for the year 18G6. 117 



The Geological Survey, Tinder tlie direction of Mr. Selwyn, 

 one of your members, has made considerable progress. 

 There has been, however, a less number of those splendid 

 maps produced than usual, in consequence of most of the 

 field surveyors having been appointed in 1864 to examine 

 certain portions of the colony which were hitherto unex- 

 plored. Their very interesting reports on these districts are 

 now in course of publication. 



During the past year, however, they were recalled, to 

 continue their regular field works, the director having 

 selected for survey " those lines of country " which he con- 

 sidered, if carefully mapped, would be most likely to afibrd 

 valuable data and information on several very important 

 points afiecting the probable auriferous character of untried 

 reefs, and the extension into new ground of deep leads now 

 working, as well as the existence of others not yet 

 developed. 



The labours of the survey during the past year in this 

 direction, especially in the elaborate and carefully-worked 

 survey of portions of the Moorabool valley, near the Steig- 

 litz gold-field, " have enabled them to arrive at conclusions 

 which, if true, are not only geologically interesting, but may 

 become of great value in preventing useless outlay of capital 

 and labour. There appears, however, a very general indis- 

 position on the part of mining investors in the colony to 

 accept the conclusions or to be guided by the deductions 

 and experience of the scientific geologist, and his advice 

 and opinion, though frequently asked for, is seldom acted 

 on if it dilfers from that of the working miner. Even in 

 the short history of Victoria, instances are not wanting in 

 which thousands of pounds would have been saved had an 

 opposite course been taken." 



A report of the various examinations and experiments 

 conducted by Mr. Newbery, analyst to the geological 



