117 



parts visited by me it is confined to slight depressions in the 

 prevailing limestone surface. It is evidently the residue of 

 the disintegration of the miocene limestone, an analysis of 

 which shows it to contain about six per cent, of insoluble 

 matter. Its limited extent in the interior tracts is doubtlessly 

 due to a combination of circumstances reciprocal in their 

 action. The absence of timber and almost of vegetation does 

 not favour its formation nor its retention. The moistening 

 vapour of the sea breezes does not reach the interior to clothe 

 the parched and naked rock. What little is formed is for the 

 most part removed by the action of the wind, and transported 

 to those parts where conditions prevail favourable for its 

 retention. 



Meteorology. 

 Very little is known respecting it, and observations have 

 only recently been commenced at Eucla and Fowler's Bay. 

 The rainfall around the Head of the Bight is very small, and 

 is mainly brought by the south-east winds. Heavy rains are 

 unf requent ; and that the prevailing rains are of the nature of 

 coast showers is evidenced by the diminution of rain in advan- 

 cing in a north-west direction from Port Lincoln, as exhibited 

 by the following records extracted from " Meteorological 

 Observations," by C. Todd, C.M.G., &c. :— 



Yeah. Port Lincoln. Streaky Bay. Fowler's Bay. Eucla. 



1876. 16-210 inches ... ... 11-330 



1877. 22440 " ... ... 13*775 



1878. 17-290 " 16135 10314 5892 

 The number of days on which rain fell during 1878 was at 

 Port Lincoln, 115 ; at Streaky Bay, 77 ; at Fowler's Bay, 74 ; 

 and at Eucla, 65. 



Independent evidence of the above nature is furnished by 

 the officers of the survey schooner, obtained during the autumn 

 of 1879, between Fowler's Bay and the Head of the Bight : — 

 "It is strange that very much more rain falls in the sea near 

 the shore on this part of the coast than on the land, and on 

 one occasion nearly two inches of steady rain fell in six hours. 

 "Within ten miles of Fowler's Bay and at the tidemaster's tent 

 at Fowler's Bay there was none at all." — S. A. Register, May 

 27, 1879. 



One proof of the scarcity of rain and the rarity of rain 

 storms on the Bunda Plateau is the fact of the preservation to 

 this day of the tracks of the horses forming Forrest's equipment 

 which were made in July, 1870. 



From the general character of the rainfall on the coast it 

 may be inferred that the amount is less at the Head of the 

 Bight than at Fowler's Bay or at Eucla, and that it decreases 



