SHORT ADDRESS ON GEOLOGICAL PROGRESS. 



By G. S. Griffiths, F.G.S. 



The past year has been marked by no special feature a» 

 far as Australian Geology is concerned. The geological 

 staffs of the various Colonies have continued to extend their 

 surveys, wliilst private observers have added to our knowledge 

 of the interior and other parts. Mr. Jack's discovery of 

 cretaceous fossils in the lower beds of the desert sandstone 

 of Western Queensland — confirmed as the age of these has 

 since been by Professor Tait, after an examination of the 

 fossils — is an event of great importance. The chalk beds of 

 the coasts of Victoria and South Australia, between Portland 

 Bay and the Murray mouth, have been further investigated, 

 and the fossils collected by Mr. Dennant and others have 

 led Professor Tait to remove the lower stratum from the 

 Miocene, to which the Rev. Julian Woods had assigned it, 

 into the Eocene. In New South Wales, the findino- of a 

 well-preserved labyrinthodont at Biloela, enables Professor 

 Stephens to confirm the Triassic age of the Hawksbury 

 sandstone. Some very interesting remains of ganoid fishes 

 have been unearthed near Mansfield by Mr. G. Sweet, who 

 will shortly ])ublish particulars of this Old Red Sandstone 

 deposit. In Western Australia the carboniferous area on the 

 coast is receiving attention, and Mr. R. M. Johnson, of 

 Tasmania, is prepaiing a comprehensive work upon the 

 geology of that island. 



To turn from local developments to the recent history of 

 the science in Europe, I notice that an important Congress of 

 Geologists has been discussing the principles of geological 

 map making, with a view to unify practice in relation to 

 coloration and symbols, and to simplify the terminology. 

 These objects must have our entire sympathy, and if they 

 can be secured, the study of the science will be distinctly 

 asssisted. 



