A Supplement to a List of the Lamelli branch and 



Census of the MoUuscan Fauna of Australia. Cen- 

 sus of the Mollusca of Australia. The Gasteropods 

 of the Older Tertiary of Australia (Part ii.). 

 Tebbutt, John, f.r.a.s.— Observations of Phenomena of 

 Jupiter's Satellites at Windsor, New South Wales, 



Waters, Arthur W., f.l.s., f.g.s.— On some Ovicells of 

 Cyclostomatous Bryoza. On the Ovicells of some 

 Lichenoporse. 



Medical Press and Circular, 22 May, 1889. Th 



Microscopical Bulletin and Science News, February, 1889. 



Trilhner's Record. Third Series, Vol. i.. Part i„ No. 243, 



THE SOURCE OF THE UNDERGROUND WATER IN 

 THE WESTERN DISTRICTS. 

 By H. C. Russell, B.A., F.R.S. 



[Read before the Royal Society of N.S.W., Aiiyust 7, 1889.'] 



In a dry country like the interior of Australia, it is a surprise 

 to many persons to find such an abundant supply of underground 

 water, and many theories have been propounded about it. The 

 highlands of New Guinea, and even more distant countries have 

 been mentioned as the source of the water, and when I pointed 

 out just ten years since, the remarkable relations existing between 

 the rainfall and rivers of the west, I was told by engineers and 

 squatters, who knew all the country, that it was impossible that 

 my statements could be true. It was most positively asserted 

 that no rain ever fell there that would wet the ground IS inches 

 deep, much less afford any for underground supplies ; with equal 

 confidence it was asserted that what did get into the ground was 

 all dried out again by e\ aj)oration, and further, that the greater 

 part of the Darling River basin was so flat that water would not 

 run upon it ; and that the rain therefore did not and could not, 

 any portion of it, hud its way into the river. To these and many 

 other statements I felt that it was of no u.se making counter 

 statements until facts should be collect(>d that would iri^e ;i fair 

 basis for argument. I had stated the results of the first measures 



before speaking again, for 1 

 tific as well as practical impo 



