220 Proceedings of Learned Societies. 
induced Dr. Lankestcr to regard the Australian Moss as distinct. 
He believes it to agree better with F. spinosus, L. It is brought 
from Swan River, where it grows on rocks washed by the sea, 
and is composed principally of Liehenin, a form of starch which 
also constitutes the bulk of such gelatinous plants as Iceland 
Moss, Carrageen Moss, Ceylon Moss, and the Qelidium used by 
the Hirundo esculenta in the formation of its nest. Its dietetical 
and medicinal qualities strongly resemble those of the Carrageen 
Moss (Chondrus crispus, Lyngb.) 
BRITISH ASSOCIATION FOR THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE : 
Sixteenth Meeting, at Southampton, September, 1846. 
Geological Section. —‘ Sketch of the geological structure of 
Australia,’ by J. B. Jukes. —This document was chiefly drawn up 
from the author’s own observations during four years, in which 
he had opportunity, as naturalist of H. M. S. Fly, of seeing the 
greater part of the Australian coast. Along the eastern coast 
there is one continuous line of hills, extending from Bass’s Straits 
to Cape York in Torres Straits, a distance of 2,400 miles; 
beyond which it is prolonged in rocky islands up to the coast of 
New Guinea. This chain has a granitic axis, flanked by meta- 
morphic and palaeozoic rocks in the south, as described by Count 
Strzelecki. From Port Bowen, in lat. 22° 30', the author’s own 
observations commenced. The coast everywhere consisted of 
schists, porphyries and basalts; at Cape Upstart granite occurred, 
and was extensively developed on the coast to the northward, and 
far into the interior, forming hills 4,000 feet high. North of 
Cape Melville, the granite almost disappeared; and instead, 
great masses of porphyry with feldspathic, quartzose and meta- 
morphic rocks composed all the headlands and islands. This line 
of coast appears to cut obliquely through a chain having granite 
for its axis, flanked by porphyries and metamorpliic rocks. On 
the south-east coast, the crest of the main chain lies 70 or 100 
miles from the shore, leaving a considerable space, which is occu¬ 
pied by stratified rocks, consisting of palaeozoic shales, 
sandstones, &c. The same rocks are found on the western flank 
