On a SpecwieR of JS'ative Copj^er. 131 



graphitic oxide resembling that furnished by the graphite 

 which crystalhses from molten cast iron, but differing from 

 that which plumbago yields to the same processes. The 

 author quoted suggests that bisulphide of carbon, acting 

 ■on the iron at a high temperature, may have been instru- 

 mental to the deposition of this graphite. 



Mr. Gibbons, in commenting on these observations, and 

 referring to the so-called graphitic acid of Brodie, showed 

 some fine specimens of the crystalline laminae of graphite 

 (Kish) from cast iron. 



Art. XLIII. — On a Specimen of Native Copper recently 

 found at Footscray, near Melbourne, Victoria. 



By G. FooRD, Esq. 



[Esad at Annual Converzatione, July 1872.] 



I have the pleasure of directing the notice of our visitors 

 and of the members of our Society to a recently discovered 

 mineral specimen, which presents certain points of interest. 



It is a specimen of native copper ; a weighty mass of 

 nearly pure metallic copper, of an arborescent form ; 

 it was picked up close to the works of Messrs. 

 McMeikan and Co. on the banks of the Yarra, at Footscray, 

 near the juuction of the Saltwater River. It was accidentally 

 discovered among loose fragments of weathered basalt or 

 trap, of which tlie bank of the river at that point is com- 

 posed ; and Messrs. McMeikan and Reed have kindly placed 

 it at ni}' disposal for exhibition this evening. 



On picking up a metallic mass of this kind the first 

 question forced upon the mind is that of its origin ; 

 we ask, "how came it there?" and among jiossible solu- 

 tions will naturally occur the suggestion of its having 

 formed part of a cargo of a ship, and of its having been acci- 

 dentally discharged during adjustment of the ship's ballast, 

 on the spot. We think of Adelaide copper ores; of ships bear- 

 ing them in past times to New South Wales, and putting in at 

 Port Phillip, on their way to Great Britain. But then occurs 

 also the idea of rich ccjpper ores discoverable on the spot 

 whence our specimen is derived ; and in deciding between 

 these and other possibilities, the evidence, if any, afforded 

 by the specimen itself, ought to be very carefully weighed. 

 "Is this individual lump of metallic copper derived from 



K 2 



