414 
The above List of Lossils has enabled my Colleague to refer the Eolling Downs 
Formation to the Cretaceous ; although he admits that the formation contains “ an 
admixture of Oolitic as well as Cretaceous life.” As the succeeding formation (the 
Desert Sandstone) is, although it rests unconformahly on the Foiling Downs, also 
recognised as Cretaceous, we class the Foiling Downs and Desert Sandstone respectively 
as Lower and Upper Divisions of that Period. 
The break between the Foiling Downs and the underlying Ipswich Formation is 
complete so far as regards its life-history. The only fossils they have ni common are 
two species of Unio in each, but they are not the same species, and, even if they were, 
the presence of such a widely distributed form would have little significance. 
With the succeeding formation, the Desert Sandstone, although separated from 
it by a violent unconformabilitj, the Foiling Downs appears to have more in common, 
unless, indeed, the early collectors, who did not suspect that there was any distinction, 
mixed up fossils from the two formations as developed in the neighbourhood of 
Wollumbilla and Mount Abundance. With this reservation, we recognise as common 
to the two formations the genera Rhynclionella, Ostrea, Lima, Fseudavicula, Maccoyella, 
Ciicullcea, Nimila, Triyonia, Cypnna, Falmomaim., Qlycimeris, Feclen^ Natica, and 
Felemnites ; and the species Maccoyella Bariclyi, M. rejlecta, 31.? umionalis, M.? 
corhiends, M. ? sulsiriata, Cyprina ClarTcei, Glycimeris rugosa, Nucula qmdrata, and 
Natica mriahilis. 
AKTESIAN WELLS. 
The Western Interior of the Colony, especially that part which is covered by the 
Foiling Downs Formation, is covered with rich grasses, but in dry seasons the greater 
portion of the grass ceases to be available Lor stock, owing to the distance from wmter. 
For many years the G-overnment and the pastoral lessees of the Crown laboured to 
counteract this disadvantage by excavating tanks and throwing dams across water- 
courses for the conservation of water. The enormous expense of these undertakings, 
however, prevented the general adoption of this method of meeting the difficulty. In 
many cases, besides, the soil proved unsuitable for the retention of water ; and in some 
instances I believe that the rainfall is so slight that, if the whole of it could have been 
conserved in the districts where it fell, it would not have sufficed to render the herbage 
available. 
The great drought which prevailed in the year 1885 brought about a feeling akin 
to desperation, and I was sent along with Mr. J. B. Henderson, Hydraulic Engineer; 
with instructions to study the structure of the Western Country, and report whether 
there was a chance of success in boring for artesian water, and if so, to determine the site of 
the first experiment. I came to the conclusion that the conditions were similar aU over the 
Western Downs; that the strata of the “ Foiling Downs Formation ” cropped out on the 
flanks of the eastern ranges, and dipped westward under the plains, with undulations 
regarding which we had, and could have, no data, so that it was impossible to predict at 
what depth water might be struck in any individual case. In these circumstances we 
recommended that the first bore should bo made at Blackall, which appeared at the time 
to be in the sorest need. 
The bore at Blackall proved successful, although, owing to an accident, it was not 
the first to strike artesian water, the Barcaldiue Bore having carried off that honour. 
Since then boring for artesian water has been carried on vigorously all over the 
Western Interior, and a week seldom passes wdthout information reaching me of the 
success of some fresh bore. 
Operations were carried on at first with the Pennsylvania Beam-Borer, and latterly 
W’ith the Canadian Pole-Borer. Those instruments carry on the work rapidly, and at a 
