NATURAL BONE ASH. 275 



supplies from persons who have heard of its success are con- 

 tinually being received. I may he permitted to quote one 

 instance of its successful use on a delicate little boy of 

 wealthy parents resident in Sydney neighbourhood. The 

 father, in wTiting to Mr. Antill, said, " 1 am certain your 

 mineral water is exactly the thing he requires; before you 

 were kind enough to send me the water he was very back- 

 ward, in fact, I began to despair of his ever getting better, 

 and had consulted no end of doctors about him, but they did 

 him no good. . . I never saw him better than he is now, 

 and he is beginning to grow fast." In two years the boy 

 was quite well. The spring is situated within an easy distance 

 of the capital of New South Wales; it is located in an 

 interesting and beautiful district, and its particular site is one 

 of romantic beauty. With these advantages I think it pro- 

 bable that the springs will become the resort of sufferers, and 

 that in future days accommodation will be provided for those 

 who wish to drink the waters. 



I am not aware that that the Jarvisfield spring has been 

 described before, but its comparative freedom from organic 

 impurity has been lately attested by Wm. M. Hamlet, Esq., 

 F.I.C., Government Analyst of New South Wales. I also 

 learn that within the last few weeks the water has been analysed 

 by the Mines Department of New South Wales. Angus 

 Mackay, F.C.S., of Sydney, has also examined the water. 

 The " Mineral Springs of Australia" forms the subject of a 

 small jmmphlet by Ludwig Bruck, but the Picton spring is 

 not included. There are chalybeate springs at Mittagong, 

 a few miles from Picton ; but those of Jarvisfield may be 

 said to possess cold, mui-iated, earthy waters. 



9.— NOTE ON A "NATURAL BONE ASH" FROM 

 NARRACOORTE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA. 



By N. T. M. WILSMORE, B. Sc, Melbourne Uiricersity. 



The sample of which an analysis is here given was collected 

 by me in April, 1890, and has since been kept in a well- 

 stoppered bottle. Recently it occurred to me that a short 

 account of it might be of interest to members of this 

 Section. 



The name given above is somewhat a misnomer, as the 

 substance i^ not derived from bones, but appears to be a 

 decomposed guano, and in fact goes by that name in the 



