Bevieus — Prof. J. W. Gregorifs Dead Heart of Australia. 369 



ascertained, but the limestone-band agrees in lithic structure with 

 bed 5 rather than with 2, hence I have provisionally grouped it with 

 the/tt/cz/erMm-deposits. The clay overlying the rock of spinati hemera 

 occupies the stratigraphical position of the actitum-hed. 



On the Geological Survey Map the Middle Lias is shown to occupy 

 a narrow zone on both sides of the valley running north from 

 Batcombe ; but westwards, in the neighbourhood of Cbesterblade, it 

 was thought to be overlapped by the Midford Sands ; in other words, 

 that the ' Sands ' rested directly and non-sequentially upon the Lower 

 Lias. This, however, is not the case : the Marlstone is well- 

 developed, but how much farther north it extends I was unable to 

 find out. Probably in that direction the Middle Lias is overlapped 

 by the Upper Lias clays, and these in turn by the Inferior Oolite. 



In considering the geographical distribution of the component beds 

 of the Liassic and Inferior-Oolite Series, it is necessary to bear in 

 mind that in ti'acing the beds from south to north we are approaching 

 a tract of country, the Mendips, along which (there is ample 

 evidence) movements of subsidence and elevation have occurred time 

 after time. Beds may have been deposited, uplifted, and partially 

 or wholly eroded. Thus, although the Marlstone is present in 

 this quarry at Mays Down, a mile and a half to the north of 

 Evercreech, it by no means follows that it extends as far north as 

 Doulting. It may be present there ; or it may have been deposited, 

 elevated, and removed. Likewise with the Midford Sands. In the 

 railway-cutting at Doulting, the peculiar conglomeratic limestone 

 forming the base of the Inferior Oolite rests directly upon bluish, 

 micaceous, and arenaceous clays, from which water is thrown off. 

 Thus there is no deposit there worthy of the name of ' Sands.' 



I^ IE ^V I E "VvT" S. 



I. — The Dead Heart op Australia : A Journey around Lake 

 Eyre in the Summer of 1901-1902, with some account of the 

 Lake Eyre Basin and the Flowing Wells of Central Australia. 

 By J. W. Gregory, D.Sc, F.R.S., F.G.S., Professor of Geology 

 in the University of Glasgow. 8vo ; pp. xvi and 372, with 38 

 illustrations and maps. (London : John Murray, 1906. Price 

 IBs. net cash.) 



PROFESSOR GREGORY has just presented us with a most 

 interesting volume of travels in the interior of Australia, 

 dealing with the geology and physical geography of the Lake Eyre 

 region, and giving most graphic and lively descriptions of the 

 * Aboriginee ' at home. Those who recall the author's African 

 experiences as given in his history of " The Great Rift Valley " ^ 



» See Geol. Mao., 189C, Dec. IV, Vol. Ill, pp. 324-327, PI. XL 



DECADE V. — VOL. III. — NO. VIII. 24 



