982 ON WELLS IN LIVERPOOL PLAINS. 
The object of these questions was to obtain reliable facts as to 
the flow of water beneath the surface of the earth. It is well 
known that rivers taking their rise in the mountains flow for 
many miles and are eventually lost in the lait = it could be 
ascertained beyond doubt that these rivers may be reached by 
well-sinking or boring it would impart confidence in ne per- 
manence of the springs. I believe the area of the watershed of 
which the water passes Bourke, the Darling, Namoi, Barwin, 
Gwydir, and all their tributaries, is about 140,000 square miles 
The average rainfall at and about Bourke wena be 16 inches ; 
thence towards the main range it gradually increases until the 
the Darling at Bourke drains very largely, the all,” Mr. 
Russell says, “ would, I should think, be fully 40 inches.” _ Esti- 
mating however the rainfall throughout at 16 inches, and reducing 
it over this large area in the usual way for evaporation and soak- 
age, and in order to avoid the possibility of error reducing what 
remains by one-half, the river at Bourke should be 200 feet tes 
and 200 yards wide, and flow all the year round! At Bourke 
the — is sometimes nearly dry. Where then does all this 
< Amst 
with a view of assisting as far as I can over a limited area 
‘unis 1a deceit solving this problem that I have undertaken 
the collection of facts regarding wells in this district. T can 
only at gure: supply a paper upon wells in the county of 
Pottinger. The information I possess respecting any 0 other of the 
counties in this neighbourhood is of too meagre @ 
submit. 
I have obtained, by means of the forms I had printed and a 
lated, information pomaling about 100 wells in the distriet 
Gunneda h, and accompanying this paper I have pre 12a 
showing the position of over 90 wells scattered over an an area 
country amounting to upwards of 2,000,000 (two ape ware tt 
Those who have visited Liverpool Plains are of course awa’ = 
the largest and ehaek of the far-famed pasto: ta 
situated in this county. The plains are generally level, te | 
soil; here and there isolated basaltic ridges of no 0 great eat : 
islands of timber and scrub, and sometimes san 
occur. 
The object I had in view in preparing pap 
position of the wells, the general features of the mf 
the schedule attached giving the ret aye strata, and of this! ae 
mation I possess, was to 
thoroughly reliable data—so — it, goes—Upon 
more able than I may build up theories. My muissio® 
only to collect facts. 
