The Coming Colony. 425 



the ovei'lying ferrnginous sandstones, conglomerates, and clays, 

 which not only form the flat-topped coast range, but stretch away 

 far into the interior, forming the large table-lauds, and capping the 

 ranges to the eastward. This formation is probably an extension 

 westwards of " the great desert sandstone " formation of the Eastern 

 Colonies. No fossils have been found in these rocks, but as they 

 rest conformably upon true Cretaceous rocks, both here and in South 

 Australia, they have been classed with them ; but it is quite possible 

 they may be of much later age. These Cretaceous rocks are under- 

 lain by strata of Jurassic age to the north of Champion Bay, from 

 which fossils have been obtained and described by the late Mr. 

 Charles Moore, F.G.S., and also by Mr. G. C Crick, F.G.S. (in this 

 present number of the Geological Magazine). 



Although highly important to the agriculturist, the Tertiary 

 deposits of the colony do not appear, geologically speaking, to be 

 of considerable interest. The largest area, coloured as Cainozoic, 

 is that of the Eucla division. The Coralline limestones form the 

 lower beds of the coast, and are well seen at Shark's Bay and on 

 the islands adjacent. These limestones contain many fossils, and 

 are said to be of Eocene age. The sand- plains (of Pliocene age) 

 are a characteristic feature of Western Australia, extending in places 

 from one end of the colony to the other. The great sand-plains of 

 the interior are not unfrequently 20 to 30 miles across, but as they 

 usually contain a good deal of clay and iron which, cement the grains 

 of sand together, and there being a fair rainfall, they are covered 

 with a hardy vegetation, and during the two spring months they are 

 perfectly gorgeous with flowers, and form good summer grazing- 

 grounds. These sands result mostly from the disintegration of the 

 great desert sandstone, which forms the table-land of much of the 

 interior of Australia. 



Add to these the Shelly Limestones of the coast ; the Estuarine 

 and Eiver- valley deposits ; the Kaised beaches ; the ancient Kiver- 

 gravels and Lake-basins ; and we have a very fair notion of the 

 nature of the later deposits of this colony. In addition to the coal- 

 fields, which are indicated by black oblique lines, the author shows 

 on the map by similar means, in various colours, the tin-fields ; the 

 lead, copper, and last, but by no means least, the vast extent of the 

 gold-fields of this wonderful colony, which has lain dormant so long 

 waiting for the master-mind which should develop it, or, rather, 

 which should re-act upon other minds, and so stimulate its fellow- 

 men to go forth to colonize this hitherto all but terra incognita, 

 where fortune awaits the man of enterprise. With such a Map to 

 aid one ; with such guide-books to direct one's steps ; with so 

 admirable an Agent-General here in London as Sir Malcolm Eraser 

 to assist one ; with so energetic a Premier as Sir John Forrest out in 

 Perth ; and so able a Government Geologist as Mr. Harry Page 

 Woodward, to advise them on the spot, what need the emigrant 

 fear who embarks for Western Australia ? The climate is the finest 

 in the world, and the death-rate the lowest. 



