168 Proceedings. 
The following extract from a report on the geological characters 
of the country on the Florentine River by Mr. Dawson was read, 
having been forwarded by Major Cotton, Deputy Surveyor- 
General :— 
‘I may remark that shell limestone crops out towards the foot of the hills, 
between the Derwent and Florentine Rivers, and immediately above the level 
of the Florentine Valley; argillaceous schist intervening between it and the 
ironstone, which forms the summit of the range, and containing impressions 
of shells and corals, similar to those found in the analogous formations so 
prevalent in the neighbourhood of Mount Wellington, and ranges adjacent. 
“In the limestone formation I could discover but one species of shell, and 
that apparently a ‘‘terebratula.”(?) The upper stratum, though apparently true 
limestone, did not exhibit the granulated appearance of the lower, and was 
destitute, as far as I could find, of marine exuvias: it was also marked by thin 
bands of a darker bluish-black, and parallel to the planes of stratification.” 
The Secretary read the following notices of physical changes, 
and on some objects of natural history, observed by Ronald C. Gunn, 
Esq., on a recent overland journey from Circular Head and elsewhere. 
Extract of a note from Mr. Gunn was also read drawing attention 
to the successful employment of Hydro-carbon gas for lighting the 
streets of towns in England and Scotland,—for the production of 
which a patent has been taken out by Mr. Stephen White,—its com- 
parative cheapness and great brilliancy, and asks whether the bitu- 
minous shale from the Mersey River might not be applied to the 
production cf this gas. Dr. Crooke thought the gas might be 
obtained from the Kawrie gum of New Zealand.— 
‘* Penquite, 17th November, 1851. 
“My Dear Mirtican,—1 will string together the few rough notes on 
Natural History since my last. Some may be of interest to you, others may 
be valueless. 
“ Encroachments of the Sea at Circular Head, &c.—1t was thirteen years from 
the day 1 left Circular Head until I returned to it last month. I found that 
the sea had washed away about 30 to 50 acres of land, (as near as I could 
guess), perhaps more, between the old sawpit and the neck fence on the east 
beach. ‘The whole configuration of that part of the shore is altered. The 
beach is strewed with Banksias of very considerable age, the soil upon which 
they grew having been washed away, so that an estimate may be formed of the 
period during which the old form of the beach had existed; although in my 
time the sea was encroaching steadily. From present appearances I believe 
the encroachments will become more and more rapid, as the land is low behind 
