243 IBAB-BOOK OF FACTS. 



glomerate formation must be regarded as the real gold-field, prepared 

 in a gigantic manner by the hand of Nature from the detritus of the 

 mountains, for the more detailed and minute operations of man. 

 "While the less extensive, but generally richer, river- diggings afford 

 better prospect of gain to the individual digger, the dry diggings in 

 the conglomerate will afford remunerative returns to associations of 

 individuals who will work with a combination of labour and capital. 

 The intelligent and energetic gold-digger, Mr. Washbourn, is the 

 first person who has proved the value of the dry diggings in the 

 Quartz Ranges, and has demonstrated the fact that gold exists in 

 remunerative quantities in the conglomerate. We are indebted to Mr. 

 "Washbourn for the following interesting details. He writes : — " In 

 the drives into the conglomerate of the Quartz Ranges, the avenge 

 thickness of dirt washed is about two feet from the base rock ; aud 

 the gold produced from one cubic yard of such earth would be, as 

 near as I can calculate, worth from twenty-five to thirty shillings. 

 This includes large boulders ; so that a cubic yard of earth, as il 

 through the sluice, is of course worth more, as the boulders form ;■- 

 large proportion of the whole. Where the earth is washed from the 

 surface to the rock, the value per cubic yard is much less ; not worth 

 more, perhaps, than from three shillings to six shillings per yard, ant' 

 it would generally pay very well at that. With these data the fol- 

 lowing calculation may be made. We will reckon the superficial 

 extent of the Aorere and Parapara gold-fields at thirty English 

 square miles, the average thickness of the gold-bearing conglomerate 

 at a very low rate at one yard, and the value of gold in one cubic 

 vard at five shillings. Upon these data the value of the Aorere 

 gold-field is 22,500,000/., or 750,000/. for one square mile." 



Dr. Hochstetter adds, that he is confident that the mineral wealth 

 of Nelson is enormous, and that vast mines of gold, copper, and coal,, 

 exist in the mountains. 



TKIASSIO DRIFT. 



A PAFBB has been read to the British Association on the contents 

 of three square yards of Triasaio Drift near Frome, by C. Moore, of 

 Bath. In order that it might receive a more careful examination 



than could be given on the spot, the whole of it, consisting <>t 

 about three tons weight, was carted away to the residence of the 

 author at Bath, a distance of twenty miles : all of which has i 



under his observation, with the following results : — The fish remains, 

 which were tie- most abundant, were first noticed, Bom< 

 might 1"' formed of their numbers when be stated that of the 



aVcrodns alone, tnolading two species, he had extracted i"., 1 teeth 



foam the three square yards of earth under notice ; and that they were 



more numerous than thi m numbers indicated, since lie p 

 all but the in., t perfect examples. Teeth ofthe Bauriohthysofi 

 species were a! ic abundant ; and. next to them, teeth of the Hybodtu, 

 with occasional spine- of th as. Scales of Gyrolepis and 



Lepidotus were slso i 'el t.eth showing the presenoeoi 



several other genera of fishes. With the above were found a number 



