PREFATORY NOTE. 
This report is the result of patient and systematic palaeontological 
investigation extending over a period of several years. It has required the 
sacrifice of much private time that might well have been devoted to rest 
from the arduous routine of Mr. Chapman’s ordinary official duties. The 
scientific results are a valuable addition to Australian palaeontology and the 
little known geology of the north-west Mallee. Eleven bores have been 
closely studied, and in every case it has been found that a polyzoal rock 
series of Miocene age was reached before fresh water was obtained; this 
demonstration should be an important practical guide to future water boring 
operations over many thousands of square miles of the Lower Murray region 
in South Australia, New South Wales, and Victoria. The cores of a much 
larger number of Mallee bores still await examination, but there is unfortun¬ 
ately no immediate prospect of Mr. Chapman being able to continue his 
important researches on this material. 
Mr. A. S. Kenyon, C.E., as Engineer for the State Livers and Water 
Supply Commission, directed the water boring. Mr. Chapman’s researches 
were undertaken by permission of the Director of the National Museum. 
Mr. Kenyon has saved and classified the cores throughout the operations 
of several years, and it is due to his appreciation of the importance of 
the work and care in collecting data that Mr. Chapman’s investigations 
have been made possible. 
H. HERMAN, 
Director of Geological Survey. 
29 / 11 / 15 . 
A 2 
