THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



or " Tabletop " — shows in the lower portion a bed of impure 

 lignite about 3 feet ; 6 feet tough white clay containing numerous 

 plant remains, leaves, fruit, branches, and trunks of trees. These 

 latter are more numerous in the lower bed, and form the chief 

 part of the band of lignite. From the position of the tree trunks 

 it is probable that they were brought together by floods. The 

 upper beds of this section, which is here about 250 feet, are 

 composed of clay, grits, bands of quartz pebble conglomerate, 

 furruginous sandstones, with the usual leaf and fruit casts. 

 Four hundred yards up the river the Miocenes are seen over- 

 lying the Older Basalt. The exact point of contact is somewhat 

 obscure. At and for some distance from the junction the 

 Miocenes are greatly altered, leaf and fruit casts being absent. 

 Some of the grits and sandy bands have been converted into 

 quartzites. 



Following the junction north-west the Miocenes are greatly 

 disturbed, and present a peculiar patchwork appearance ; patches 

 of light and dark red, brown and bright madder are seen on the 

 weathered surfaces. The officers of the geological survey refer 

 to this section as under " intrusive Older Basalt, amygdaloidal 

 and much decomposed. The overlying Miocene clay beds which 

 have here been locally upheaved by this basalt are much indurated 

 where in contact with it, and have a peculiar ferruginous red and 

 brown mottled appearance." Sections to the north-west show 

 dykes of Older Basalt, 17 yards wide, cutting the Glacial Drift. 

 I agree with the officers of the survey as to it being of later age 

 than the Miocenes of this district. At a point 60 chains east 

 from the junction of the Myrniong Creek and Werribee River 

 the Older Basalt distinctly overlies the Miocenes. Striking south 

 and crossing the Werribee River and basaltic plateau on the 

 south, we descend into the valley of the Parwan Creek. This 

 valley is about three miles wide by eight long. Towards the 

 western end it splits up into several narrow gullies, which are 

 bounded by basaltic cliffs from 80 to 100 feet high. Sections 

 along either side of this valley show pure white and yellowish- 

 white clays, conglomerate cemented with silica and ferruginous 

 matter, ferruginous sandstones with the casts of leaves, fruit, &c. 

 In the upper portion of the valley the conglomerate and ferru- 

 ginous sandstones are absent, white clay and quartz gravel taking 

 their place. Thin bands of impure lignite are also exposed 

 towards the head of the valley. Some of the white clays in 

 contact with the Newer Basalt are greatly altered. In some of 

 these clay beds impressions or casts of a reed or rush-like plant 

 are numerous. In the overlying Newer Basalt a band of bright 

 red clay or ash can be traced for a considerable distance on 

 either side of the valley. 



Along this section hundreds of landslips have taken place. 

 Some, acres in extent, have moved down the valley side, and as 



