Ill 



in obtaining the granite in contact with sandstone transmuted more or 

 leas at the point of contact. (See specimen No. 2.) In No. 1 specimen 

 it will be seen that the slate has been altered to no small extent by the 

 granite, and that there has been an interchange of particles as though 

 the slate had been rendered soft or plastic by the heat of the eruptive 

 rock under great pressure ; while in No. 2 specimens the sandstone 

 has been changed at the point of contacb into quartzite by fusion of 

 the silJcious particles, the result of the same agency. In theRingarooma 

 district, I have since found examples of the same character, i e., granite 

 with altered sandstone attached. Here, then, is to be seen good evidence 

 of the granite being of later origin than the stratified formations 

 associated with it. But there is no evidence, that I have seen, of the 

 precise geologic age during which the granite made its appearance, nor 

 have I succeeded in discovering any palasontological remains in the 

 sedimentary rocks of the districts in question that would enable the 

 geologist to decide whether they were either upper or lower Silurian 

 or still older Cambrian systems. In New South Wales there are 

 Devonian granites, according to the late Rev. W. B. Clarke, if I 

 quote that geologist correctly, and as there is much in common with the 

 Tasmanian formations, it is not unlikely the granite under consideration 

 may be referable to the same epoch. This granite having burst through 

 and displaced the older palreozoic strata, has in turn been erupted by 

 the greenstone and basalt. Striking examples of this are to be seen 

 in the Fingal district, where greenstone caps the granite, while in most 

 of the higher hills in the vicinity of Thomas' Plains basalt is the capping 

 rock of the granite. Precisely the same conditions obtain at Mount Bischoff 

 of the granite erupting, displacing, and altering at point of contact the 

 older palffiozoic sedimentary formations; and when other analogous con- 

 ditions are taken into consideration, it is quite possible that the granitoid 

 formations of that part of the island owe their origin to the same period 

 as these of the East Coast."] 



1.3. From the llev. George Brown, Sydney. Two carved wooden 

 Masks, worn by the Natives of New Ireland in their dances. 



14. a From Mr. James Barnard. A miniature Silver Medal, struck 

 at the Mint in commemoration of the Melbourne Exhibition, 

 having the words " Melbourne International J]xhibition, 

 MDCCCLXXX," encircling the Queen's Head, and on the obverse 

 the motto "Vitam excoluere per artes." 



h Sample of Victorian Coal from Cape Patterson, 80 miles from 

 Melbourne, taken from the "Queen Seam," 4ft. thick. Distant 

 18 miles from the shipping place. With a printed description 

 and opinions of the Press. From Mr. J, S. Butters, Melbourne. 



c Coloured view of the Island of Ovalau and the Town of 

 Levuka, Fiji. From the same gentleman. 



d Sample of Alluvial Tin, from Aberfoyle, Avoca, received from 

 Mr. F. A. Padlield, Campbell Town. 



e Sample of Tin Stone from the lode of the Great Extended. 

 Pieman River Co. From the same gentleman. 



15. From Mrs. W. Murray. Specimen of the Indian Minah (Acri- 

 dotheres tristis), prepared and mounted. 



IG. From Mr. E. D. Swan. Specimen of Shell ( Cassis rufa),-w\t\x 

 cameo cutting. 



17. From Mr. James Simpson. Four Granite boulders, remarkable 

 for their almost perfectly spherical form, from Thomas' Plains. 



18. From Mr. Wm. Exton, Oatlands. Specimen of the Grey Flying 

 Opossum ( BeUdens sciurus). 



19. From Dr. Macfarlane, New Norfolk. Specimen of the Austra- 

 lian Crane (Grus Australas'ianus). 



20. From Mr. W. II. Burgess, M.fl.A. Specimens of Auriferous 



