I02 Excursion to I My dale. [vorxxxi 



retained its igneous character and showed good " bomboidal " 

 weathering. On the eastern slope of the hill the quartzites and 

 quartz conglomerates were located, and hammers tested upon 

 them, to the detriment of the hammers. Crossing over to the 

 road by a bridge, and proceeding up the old Melbourne road to 

 Crater Hill, the members of the party examined the tuffaceous 

 crater-like depression, whilst a trio of kookaburras examined 

 the party from a neighbouring fence. The delicate green foliage 

 of the Osage Orange 'trees, Madura aurantiaca, at the side of the 

 road, gave a touch of spring to the surroundings, and contrasted 

 pleasingly with the Indian-red colour of the tuff deposits exposed 

 in the sides of the road-cutting. The return was made to the 

 station in good time to catch the 5.30 p.m. train to town. — 

 F. Chapman. 



" Economic Geology and Mineral Resources of Victoria." 

 — This pamphlet of 36 pages, by Mr. H. Herman, B.C.E., F.G.S., 

 Director of the Geological Survey of Victoria, was originally 

 compiled as portion of the " Victorian Handbook " for the 

 British Association meeting in August last. It has now been 

 issued as Bulletin No. 34 of the Geological Survey, and can be 

 obtained from the Mines Department at a cost of one shilling. 

 It contains a large amount of valuable information, and is 

 illustrated with two coloured maps, in addition to other maps 

 and diagrams. The plate showing the parallel reefs of Bendigo 

 is particularly striking. 



Werribee Gorge. — Among the recent publications of the 

 Geological Survey of Victoria is a " Geological Sketch Map of 

 the Werribee Gorge and Adjacent Country." It is on the scale 

 of I mile to i inch, and covers an area of 72 square miles. It 

 has been compiled from manuscript maps by R. Daintree, C. S. 

 Wilkinson, R. A. F. Murray, and C. C. Brittlebank, and also 

 Quarter Sheet No. 12 N.E. (published in 1868). Ten different 

 formations are shown by as many tints, and aneroid heights of 

 many points are given. 



Scenery Preservation. — The report for 1913-14 of the New 

 Zealand Scenery Preservation Branch of the Lands and Survey 

 Department, recently issued, records a smaller area than usual 

 added to the reserves during the year, the increase being only 

 3,000 acres, but, as the amount of land now set apart for the 

 purpose of preserving scenery totals some 214,000 acres, the 

 Dominion is to be congratulated on such a forward movement. 

 It is gratifying to note that several private citizens have 

 presented areas of land to the Government in order to add to 

 existing reserves or to secure certain beauty spots from destruc- 

 tion. Surely it is high time Victoria made some effort to follow 

 New Zealand's lead. 



