6 
In his ‘‘ Report on the north-Avestern portion of tlie Colony ” (N. S. 
Wales), to the west of the Paroo River, Mr, E. F. Pittman says : — “ In none 
of the country traversed hy me Avere the LoAver Cretaceous rocks (Rolling 
Doaaois formation of Queensland) to he seen outcroppiiig at the surface, there 
being ahvays a capping of either desert sandstone or of Pleistocene sands to 
hide them from vicAV. Rut in the spoil-heaps of many of the Avells Avhich 
have been put doAvn by the pastoral lessees are to be seen the characteristic 
blue clays and sandy shales of the LoAver Cretaceous formation containing 
Belemnites, Maccoyella rejlecta, Macconella corhiensis, &c, I also obtained 
a specimen (presented by Mr. A. Rang) of a very large biAMve, which Mr. 
Etheridge believes to be new ; and Mr. "Warden Maitland presented me Avith 
a specimen (from the Uj)per Cretaceous rocks of Mount Stuart) of a fossil 
tree-fern, Avhich is also ncAV to Australia.^ 
1895 . — At a meeting of the Geological Society of London, on 21st 
November, 1891, the President (Er. Henry "VVoodAA^ard) exhibited^ “ Opaliscd 
Cretaceous Fossils, consisting of a tooth of Bolyptychodon, the guard of a 
Belcmnitclla, aud a bivalve shell, from New South Wales,” and “ Precious 
Opal having the form of a JSaticaB No doubt these Avere from White Cliffs, 
although no locality is given. I have not seen a Belemnitella from our 
Cretaceous beds. 
1897 . — During this year I published some remarks on the opalisation 
of fossil organic remains at AVhite Cliffs Avhen describing “An Australian 
Sauropterygian {CimoUosaurus), converted into Precious Opal.”^ From this 
paper I extract the folloAving remarks ; — 
“The animal remains occur under the following conditions ; — 
“1. As external or internal casts in kaolin, without opalisation of any 
kind, 
“ 2. Entirely converted into hydrous silica or Common Opal, white 
and opa(pie, but occasionally Avith traces of the coloured variety scattered 
through. 
“ 3. Wholly or partially converted into translucent-glassy to A'itreons 
semi-opa(pie Precious 0])al, displaying a fine range of colour. 
' Ann. Kept. Dept. Mines and Agric. N. S. AA'ales for 1S94 (1.S95), p. 112. 
^ Quart. Journ. Oeol. Soc. , 1895, li, p. iii. 
’ Rec. Austr. Mus., 1897, III, No. 2, pp. 19 27, t. 5-7- 
