120 



(Unio ainbiguus) and a small water snail (Bulinns bullatus). 

 The forest trees consisted cliiefly o£ tlie Red G-nni, Eucalyptus 

 rostratus, E. goniocalyx, and E. capitellata. In opeu grassy- 

 spots were seen Calocephalus lacteus, Eryngium vesiculosum, 

 and Lagenophora emphysopus. 



Tlie members started for town at 6 p.m., and arrived about 

 balf-past 7. 



Sixth Excitrsiox — Saturday, March 22, 1884?. 



Tue party, consisting of 35 members, inclnding two ladies, 

 proceeded in a reserved carriage to Alberton by the 1.50 p.m. 

 train. On arrival Mr. Councillor Kestel met the party, and 

 conducted them to a gravel pit near the Station sunk through 

 two feet of loam and fourteen feet of gravel. Mr. Kestel 

 exhibited a piece of miocene limestone containing Tnrritella 

 Aldingse ; pieces of jasper, quartz crystals, and titaniferous 

 ironsand as found in it ; also some valves of the Victoria 

 cockle or Area trapezia. Prof. Tate said he had no hesitation 

 in regarding the gravel as of fresh-water origin, and of the 

 same character as that intercalated with the red loams forming 

 the drift or pliocene deposits of the Adelaide Plain. The shells 

 of the Area trapezia had doubtless been found at or near the 

 surface, and he would hazard the theor}^ that they had been 

 left by the aboriginals at some time, who had cooked and eaten 

 the mollusc at their camp, as evidenced by the number of pel- 

 lets of burnt clay found with the shells. Exhibiting a geo- 

 logical map, he showed that they were standing on the margin 

 of a marine formation about fourteen feet above sea level, and 

 embracing the Dry Creek marshes. It was rich in fossils, all 

 of which, as far as known, belonging to living species. The 

 xlrca was one of the most characteristic of these, but no longer 

 a denizen of our waters. 



A business meeting was then held, at which Prof. Tate pre- 

 sided, when the following gentlemen were elected as honorary 

 members, viz. : — Messrs. H. AVatt and D. Best, A^'ice-President 

 and Hon. Secretary of the Victorian Eield Xaturalists' Club 

 respectively, aud three new ordinary members. A vote of 

 thanks was offered to Mr. Councillor Kestel for his kindness 

 in calling attention to the gravel pit. 



Prof. Tate having indicated that the route they would follow 

 was restricted to the marine deposit just referred to and its 

 littoral sandhills, the party proceeded through Rosewater to 

 the North Arm, noting the characteristic vegetation by the 

 way. Amongst these were Salicornia australis, S. arbuscula, 

 Kochia oppositifolia, Atriplex paludosum, Frankenia laevis, 

 Sua?da maritima, Mesembriauthemum australis, and Polyene- 



