46 
Geology and Physical Geography: 
occurrence. In all the late and in many of the earlier beds,- 
aqueous arrangement is clearly distinguishable. The coarse 
angular breccias at the base indicate, I think, a shore line. 
“In all the sections occur folsitic sheets which, as a rule, are 
compact, and are found under conditions which almost always 
suggest that they are of contemporaneous origin. 
“ The passage beds are compounds in varying percentages of 
limestones and felsitie particles, the latter varying in dimensions 
from mere dust to several inches in diameter. 
“The felsitie admixture gradually, or in places, suddenly ceases, 
and the remaining beds of the group are then purely limestones of 
the ordinary character seen at Buchan, and characterized by a 
numerous marine fauna of Devonian age. 
***** “ Tho general conditions indicated are, I think, 
these : — 1. A sinking coast-lino with either marine or littoral 
volcanoes, from which trachytic materials were ejected as frag- 
ments, or emitted as flows of Java (felsite-breccias, tufas, compact, 
and porphyritic felsites). 
“2. Gradual extinction of volcanic activity as indicated by 
the finer character of the felsite fragments, thoir intermixture 
with calcareous materials (calcareous felsite-tufas) and their final 
cessation with succession of purely marine limestones.” 
Two small outliers occupy respectively small basins at Cowom- 
bat, on the fall towards the Murray, in the north-eastern corner 
of the colony, near Forest Hill, and at the sources of the Native 
Dog Creek, the head of the Buchan, on the southern slope of the 
Main Divide. In the first of these outliers, the observable strata 
consist of nearly vertical yellowish and blue thin shales, with some 
bands of calcareous shale and limestone, Testing on the Snowy 
Itiver (Lower Devonian) porphyries and altered Silurian rocks. 
In the second outlior, the rocks consist of dark shales, with 
calcareous nodules, and blue compact limestones, also resting on 
the Snowy River porphyries. The elevations of these outliers 
above the sea probably exceed 3,000 feet. 
In both places imperfect fossils (corals and small brachiopods) 
have been found, which Professor McCoy considered to be iudica 
tive of Middle Devonian ago, though probably younger than the 
Bindi and Buchan limestones. x 
A patch of Middle Devonian limestone is indicated on tho 
Geological Sketch-map as occurring to the cast of the Mitta Mitta 
River, south from Mount Gibbo, but has not heen sufliciently 
examined to admit of details being given. 
Tho tracts occupied by tho Middle Devonian limestones are 
smoothly rounded and Lilly, or undulating, with occasional cliffs 
and scaurs; the soil is of fair quality, well grassed, and supports a 
medium but thinly-scattered growth of timber. The general 
aspect of the country is park-like, and affords a pleasing contrast 
to the rugged sterile appearance of the encircling mountains. 
