43 



iiient," on Flinders' Island, is the property of Mr. G-ardiner, 

 of Launceston, who has also a lease of the whole island. 



The various islands of the group present nearly the same 

 features botanically and geologically. With the exception 

 of the mountain chain on Flinders' Island, running north 

 and south — (the highest peak, Strzelecki, 2,550 feet) ; a few 

 isolated conical peaks of recent igneous origin (the Patriarchs 

 and others, 300 to 400 feet) ; Mount Monro, on Barren Island ; 

 and Chappell Island — the land is low lying, nowhere rising 

 above 100 feet. The prevailing rock on all the islands is 

 granite, through which a dark blue close-grained rock has 

 been most curiously intruded — sometimes in continuous 

 dykes and veins, at other times interspersed in a sort of 

 network — in such a manner as to leave the observer in doubt 

 whether the granite or the dark blue rock is the later of the 

 two. The granite is frequently porphyritic. Crystals of 

 hlach tourmaline are occasionally found several inches long, 

 and over one inch in diameter. The largest crystals hitherto 

 obtained have been got on Long Island. The surface of the 

 larger islands — where not composed of loose sand dunes and 

 vast brackish lagoons— is covered over with an impenetrable 

 scrub of Banhsia, Callistemon, and Melaleuca ; and the saline 

 herbs and shrubs of the order Chenopodiacea give a most 

 singular character to the vegetation of all the islands. On 

 the low coast flats Mesemhryanthemum csqidlaterale forms a 

 continuous carpet. The half-castes are very fond of the ripe 

 fruit of the latter^ and of Solanum laciniatum. These fruits 

 are pleasant, and of a sweetish-acrid taste when fully ripe, 

 but are of a most nauseous taste when partially so. 



The accompanying sections, giving the relation of the 

 various rocks, will give a better conception of their geological 

 -character. A section of one island — say Grreen, Barren, or 

 Flinders — may be taken as a type of the whole. If we take 

 the rocks in a descending order — after passiug through the 

 humus, or the sand dunes now forming the surface of the 

 low coast lands — we would find the following order : — 



1(a). Consolidated sandstone, replete with shells of two or 

 three small species of Helicidcc and other land shells. 

 Sometimes 60 and 70 feet thick. 



•2(b). Elevated consolidated sea beaches and sandbanks, com- 

 posed principally of the shells of species now existing. 

 Average elevation, 40 to 60 feet above, present sea 

 level. 



3. Tarritella limestone, composed of the more or less perfect 



remains of shells not now existing. 



4. Metamorphic schists, abutting upon the granite. 



5. Granite. 



