BY ALEXANDER G. HAMILTON. 261 



Roughly speaking, the district I have collected over might be 

 described as extending from Appletree Flat to Reedy Creek, and 

 from the Dividing Range at Cooyal to the top of the Ridge 

 separating the Meroo Creek from the Valley of the Cudgegong 

 River. The average height of the district might, 1 think, be fairly 

 taken as that of the Mudgee Railway Station, which is 1,635 feet 

 above sea level. The highest point within these limits is pro- 

 bably Buckaroo or Big Hill, (from which the Mullamuddy Gully 

 runs), which as measured by Mr. Cox is 1,640 feet above river 

 bed — probably 3,000 feet above the sea. The geological formation 

 is principally Silurian, with occasional patches of granite, as near 

 Home Rule, limestone (at Canadian and Mt. Frome), and basaltic 

 outflows. The coal measures extend down the valley of Reedy 

 Creek from Cooyal ; and at Guntawang a shale with Glossopteris 

 and other fern impressions occurs at a small depth below the 

 surface. The shale also extends to Beaudesert. The district is 

 well-known as being highly auriferous. 



The annual mean temperature is 61*8° F. ; the mean for three 

 summer months (Decern., Jan. and Feb.) is 72-7° F. ; winter 

 mean (June, July and August) 49-5° F. In 1886 the highest 

 observed temperature was 103'6° F. in February, and the lowest 

 21-6° F. in July. (1.) The average rainfall is 25-24 inches, 

 September being usually the wettest month. The six years ending 

 1885 were below the average, but 1886 was 9-26 inches above, 

 and 1887 promises to be a very wet year, 31 "81 inches having 

 fallen up to March 31. 



A few of the plants named in the folio vying pages I have not 

 collected myself, but their names were supplied to me by Dr. 



(1) The above extremes of temperature would give a rather incorrect 

 impression of the Mudgee climate, but a consideration of the following 

 means for each month (kindly supplied by Air. Lenehan, Acting Government 

 Astronomer), will show its equability : — 



Jan. 74-r F. April, 65-7° F. July, 474° F. Oct. 56-4° F. 

 Feb. 74-3 May, 58-9 Aug. 48-8 Nov. 67-2 



Mar. 71-6 June, 52-3 Sept. 55-1 Dec. 69-8. 



