BY THE REV. J. E, TENISOX- WOODS, F.Cr.S. 373 



angles. Instances arc common of the granite passing into scliists, 

 gneiss and slates. 



The inclination of the Paleozoic rocks is of a very ancient 

 origin, and has no connection with the present outline of Australia. 

 The slates show the same foldings and contortions which such 

 rocks display elsewhere. 



Above the older Paleozoic rocks and granite, and lying un- 

 eonformably upon them, are certain basins of coal-bearing rocks, 

 belonging to both the Mesozoic and Paleozoic periods. These 

 are found mostly on the eastern and southern edge of the table 

 land, but there is good reason for believing that they are only 

 thinly covered elsewhere, and that a most extensive coal-bearing 

 area may be looked for on the western slopes of the same part of 

 Australia. Over the coal measures on the edge of the table land 

 all round the Continent there is a horizontal sandstone with 

 oblique laminations. This formation is also seen in the interior, 

 and I regard it as an eolian deposit. In most places there is no 

 other rock above these strata. 



The great central depression or basin of Australia is like the 

 Sahara Desert, of cretaceous age. Its limits are unknow^i ; but 

 abundant fossils in blue marl are found on the very summit of 

 the watershed on the east side of Australia north of latitude 28*0 

 8., nearly to Cape York, and all round the Grulf of Carpentaria. 

 The western limits of this great cretaceous basin are unknown. 

 Fossils belonging to it have been collected considerably west of 

 the overland telegraph line, as also fossils from Oolitic beds. 



On the south side of Australia, from the commencement of the 

 G-reat Australian Bight, the land is, with little interruption, 

 formed by a series of tertiary rocks, representing all the European 

 deposits, from the Eocene upwards. It is not known how far 

 they may extend inland. They extend some 300 or 400 miles at 

 the least, but they are not seen at any height above 600 feet. 

 On the Australian Bight the Miocene beds of limestone, full of 



