BY N. DE MIKLOUHO-MACLAY. 579 



excellent preservative solution for many, principally marine 

 animals. 



Temperature of the Eock in the Magdala Shaft, Victoria. 



By N. he Miklouho-Maclay. 



Having ascertained that no observations of the temperature of 

 rock have yet been made in the shaft of Magdala (the deepest 

 mine in Australia) and being able to spare two days during my 

 last stay in Melbourne, I went on April 4th to Stawell, provided 

 with four thermometers, which Mr. E. L. T. Ellery, the Govern- 

 ment Astronomer of Victoria, was kind enough to lend me for 

 this occasion. 



I do not find it necessary to mention here all the details of this 

 excursion, and will give only the results of my observations ; but 

 I have to observe, that two holes of about 8 feet deep and 1£ 

 inch in diameter were drilled in the rock (blue schist) on purpose 

 to sink the thermometers into the rock, in the depth of 1,662 

 feet and 2002 feet, from the surface, while a third thermometer 

 was introduced in the last rod of the diamond drill (2759 feet), 

 which was not at work during the night hours.'' 1 



Two of the thermometers were read the first time after remain- 

 ing in the rock for seven hours, the second time after eight hours ; 

 the third thermometer in the diamond drill only once after 

 remaining in the rock for also eight hours. 



The results are near and interesting enough, but would be 



more correct i. e., more valuable, if self registering thermometers, 



hich I could not obtain in Melbourne, had been used, 

 w ' 



* The diamond drill has since ceased work in the Magdala Shaft, having 

 bored 521 feet below the bottom of the shaft, or to a total depth of 3,013 

 feet, or 2,232 feet below the level of the sea. 



