Pre-Cambriaii system. Those rocks had a thickness of two- 

 miles. What enormous eras of time it must have taken to de- 

 posit such a depth of rock! Mr. Ward was inchned to think 

 that the present natural features of Tasmania were ah'eady out- 

 lined in the deposits of those Pre-Cambrian rocks. He (Dr. 

 Noetling) thought that was i-ather a bold theory. Mr. Ward- 

 had taken a great deal of trouble in describing these rocks. 



]\Ir. R. M. Johnston, I.S.O., enlarged on the paper, and' 

 stated that it was a very valuable one. It was believed that life 

 existed on the earth prior to' the Cambrian period, though we 

 had no trace of it. The speaker dwelt on the very interesting- 

 enquir}^ of what has been the sequence of life on this earth. 



Mr. T. Stephens said that Mr. Ward's paper was a valuable 

 contribution to the geological literature not only\ of Tasmania 

 but of the whole Commonwealth, but it could only be discussed 

 in detail by those v/ho had some personal knowledge of the 

 country described. Mr. Ward remarks that the term Pre-Cam- 

 brian is merely a temporary title, and that it is probable that 

 these rocks will eventually have to be subdivided into a number 

 of separate systems as in North America. As an instance of 

 one of the rocks specially mentioned in the paper, he called' 

 attention to the block of schistose conglomerate from Goat 

 Island, near Ulverstone, now on the table, which he had placed 

 in the Museum some two years ago, and which showed quartz- 

 pebbles drawn out and twisted under intense pressure. Mr. 

 Stephens added that Mr. Ward's remarks to the effect that the 

 diabase capping of most of the mountains of Tasmania was 

 once more widely distributed, and that "' it postulates a cover 

 of sedimentary rocks since removed by sub-aerial denudation," 

 will be welcomed by those who support the theory put forward 

 b\' himself in 1892. 



Mr. Lyndhurst Giblin moved that the aiscussion of the paper- 

 be adjourned until it had been printed, and after some debate 

 the motion was carried. 



(2) Notes on Brachycome melanocarpa, Sonder. Bj^ L. 

 Rod way. 



The author describes this daisy, specimens of which were 

 placed on the table, and remarks that he had found it on the 

 eastern slopes of Mount Wellington. It had been found on the- 

 mainland, but not previously in Tasmania. 



NOTES AND EXHIBITS. 



Air. T. Stephens drew attention to a specimen of the fruit of 

 the Baobab tree, from the River Limpopo. South Africa, pre- 

 sented to the Museum by Miss Beatrice Adams. He said that 

 the Baobab tree was in girth the largest tree in the world, rang- 

 ing from 20 to 30 feet in diameter, but not lofty. The pulp of 

 the fruit was used for various medicinal purposes. 



He also exhibited specimens of a black shaly rock contain- 

 ing graphite, which occurred in the bed of the River Kermandie, 

 beyond Ge'eveston, and had been forwarded by Mr. James 

 Thompson, of Hospital Bay. Whether it was pure enough to. 

 be of any commercial value has not yet been ascertained. 



