380 Geological Society. 



from seeds received from Chili, were exhibited ; also a re- 

 markably large and fine plant, in flower, of Cactus speciosiis 

 from the" garden of the Comte de Vandes. 



May 18. The following communication was read : 

 Note on the Advantages of using Bunting as a Protection 

 to Apricot Trees. By Charles Henry Rich, Esq. F.H.S. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



March 19. — A paper entitled " Sketch of the Geology of 

 New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land," by the Rev. 

 T. H. Scott, was read in part. 



April 2. — The paper entitled " Sketch of the Geology of 

 New South Wales and Van Dieman's Land," by the Rev. 

 T. H. Scott, was concluded. 



The coast of New Holland from Cape Howe to Port 

 Stephens, including Botany Bay, Port Jackson, &c, as ex- 

 amined by Mr. Scott, consists of an uninterrupted series of 

 the coal measures. At Illasvarro, or the Five Islands, a seam 

 of coal is found at the surface. Between Broken Bay and 

 Port Hunter, a horizontal seam of coal is bared by the action 

 of the sea on the cliff's. Very good coal is worked at New- 

 castle on Hunter's river, thirty-seven yards from the surface, 

 3 feet 1 inch thick ; it is intersected by trap dykes in some 

 places; and vegetable remains of a large-leaved fern, thought 

 by the people to be an Eucalyptus, are picked up at the base 

 of the cliff*. Limestone alternates with the sandstone, and 

 iron ore occurs. The wells at Sidney being not more than 

 SO feet deep, the water is not good ; one well, sunk 82 feet 

 to a great mass of sandstone, gives excellent water. From 

 Paramatta the coal measures continue, and are broken by 

 trap dykes at the Nepean to Enuford, where the ascent of the 

 Blue Mountains commences, near the summit of which the 

 coal measures rest on the old red sandstone. The escarpment 

 of this rock on the east side presents the aspect of a perpen- 

 dicular wall, at the top of which the old red sandstone is 

 found in contact with primitive rocks: these occur in the vale 

 of Cleuyd and Clareneer's hilly range, where the Macquarrie 

 rises, and after a north-east course of 300 miles terminates 

 in a vast swamp. Returning westward, porphyritic rocks 

 and clay slate accompany the primitive rocks near Bathurst 

 and the Sidmouth range, to Lake George and the Cookbun- 

 doon river, which continue to the Cow pastures, where the 

 coal measures of the colony again appear. 



The geology of the island of Van Dieman's Land is con- 

 formable to that of the continent of New Holland. Both 

 Hobart Town and George Town are upon the coal formation. 



Between 



