72 
Ou'l and Bat Guano. — In the Mann, Mnsgrave, and 
Ayers Ranges caves were found containing a considerable 
floor deposit of so-called gnano, the droppings of owls and 
bats. These caverns have been produced in the granitic 
rock masses by the denudation and subsequent removal of 
included softer portions or by the more rapid weathering of 
the material along planes of parting in the rock. In the 
former case they were usually observed opening out on to 
the bare, more or less vertical, joint faces. Owls (princi- 
pally Strix delicatnia) appear to be frequent inhabitants of 
such caves at the present time. Similar deposits were dis- 
covered in the Fraser Range by the Elder Expedition.^ 
The "guano" consists of a faintly yellowish to dirty 
white, compact to flaky, or lamellar mass, with a peculiar, 
penetrating odour resembling that characteristic of the ex- 
crement of flesh-eating birds. The bottom and oldest lavers 
of the deposit have assumed, not invariably, a more or less 
elastic character when in mass, making it somewhat difficult 
to detach in small pieces with a hammer. It breaks away as 
distinct layers or slabs. 
In April, 1902, Mr. H. Y. L. Brown reported ton cave 
deposits occurring in quartzite near Yunta. The ''guano" 
from this locality is almost identical with that from the 
ranges of Central Australia. I have had opportunity of 
comparing hand specimens collected by Mr. Brown with 
those I gathered in the Mann and Ayers Ranges. An 
analysis of guano from the Yunta caves made by Mr. Goydcr 
proved the presence of phosphoric acid and nitrogen in difiFe- 
rent samples in the following proportions : — Phosphoric 
acid (P^OJ : (a) '55; (b) 6-00: (c) 2'57 per cent.: and 
nitrogen: (a) 1*68: (b) 23-44 ; (c) -6 per cent, t It is evident 
from the above estimations that some of our cave deposits 
are equal to high-class manures, though it may hardly be 
expected that they will ever become of commercial value. ,n 
account of their limited extent, to say nothing of the 
troublesome journey to the above ranges. 
Analyses of cave deposits have also been published from 
Victoria and New South Wales. !^ 
* V. Streich : Trans. Roy. Soc. S.A.. vol. xvi., pnsfo 99. 
t Report of Government Geologist to Minister of Minee, 
April, 1902. 
1 See Macivor. On Australian Bat Guano, etc., Chem. 
News, May 13, 1887, page 3. 
§ Notes and Anolyseis of Some N S.W. Plio.sph. Minerals and 
Pho-sph. DeT3ositK, bv J. C. H. Mingave. .Aus. Asso. Adv. So., vol. 
vii., 1893, page 332. 
