below the level of the mouth of the well, consequently the river bed is but 20 feet above the water-line in the well. The stream, thus situated, and flowing—especially during high flood—a distance of not less than 15 chains over so pervious a material, as shown by the strata exposed in the well, must penetrate and sur- charge the underlying sands and gravels to the fullest extent. Whilst considering this seemingly unlimited water supply, we must not overlook the fact that the beds in which it is stored, at an elevation of 132 feet above sea level, constitute an integral part of a formation extending far below the present shore line ; it is, therefore, perfectly evident that a barrier of impervious material, sufficient to oppose the further downflow of the water absorbed by the Gawler sandbeds, exists at no great distance to the west, otherwise these beds would, like their prototypes east of Smithfield and in Section 3205, Munno Para, be non-productive of water, showing also that the well from which the Gawler Waterworks is supplied merely taps this subterranean lake, and derives its supply chiefly from the flood-waters of the South Para. It, therefore, becomes a critical point to consider whether its contents during the dry season—especially a prolonged one—will be sufficient to meet the requirements for which the works were originally executed. Previous to the Government undertaking, the Drift yielded, for all purposes, a moderate supply of subterranean water from wells throughout the town and suburbs. The supply of these being derived from the same source, it is highly probable that the Government well will partially drain those during summer droughts, and the inhabitants and factories, especially the latter, will become dependent upon the waterworks for a supply during those periods. Miocene.—About Gawler and Western Barossa, as in Munno Para, the Miocene beds, though good rain collectors and of 69 highly absorbent properties, constitute no actual subterranean lodgment within the area named. Nevertheless, the beds still remaining to the east and north-east of the town aid in an indirect way most powerfully the production of the water supply found in the subaerial Drifts of the low-lying tracts throughout the Concordia district, as also the water supply to wells in the fundamental rocks. And, as already noticed, the surface drainage of Spring Gully and Cockatoo Creek is traceable to the same indirect source. Fundamental Rocks—On the southern side of Section 3076 passable fair water was struck in the clay slate at a depth of 95 feet from the surface. ' ‘ ‘ Ld ty ' : A int Ve 5 r ’ yy ” i ' ms i j ! Di ! e\,ip 4 ny oh eA ee A * x nh ul , / \ | Ley AO se Alin Ii, ‘ es y ' ¥ , ~ » & ’ 1 ' ‘ 1 UN Bes nals Ae a tie ¥l that + ' P eat L att « 4 7 ' ) a ey Ape CAMMY LS US, oh en ay Ux A poh Wat huge ON f ‘ ; 1 ie j Pi Viet # yf ‘ xy ’ ‘ f r i i i i \ ‘ J ‘71h ? ' ' i r Peleg i { é ' ‘ya, , f 14 4 i? i] me airy y ae hy i . os! Pole } ‘ o fa mn) . t eh ets NA | ‘ 1 - ‘ ‘ i! : i Lom ioe. eva 4 i i ‘ iy 4 * ’ sj nal 1 NTA” ehh P ‘. ‘ { i ’ } Prog TPT eel bee wie a ee aon ot ee Fee i QUEM