Tlie South Australian Naturalist. 51 



Excupsion, June 7.— On June 7 a party of Field Naturalists 

 motored to Montacute. Mr. W. Ham, F.R.E.S., took the mem- 

 bers to the top of Breakneck Hill, and pointed out the many 

 valleys which had been carved out by the various creeks. The 

 old land surface, or peneplain, was observed, clearly defined by 

 the level tops of the various ranges in sight. The most inter- 

 esting feature of the district is that of an enormous landslip. 

 A ridge fully half a mile long has slumped towards the valley 

 below; the break is easily seen, for the scar has not yet healed 

 over. Some very good examples of rock-folding and puckers 

 were seen along the road cuttings at the top of the hill, and 

 some big cracks, the result of the slip so long ago, were also 

 pointed out. It was in this district that gold was first dis- 

 covered and mined in Australia. This occurred in 1849, 

 whereas in New South AVales and Victoria gold was first 

 found in 1851. The botany was dealt with by Mr. E. H. Ising. 

 Four species of gums were noted: the red gum (Eucalyptus 

 rostrata), manna gum (E. viminalis), stringybark (E. obliqua), 

 and blue gum (E. leucoxylon), this latter species being the 

 only one in flower. The only other native plants in flower were 

 ''Five-corners" red (Styphelia Sonderi), the cranberry (S. 

 humifusa), and the Hidden-anthers (Cryptandra tomentosa). 

 The best growth of Eucalypts was notecl on the rounded hills 

 where the soil was deep, and also in the valley bottoms. On 

 the rocky, precipitous slopes the sheoaks grew best, often 

 jutting out from the rock face itself. The leader mentioned 

 the difference between the young and old eucalyptus leaves, 

 pointing out the difference in size, shape, arrangement, surface, 

 consistency, and position. 



Excursion, June 28. — A party of Field Naturalists made 

 the_ journey to Hallett's Cove. The geological interest was 

 maintained by Mr. B. S. Roach, who guided the members along 

 the cliffs, where the extremely contorted nature of the rock 

 strata was observed. The chief feature, however, was the now 

 famous glacial pavement on the cliff rocks. Long ages have 

 passed since the glacier moved over this area on its way 

 northward. The glaciers left their mark by grooving the rocks 

 over which they slowly travelled. These grooves or striae were 

 first noted by Tate, and one fine example, known as Tate's 

 Rock, is of world-wide fame. Another proof of past ice action 

 is in the masses of moraine material, containing great 

 boulders of strange granite, which could only have been 

 transported to their present site by a glacier. ' This glacia- 

 tion is believed to date from Permo-carboniferous time, as 

 contrasted with the much more ancient (Cambrian) glaciation 



