in Neis) South Wales. 301 



creology have been discovered, although geology being but a 

 new science in Europe, has but very lately reached that newest 

 continent. The burning mountain described by Mr. Wilson, 

 the remains of a crater seen by Major Mitchell, and the mi- 

 neral spring I am about to notice are among the most inter- 

 esting data in this department. 



The spring is situated 300 miles from Sydney, amongst ex- 

 tensive uninhabited downs, which skirt the Australian Alps on 

 their eastern side. The formation about the spring is calca- 

 reous, and the immediate neighbourhood of it is formed by 

 an extensive level of travertuie, just like that with which the 

 plains of Romagna are covered. The spring forms (after 

 having been enlarged by me) an aperture of 3' diameter, and 

 the water is of a nearly constant temperature of 50° Fahr., 

 although the air was, during my short stay, at 98°. The water 

 is perfectly clear, and only disturbed by the continual evolu- 

 tion of carbonic acid gas, with a large quantity of which the 

 water is saturated. This having been subjected by me to 

 evaporation, a salt was obtained, which has been examined by 

 Professor Daubeny of Oxford, who has given the results, 

 which will be found at the conclusion of the present notice. 

 The water has the taste of Seltzer water, and was examined 

 shortly after my return from the Australian Alps, in the 

 Civil Hospital of Sydney, by the Colonial Surgeon, and other 

 qualified persons. Its chemical ingredients when ascertained 

 by the application of the usual tests, very nearly correspond 

 to those found by Prof. Daubeny in the salt. 



I will mention a curious geological occurrence on the pre- 

 sent occasion. The level of travertine before alluded to is 

 covered with a white salt, efflorescing therelrom, and which, 

 conjointly with the fragments of travertine strewed about, gives 

 the whole locality the appearance as if some extensive build- 

 ings had been going on, and the plasterer just left off work- 

 ing. Caves, which contain bones, occur in the vicinity of the 

 spring. 



The following is the memorandum of Prof. Daubeny : 

 "The salt which you described as efflorescing near a chemical 

 spring in Australia, contains carbonate of lime, common salt, 

 a littfe sulphate of soda, and some peroxide of iron. The salt 

 wliich you represented as being procured by the evaporation 

 of the water, contains muriates, calcareous earth in combina- 

 tion with carbonic acid, a trace of magnesia, and iron." 



1 have a bottle of the water, which (like those examined in 

 Sydney) was hermetically sealed at the mouth of the spring, 

 to be kept for analysis. 



