1870. J NATURAL HISTORY SOCIETY. 447 



The authors state that the diamond drifts are on hills above the 

 present river bed, and are overlaid by from 30 to 40 feet of basalt. 

 These hills ^-reatly resemble the basaltic hills in some gold districts 

 in Victoria. The underlying rock is Upper Silurian or Devonian, 

 intersected by greenstone dykes, and the whole watershed to the 

 Cudgegong Valley is carboniferous, resting in places on granite. 

 Tiie carboniferous rocks are full of Glossopteris, Splienopteris, etc. 

 The authors are of opinion that the diamonds are not of drifted 

 origin, but that they have been formed where they are now found. 

 There is no Itacoluraite or Psammite. The works were 

 commenced in 18G9, and 6,000 diamonds have been collected in 

 one district, extending about seven miles along the valley of the 

 Cudgegong River, in latitude 33^ south. The view of the dia- 

 mond having been formed in the tertiary drift deposits coincides 

 with the view expressed by Dr. Hartt on this subject in his re- 

 cent work on the Brazils. 



Dr. Hunt gave a succinct account of what is known up to the 

 present time with regard to the geological history of the diamond. 

 In India, Brazil, Virginia, jSorth Carolina, Oregon and Europe, 

 diamonds have been found, associated with other gems, and with 

 gold, in drift deposits. He said that the original matrix of the 

 gem was not clearly ascertained, but that lie was inclined to the 

 view that it would be found to be in the oldest geological forma- 

 tions, possibly in veins in granite. He stated that he had care- 

 fully examined many samples from the Chaudiere gold regions, 

 but had failed to detect diamonds in any of them. 



6th ordinary monthly meeting, March 27th, 1871, Dr. Small- 

 wood in the chair. 



After the reading of the minutes of the last meeting, it was 

 moved by G. L. Marler, seconded by A. T. Drummond, and 

 resolved : 



*' That the thanks of the Society be voted to those gentlemen 

 who kindly gave their assistance at the Annual Conversazione 

 lately held.*' 



Dr. 11. T. Godfrey and Mr. T. C. Weston, were elected members 

 of the Society. 



Prof. E. S. Morse Tof Boston, Mass.), made a communication 

 on the structure and affinities of the Brachiopoda. Until quite 

 recently the Brachiopoda, which have a special interest to the 

 student of organic remains, as being by far the oldest of existing 



