THE GEOLOGIST. 



GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF TASMANIA. 



By C. Gould, Esq., 



The formations treated of were the Upper Palaeozoic marine deposits and 

 the coal-measures. The apparent conform ability of the two sections was 

 shown, together with their intimate connections, serving to render their consi- 

 deration inseparable. The coal-measures exist to a greater or less extent 

 through the country, the depth being about nine hundred feet. They may be 

 regarded as constituting two distinct fields, the maximum one, the Mount 

 Nicholas Coalfield, comprehending the various portions developed upon either 

 side of the Break o' Day Valley; the other the Douglas Eiver Coalfield, 

 between Long Point and Bicheno. In the first the position of the principal 

 seams of coal, although highly advantageous to their being worked, is at an 

 elevation of from one thousand two hundred to one thousand five hundred feet 

 above the sea. There were at least six distinct seams in the Mouut Nicholas 

 coalfield, one of which was of superior quality and twelve feet in thickness. 

 Since the discovery of the seam, experiments have been made which, though 

 amply sufficient to prove the value of the coal for domestic purposes, and for 

 application to the usual branches of manufacture, have been upon too limited 

 a scale to permit of the determination of its value as a steam-fuel. A remark- 

 able shale exists in the north of the island, available as a source of paraffin and 

 paraffin-oil. The Mersey coal-field was one of very few in Tasmania which is 

 actually worked ; for, although the extent of coal throughout the island is 

 almost unlimited, there are very few points at which any operations are 

 conducted. 



THE IMPERIAL GEOLOGICAL INSTITUTE OF VIENNA. 



Sir P. I. Murchison communicated information from the Director Haidinger, 

 respecting the present state of the Imperial Geological Institute of Vienna. 

 That important institution was one of many which were very likely to have 

 been abolished in the course of the changes which were going on in the empire 

 of Austria. It was founded by Dr. Haidinger, one of the first geologists in 

 Europe, who now wrote that, public opinion having been expressed strongly 

 in favour of the institution, the government had conceded all the terms in 

 favour of geological science which had been formerly granted, and the Imperial 

 and Royal Geological Institute of Vienna was reinstated upon its old 

 foundation. 



CARBONIFEROUS LIMESTONE. 



By Mr. Richardsox, C.E. 



Details of the carboniferous limestone, as laid open by the railway-cutting 

 and tunnel near Almondsbury, north of Bristol. There was a branch railway 

 making from Bristol, from the Great Western line, which traversed the Severn. 

 In making this traverse, it was necessary to go across a ridge of limestone, at 

 Almondsbury, the railroad running across that country of carboniferous lime- 

 stone. On the whole the strata were deep, and subject to very great contor- 



