Proceedings, 



Eiver and Curdie's Creek. For the better illustration of the au- 

 thor's journey, a map of the county of Heytesbury was exhibited, 

 showini^ tlic main geop^raphical features as Air as they have been 

 laid down on tlie maps issued by the general survey. Tlxe author 

 commenced by a detailed description of Lake Elin^amite, which is 

 supposed to be the source of Brnckneirs Creek. This lake is about 

 four miles in eircumtcrenee, and is situate six miles and a half south- 

 west from the parish of Coh)ngulae. He started from thonee ^on 

 foot, surveying the wliolo course of Curdie's Creek and its numerous 

 tributaries. He describes tlie soil in that neighbourhood as poor in 

 (]uality, but well grnssed and heavily timl)ered with strin<^y bark, 

 and other species of Eucalypti, Many of tlie valleys are of a richer 

 description, well clad with lightwood, gum, &c. I'he formation 

 generally appears to be basaltic or volcanic. The " Stony Eises," 

 on the east side of Lake Purrumbeet are described as irregularly 

 piled masses of trappean rocks. Numerous marshes and swamps, 

 in tliis tract of country, supply Cuvdio's Creek, and the soil is of a 

 liglit chocolate colour, supporting various species of the enealyptus 

 and the aceacia. Some of the higher lands, bordering on Curdie's 

 Creek, present the remarkable fact of the existence of marine shells, 

 intermixed with fra;j;ments of limestone quartz, &c. The land 

 southward of this is of an undulating character, and it is in some 

 parts covered with thick scrub and stron*^ grass, from whence has 

 arisen a considerable surface deposit of decomposed vegetable mat- 

 ter, which the author seems to think might be used as peat. After 

 supi)lying nuich useful information respecting the inland district of 

 Heytesbury, the author describes his journey southwards to the 

 coast, and notices tlie different kinds of rocks, wliieh form the cliffs, 

 near the mouth of Gellibrand's river. 'Jlie strata, it appears, is 

 nearly horizontal, and, I'rom the author's allusions to its calcareous 

 nature, and the presence of calcareous eoncrelions, it may be pre- 

 sumed that it does not diil'er, in any remarkable dee;ree, from the 

 tertiary ibrmations in other ])arts of the coast. The author's sub- 

 sequent remarks on the navigation of the streams, near this part of 

 the coast, were of a practical character, and could not be properly 

 entered into without explanatory charts. 



The Chairman observed that tlie conference of councils had di- 

 vided on the advisability of admitting discussion on eacli paper.— 

 The late Philosophical Society had followed the practice of the 

 Royal Society of England, which forbids discussion. It was, how- 

 over, deemed advisable that free discussion should be admitted on 

 every subject that was introduced, so that every possible light 

 might be thrown upon it; he therefore invited the members to 

 oifer any remarks they may have with reference to the statements 

 contained in the paper. * 



]\lr. Achcson adverted to the great importance of the discovery 

 of peat mentioned as existing in the locality described. He ques- 



