Obituary — William Anderson. 479 



Wales, 1886-91". Before leaving Scotland Anderson had already 

 commenced to publish the result of local observations, at least two 

 papers being read before the Geological Society of Edinburgh in 

 1885-6. 



In 188.8 he explored the Yarrangobilly Caves, which have since 

 become a well - known tourists' resort ; he also examined the 

 neighbouring Kiandra Goldfield. During 1887 he accompanied 

 Mr. Wilkinson to the Bingara Diamond-field and Cope's Creek, 

 and reported on the possibility of existing auriferous deposits in the 

 Byrock, Nyngan, and Girilambone Districts, and the well-established 

 metalliferous zone around Cobar. 



Pleistocene deposits, rich in marsupial remains, were known to 

 exist at Myall Creek, near Bingara, and in 1888 Mr. Anderson was 

 sent to investigate these and superintend the excavation of the fossils ; 

 these are now in the Mining and Geological Museum, Sydney. He 

 also, during the year, reported on the important discovery of fish in 

 the Hawksbury Formation at Talbragar, Mudgee District; these have 

 since been described by Dr. A. Smith Woodward. In 1889 a most 

 important investigation was commenced by the Geological Survey in 

 the delineation of the great Cretaceo-Tertiary artesian water-bearing 

 area of Western New South Wales, from the South Australian border 

 to well beyond this side of the River Darling. This was entrusted to 

 Mr. Anderson and carried on till 1891 (it was during this year we had 

 the misfortune to lose our chief and friend Mr. C. S. Wilkinson). 

 In 1890 he examined and reported on the Pambula and Cargo Gold- 

 fields ; 1892 and 1893 were spent by Mr. Anderson in the survey of 

 the Shoalhaven Yalley, accompanied by Mr. P. T. Hammond as Field 

 Assistant, but in June of the latter year he retired from the service 

 and returned to Scotland. 



Mr. Anderson's Official Reports are too numerous to mention in 

 detail, but supplementary to these he contributed interesting articles 

 to the Records of the Geological Survey of New South Wales. 

 Prominent amongst these are: " Petrographical Notes on the 

 Eruptive Bocks connected with the Silver-bearing Lodes at Sunny 

 Corner," etc., "The Shell-heaps or Kitchen Middens" of our south- 

 east coast ; and in particular "The Occurrence of Opal in New South 

 Wales". 



No great lapse of time intervened between the termination of 

 Anderson's Australian work and his appointment to the Geological 

 Survey of India as Mining Specialist, but of this portion of his life 

 I regret I am in possession of very few facts. He resigned his 

 position in October, 1896. 



We next hear of Mr. Anderson as Government Geologist of Natal, 

 where he entered on his duties in January, 1899. It was not until 

 the middle of 1901 that his first report on Natal and Zululand 

 appeared. Between these dates the Lower Tugela District mapping 

 was carried out, and a geological reconnaissance of the eastern half of 

 Zululand. Two other very useful items are contained in this report, 

 " Historical Sketch of Natal Geology" and "Bibliography of Natal 

 and Zululand Geology, Part I". There is also a short paper by the 

 writer: on "Fossil Plants from the St. Lucia Coalfield". 



