49 



Victorian coast. Mr. Herman, the Director of the Geological 

 Survey of Victoria, has courteously replied to my enquiries 

 on this subject as follows : "I do not know, nor do any of my 

 staff whom I have been able conveniently to consult, know 

 of any pumice on the south coast of Victoria. I rang up 

 Professor Skeats, who also does not know of any, neither do 

 we know of any deposit in situ in Victoria which approaches 

 the character of a true pumice." 



Professor Liversidge ^ records pumice from New Guinea, 

 New Britain, and from the Pacific, the last-named being 

 examples washed up on the coast of New South Wales. He says, 

 "Masses of pumice are frequently cast up on the beach along the 

 coast of New South Wales, and at times are also found in the 

 harbours, and they are not infrequently picked up within 

 the Sydney Harbour. ( 6 ) The source of this pumice is, of 

 course, a foreign one, and doubtless it is derived from more than 

 one of the volcanic centres of the Pacific, but which of them 

 does not as yet appear to be very clear. It is always water- 

 worn, and at times more or less coated with serpulae, and has 

 evidently been long in its travels across the sea. It is stated 

 to be more abundant after an easterly gale, and is found more 

 often on the north side of the inlets along the coast than in 

 other situations; in size the pieces vary from quite small 

 fragments to pieces 9 or 12 in. through. ... It would 

 be very interesting to trace the limits of the distribution of 

 pumice along the Autralian coast, and I trust that someone 

 will undertake this duty." 



The following replies to some enquiries made by me have 

 been received from Mr. Charles Hedley, of Sydney, who is 

 intimately acquainted with the coast of New South Wales : — 

 "Your note about the pumice is very interesting, and I hope 

 that you will put it on record. On this coast, from Sydney 

 to Jones Strait, pumice is very common. On the coral islands 

 of The Barrier it may extend continuously along the beach, 

 at high-tide level, in lumps the size of a cricket ball to a 

 marble. The pieces you describe are unusually large. There 

 is material in your pumice for some interesting deductions." 



In the absence of any known local source from whence 

 these pieces of pumice can have been derived, it is natural 

 to think of them as having been sea-borne. But there are 

 difficulties in readily accepting this explanation. The condi- 

 tion of the specimens does not suggest a long sea voyage. Whilst 

 somewhat water-worn, they have not suffered that extent of 



(5) "The Minerals of New South Wales," etc.,' 1888, pp. 250, 

 255, 258. 



(6) Professor David informs me that one piece washed up 

 in Sydney Harbour measured 3 ft. in length. 



