Proceedings. 63 



nitrogen of the atmosphere and thus supplying the plants 

 with nitrogenous nutriment. 



A paper by Mr. W. J. Clunies ROSS, B.Sc. (Lond. 

 and Sydney), F.G.S., Principal of the Technical College, 

 Bathurst, New South Wales, " On the Caves of New South 

 Wales," communicated by the Rev. ROBERT HARLEY, 

 M.A., F.R.S., was read by one of the secretaries, and 

 photographs of the caves were exhibited. 



The author stated that one of the first things that 



strikes a geologist from England when he resumes his 



studies at the Antipodes is the great similarity of Australian 



rocks to those he was familiar with in the old country. It 



is quite possible that detailed investigation may shew 



peculiarities in Australian rocks, especially the igneous 



ones, which distinguish them to some extent from those of 



Europe, but at first sight they appear identical. For 



example, massive limestones, composed almost entirely of 



encrinite stems, and exactly agreeing in colour and general 



appearance with the well-known encrinital limestones of 



England, are found. The scenery, too, in some cases, is 



very similar. Thus, around Pirate's Bay, in Tasmania, 



the visitor is reminded of North Devon, especially the 



neighbourhood of Clovelly, and it is interesting to find 



that the rocks in both places are of carboniferous age. 



Following out these similarities there are many caves in the 



Australian limestones. In New South Wales there are 



quite a number already known such as the Wellington, 



Abercrombie, Wombeyan, Jenolan, and Yarrangobilly Caves. 



Some of these are rather difficult to reach, and have 



only been partially explored ; but the Jenolan, which are 



the best known, are comparatively accessible, and are 



both very extensive and singularly beautiful. To a 



geologist desirous of studying the formation of caves, and 



the changes they undergo, these caves are especially 



interesting, since, in the course of a few days, caves in 



