Bibliographical Notices. 295 



That this became hardened into stone, and was then upheaved from 

 the sea ; during which process large portions of it became washed 

 away. VII. That the latter part of the upheaval was separated by a 

 long lapse of time from the subsidence, because the latter strata show 

 some difference in their fauna. VIII. That while upheaval was going 

 on, until very recently, extensive volcanic disturbance took place, 

 giving rise to craters which are now all extinct. IX. That the up- 

 heaved [Bryozoan] rock, when decomposed, has given rise to a very 

 different sort of soil, of a sandy character, which causes large tracts 

 of arid, useless country in this part of Australia. X. That the same 

 rock, being of a loose texture, easily allowed water to percolate 

 through, forming caves and underground passages, besides honey- 

 combing the ground in all directions. XI. That, while these opera- 

 tions proceeded, the animal life was of a slightly different character 

 from what is found in the same locality now, though probably the 

 land-animals were not specially different from individuals in other 

 parts of the Australian continent." Lastly, that " these numerous 

 changes seem to have taken place without any vast convulsion of 

 nature, or phenomena different from what happen in the world 

 now." 



In discussing the many geological and natural-history points of 

 interest that occur in his work, the author, himself an amateur, often 

 freely explains the elementary basis of his several lines of argument, 

 quoting Lyell, Darwin, Jukes, and others, for the information of his 

 readers as to geological systems, the theories of coral-formations, the 

 nature of coral-reefs, &c. ; and his book, thus popularly written, is 

 rendered more readable for the general public than if written with 

 strict technicality ; but at the same time we miss a requisite scientific 

 accuracy, especially as to zoological nomenclature and classification, 

 without which no geological work can have a high scientific value, — 

 though certainly a hard-working amateur in so distant and isolated a 

 position as Penola must surely be excused for this short-coming. 



Some observations by Mr. Woods on extensive recent accumula- 

 tions of minute organisms, such as Cypridee, Biatomacece, and Charce, 

 and of mammalian bones and of lake-shells in South Australia, are to be 

 found in Chapter III., and must prove highly suggestive to geologists. 

 The notes on the bone-breccia and accumulations of bones in caves, in 

 Chapter XL, will also attract attention. The author's explanation 

 of the origin of the limestone " Biscuits " of the " Honeysuckle flats " 

 (pp. 43-45) is very ingenious ; and his other numerous observations 

 on the physical features of the district, which have been "the occupa- 

 tion of many a passing hour in the bush, where amusements are 

 otherwise few," are full of interest and value. 



In his Introductory Chapter and elsewhere, the author has taken 

 care to point out what others have already done in explaining the geo- 

 logical features of Southern Australia; but he has overlooked the 

 little work • On the Geology and Mineralogy of South Australia,' by 

 Mr. T. Burr, published at Adelaide in 1846. 



