^i The South Australian Naturalist. 



east of South Australia were pointed out and their importance 

 as enabling stock to be travelled down from Queensland. Views 

 were shown of the mound springs formed where the artesian 

 waters came out at the edge of the basin in South Australia. 

 The problem of checking the present enormous waste of Avater 

 is of immense importance to the future of Australia. Carefully 

 compiled statistics show that in New South Wales the outflow 

 and pressures are decreasing at a rapid rate, indicating that 

 the outflow is greater than the intake. If the bores could be 

 effectively sealed this waste could be minimised. Some bores 

 yield enormous quantities of water, the maximum yield being 

 4,000,000 gallons per day obtained from a bore near Perth, 

 W.A., at a depth of 2,097 feet. In our ovrn State, a bore at 

 Coonie Creek, east of Lake Frome, is estimated to yield 

 1,250,000 gallons per day. 



Excursion via the New Road up the Torrens Gorge, April 



15, 1922. — A small party travelled per charabanc to the junc- 

 tion of Sixth Creek with the Torrens, along the new road now 

 nearing completion. The scenery is very striking, the precipit- 

 ous rock walls of the gorge at places rising almost vertically 

 for hundreds of feet. The yacca (Xanthorrhoea) and sheaoak 

 (Casuarina) grow wherever a foothold may be obtained, while 

 teatree (Leptos})ermum), bottlebrush (Callistemon), and red 

 gum (Eucalyptus rostrata) flourish near the water. The party, 

 under the leadership of Mr. W. H. Sehvay, spent a pleasant 

 and instructive afternoon. 



Excursion to Mount Lofty, April 29, 1922. — Under the 

 leadership of Professor J. B. Cleland, a large party travelled 

 up tlie Greenhill Road to the upper part of Chambers' Gully, 

 near the summit of Mount Lofty. On the way up the party 

 were able to enjoy the beautiful outlook over the Adelaide 

 plains, with the Gulf in the distance. The afternoon "was clear 

 and free from mist, and the view was consequently even more 

 than usually interesting. The leader drew attention to the 

 olive trees growing up from seed distributed by the birds, par- 

 ticularly the starlings. Before the introduction of the starling 

 it was not noticed that the olive was propagated in this way. 

 Since its advent the seedling olives are very plentifully distri- 

 buted. It was ascertained that many olives growing up in this 

 way have developed into the fruiting stage and proved profit- 

 able to their owners. Leaving the road near the summit, the 

 party proceeded to Chambers' Gully, where there is an area of 



