Xx Proceedings. 
River and Curdie’s Creek. For the better illustration of the au- 
thor’s journey, a map of the county of Heytesbury was exhibited, 
showing the main geographical features as far as they have been 
laid down on the maps issued by the general survey. The author 
commenced by a detailed description of Lake Elingamite, which is 
supposed to be the source of Brucknell’s Creek. This lake is about 
four miles in circumference, and is situate six miles and a half south- 
west frorn the parish of Colongulac. He started from thence fon 
foot, surveying the whole course of Curdie’s Creek and its numerous 
tributaries. He describes the soil in that neighbourhood as poor in 
quality, but well grassed and heavily timbered with stringy bark, 
and other species of Hucalypti. Many of the valleys are of a richer 
description, well clad with lightwood, gum, &c. The formation 
generally appears to be basaltic or volcanic. The “Stony Rises,” 
on the east side of Lake Purrumbeet are described as irregularly 
piled masses of trappean rocks. Numerous marshes and swamps, 
in this tract of country, supply Curdie’s Creck, and the soil is of a 
light chocolate colour, supporting various species of the eucalyptus 
and the accacia. Some of the higher lands, bordering on Curdie’s 
Creek, present the remarkable fact of the existence of marine shells, 
intermixed with fragments of limestone quartz, &. The land 
southward of this is of an undulating character, and it is in some 
parts covered with thick scrub and strong grass, from whence has 
arisen a considerable surface deposit of decomposed vegetable mat- 
ter, which the author seems to think might be used as peat. After 
supplying much useful information respecting the inland district of 
Heytesbury, the author describes his journey southwards to the 
coast, and notices the different kinds of rocks, which form the cliffs, 
near the mouth of Gellibrand’s river. The strata, it appears, is 
nearly horizontal, and, from the author’s allusions to its calcareous 
nature, and the presence of calcareous concretions, it may be pre- 
sumed that it does not differ, in any remarkable degree, from the 
tertiary formations in other parts of the coast. The author’s sub- 
sequent remarks on the navigation of the streams, near this part of 
the coast, were of a practical character, and could not be properly 
entered into without explanatory charts. 
The Chairman observed that the conference of councils had di- 
vided on the advisability of admitting discussion on each paper.— 
The late Philosophical Society had followed the practice of the 
Royal Society of England, which forbids discussion. It was, how- 
ever, deemed advisable that free discussion should be admitted on 
every subject that was introduced, so that every possible light 
might be thrown upon it; he therefore invited the members to 
offer any remarks they may have with reference to the statements 
contained in the paper. 
Mr. Acheson adverted to the great importance of the discovery 
of peat mentioned as existing in the locality described. He ques- 
