Et) AUSTRALIA 
to the season of the year. Another large salt lake of little 
depth, Lake Amadeus, lies a little west of the centre of the 
island. Various others of less magnitude are scattered over 
the interior. 
The climate is generaily very hot and dry, but very 
healthy. In the tropical regions there are heavy rains, and 
in most of the coast districts there is a sufficiency of moisture, 
but in the interior the heat and drought are extreme. Con- 
siderable portions of the land now devoted to pasturage are 
liable at times to suffer from drought. At Melbourne the 
mean temperature is about 56°, and at Sydney about 63. 
The south-east settled districts are at times subject to 
exceedingly hot winds from the interior, which cause great 
discomfort, and are often followed by a violent cold wind 
from the south called ‘‘southerly bursters.’’ In the moun- 
tainous and more temperate parts snow storms are common 
in June, July and August. 
Australia contains a vast quantity of mineral wealth. 
Foremost come its rich and extensive deposits of gold, 
which, since the precious metal was first discovered there 
in 1851, have produced a total of more than $1,350,000,000. 
The greatest quantity has been obtained in Victoria, but 
New South Wales and Queensland have also yielded a con- 
siderable amount. Probably there are rich stores of gold 
still undiscovered. This island continent also possesses 
silver, copper, tin, lead, zinc, antimony, mercury, etc., in 
abundance, besides coal (which is now worked to a con- 
siderable extent in New South Wales) and iron. Very 
precious stones are found, as the garnet, ruby, topaz, sap- 
phire, and even the diamond. Of building stones there are 
granite, limestone, marble and sandstone. 
The Australian flora presents a most decided individu- 
ality. Many of its most striking features are the result of 
the general dryness of the climate. The trees and bushes 
have, for the most part, a scanty foliage, presenting little 
surface for evaporation or thick leathery leaves well filled 
