645 



of our Palccoiitologists lu Europe could toll you, You will add 

 iu a valuable degree to the store of scientific knowledge, and for 

 a young Geologist I cannot well conceive a more inviting position. 

 I liope to hear more of your labours, and I will be happy to 

 render you any assistance in my power. Since writing the above 

 I have been informed by my friend Mr. Eamsay that there is a 

 geological survey about to be established in Victoria, South 

 Australia fsicj, under the direction of Mr. Selwyn, a young- 

 Geologist of great promise. Probably you can put yourself in 

 communication with him. — Yours, &c., Charles Lyell." 



Here then, was a task for Geologists, if ever we wore to 

 pronounce positively on the age of our tertiary formations — to 

 ascertain what was the marine life of our South Australian Coast, 

 and so by comparison gradually to comprehend the history of the 

 great tertiary deposits. I trust I shall not intrude too much of 

 detail into this address if I briefly state the manner in which Sir 

 Charles Lyell's advice was followed. I was alone upon the field 

 with no professional aid near, so that for many years South 

 Australian Geology made no progress beyond what an amateur 

 could effect. I had before me an easy path by which to 

 commence inquiry. All round the coast from Cape Northumber- 

 land to Cape Jaffa there was a series of raised beaches ; for 

 twenty miles inland the soil for sixteen feet or so in depth was 

 one mass of shells. They were cj^uite loosely imbedded in a light 

 shell sand, and were but little changed in appearance, and for 

 the most "part retaining their colouring in a faint but easily 

 traceable way. It was not difficult to collect a large number of 

 species, and they were easily compared with the shells of the 

 coast near. I found only one point of difference, and that was 

 that the fossils were generally of larger size in the same species. 

 At that time I concluded that when the fossils had been entombed 

 the climate had been warmer ; but now I think differently. 

 Since I have examined the fauna of our tropical shores I find 

 that an increase of temperature affects diversely those species of 



