47 



penetrates the smooth sand, the whole head is speedily 

 covered over by the drift ; and if the situation be sufficiently 

 removed from the waves, it erects a barrier to further drift 

 inland: There is reason to believe that the Helicidce Sand- 

 stone was similarly 2>rotected. 



I was much impressed with the numerous evidences of the 

 recent elevation of the land, on taking a knapsack excursion, 

 on foot — in company with my friend, Mr. T. R. Atkinson — 

 from Badger Corner to Cameron's Inlet : i.e., along the south 

 and east coast of Flinders' Island, The country, for miles 

 inland, consists of a series of sand hillocks, in ridges more or 

 less parallel with the coast line. These ridges may be said 

 to form a species of network along the eastern coast of Flin- 

 ders' Island, the interspaces consisting of brackish or salt 

 water lagoons, or the bottoms of recently dried-up lagoons. 

 Some of these salt water lagoons are very extensive. The 

 Pot Boil Lagoon and Cameron's Inlet still maintain a connec- 

 tion with the sea at full tide by a very narrow shifty inlet, 

 but it is evident that they are but existing examples of tlio 

 mode by v/hich the other basins have been cut off from the 

 receding sea. Their connection will also soon be closed up. 

 Recent shells — particularly Amjmllarina fragilis — are found 

 round the margins of the inland salt water lagoons. On 

 sinking through the turf of Saliera radicans, in search of 

 water — (there are no fresh water streams on the eastern 

 coast) — I passed through layers of decomposing seaweed 

 three feet below the surface, some distance inland. 



The characteristic shells exposed by the destruction, by 

 the wind, of the inland sand dunes, are as follows : — 



Bankivia varians ... ... ... Most abundant. 



*Philine a]3erta... ... ... ... Common. 



^Trigonia margaritacea ... ... Abundant. 



*Pectunculus rubens (Axinia radians?) Ditto. 



* ,, roseus ( ,, obligans r) Ditto. 



,, laticostatus ... ... Ditto. 



Area trapezia ... ... ... ... Ditto. 



Leda crassa ... ... ... ... Ditto. 



*Cardiuni tenuicostatum ... ... Ditto. 



CucuUea cainozoica ... ... ... Ditto. 



Those marked with an asterisk are certainly now existing 

 in the neighbourhood ; but I could only get the others in a 

 bleached and worn state along the shore, and it is very 

 doubtful whether they are now living in the immediate 

 vicinity. 



I picked up a living specimen of Tnrho clrcularis near to 

 Cameron's Inlet. Professor Tate informs me that it is " a 

 very rare South Australian form, and hitherto only recorded 



I 



