192 JOURNAL OF SCIENCE. 
the drainage and probably changed the climate. 12. Wehave no 
means of knowing the eastern limits of this ancient desert, as there 
has been a subsidence on that side. 13. This tormation differs 
but slightly trom other and more extensive aerial ones in other 
countries, especially in Mexico, China, Arabia, &c. 14. There is 
no evidence of ice-action, and all the physical features are against 
such a supposition. 
17th May, 1882.—C. Rolleston, Esq. C.M.G., president, in the 
chair. This was the adjourned meeting held to discuss Mr Wood’s 
paper. Mr. Wilkinson, Government geologist, combated Mr. 
Woods’ conclusions at nearly all points. While endorsing the 
author’s description of the formation of blown sand deposits, he 
pointed out—(1) the undulating and hilly surface of blown sand 
areas as seen near Sydney, whereas the prominent feature of the 
sections exposed in the cliffs along the coast, or fringing the har- 
bour, or in the magnificent precipices of the Blue Mountains, was 
the horizontal stratification of the beds ot sandstone; (2) that Mr. 
Woods’ second conclusion applies equally well to the lower coal 
measures which occur near Wallerawang at 3000 feet above sea: 
level, and are full of spirifers and other marine fossil remains, and 
the bedding of which is nearly horizontal like that of the Hawkes- 
bury sandstone overlying them ; (3) the lamination or “ false bed- 
ing’? is not confined to eolian rocks, but is met with in almost all 
sedimentary formations, whether of marine or fresh water origin, 
and is regarded as indicative of more or less strong currents in 
shallow water ; (4 and 5) the beds and irregular bands of iron- 
stone can hardly represent old land surfaces, as they not only 
curve in all directions, but are sometimes vertical; most of them 
have been formed from the oxidation of water containing iron in 
solution permeating the sandstones and shales; (6) the gravels 
included in the sandstone beds have evidently been brought by 
the same currents that transported the sand, and as some of the 
pebbles consist of quartzite, black slate, etc., they may have been 
derived from the Hartley ranges, some 60 miles distant, which are 
the nearest formations of the character; whereas creeks traversing 
blown sand beds seldom traverse such a distance. (7) The con- 
glomerates, to satisfy Mr. Woods’ theory, must occur at the base 
of the series, but here they are principally found in the upper- 
most portions. They are plainly seen to have been deposited by 
aqueous agencies. (8) The horizontal arrangement of the beds, 
and their structure, already alluded to, are against the idea of the 
precipitous cliffs of the Blue Mountains being the hard central 
cores of sandhills. (9g, 10, and 11.) The conclusions arrived at 
by Mr. Woods are also disputed; while 12 and 13 are passed 
over. In regard to the last of Mr. Woods’ conclusions, it. is 
pointed out that the signs of ground-ice are present—e.g., the 
sandstones lying immediately above the thin beds of shale which 
occur frequently enclose angular boulders, which have been torn 
up from the underlying beds and embedded in a very confused 
manner in the sand and rounded pebbles brought by the 
transporting currents. The angular form and mode of occur- 
rence of these bouldeys of soft shale evidently show that the shale 
beds have been disturbed by moving ice, and this opinion is shared 
in by Prof. J. von Haast, director of the Canterbury Museum, N.Z. — 
