Geology of the Loiver Yarra. 247 



are S. 70° E. to S. 85° E. at from 72° to 75°. The rocks are 

 claystones, inudstones, and fine hard sandstones. Some of them 

 contain casts of fossils in fair number though few of them are in 

 even a fairly good state of preservation. Brachiopods, like 

 Atrypa and Cephalopods as Orthoceras are rather plentiful, and 

 there also occur a few Trilobites. One of the last named, 

 Cyphaspis spryi, found by Mr. F. Spry has recently been des- 

 cribed by Professor Gi'egory, D.Sc, F.G.S., before this Society. 



Now, taking the Yarra Improvement sections, we have first 

 that on the north side of the river. This cutting forms a slight 

 curve with a length down the middle from stream to stream of 

 about 14 chains. On the occasions of all my visits basalt was 

 noticeable on the north side only, and that, some distance away 

 from the western end of the cutting. This western portion con- 

 sisted solely of dark alluvium with remains of vegetable matter 

 such as roots of reeds, etc., in the upper portions, merging into 

 bluish-black marl in the lower, with a few shells in the layer on 

 the floor of the cutting. About 60 yards from the western end 

 of the section, commencing at the top, was basalt — thickness not 

 ascertainable ; dark alluvium with roots, 1 2 feet ; bluish-black 

 marl with few shells about 3 feet. There is no evidence to show 

 the relation of the basalt to the shelly marl, though, at first sight, 

 it appears to be overlying the sediments. It may be mentioned, 

 however, that all my visits here were after the cutting had 

 advanced past this point, and the slope had been trimmed and 

 covered with material from the floor of the cutting, therefore, no 

 good opportunity was aff"orded of satisfactory observation. 

 Neither have I as yet been able to obtain any reliable informa- 

 tion on the matter from those engaged .on the work. 



Taking a section near the east end (see Section A), the follow- 

 ing, in descending order, were seen : greyish alluvium, getting 

 gradually thicker as followed northwards, 3 feet 6 inches to 5 feet 

 6 inches ; whitish alluvium, with fragments of roots, 3 feet 

 2 inches ; black fissile clay, with three thin laminae of comminuted 

 shells and lenticles of pure sand, 3 feet to 4 feet 6 inches ; 

 greenish-grey clay, the upper portions being intersected by 

 numerous little cylindrical bodies consisting of the overlying 

 black fissile clay, 1 foot ; reddish-yellow sandy clay with greyish- 

 white streaks from top of stratum to some distance into it, 5 feet 



