12o 
in ironstone layers, some very small fossils, wliicli Mr. F. Chapman con¬ 
siders of the nature of worm tubes; he also recognised two umbones 
of a small shell. The relation of the thick sandstone bed to the 
Schizoneura shales and the new fossils in the ironstones has not been 
established; the last-named appears to lie stratigraphically above the 
Gangamopteris layers, and are above the highest layers of glacial con¬ 
glomerate noted on the hillside. The strata below the ironstone fossil- 
iferous beds are thin bedded and dip generally at a low angle into the 
hill. A band of conglomerate in one place shows a certain amount of 
movement, and is ultimately lost on a north-westerly pitch. There are 
many thin-bedded layers of sandstone, sandy shale, and clay shale; the 
last-named in places forming a distinct layer, in other places passing 
into a succession of scone-like nodules. This rock contains markings 
resembling worm burrows filled with clay, but there is an absence of 
the shelly material seen in the rocks above. Thin beds and rapid 
alternation of sediments suggest deposition under shallow water con¬ 
ditions, an inference supported by the existence of worm burrows, and 
one fine sandy layer, which is rill-marked. The worm tubes and burrows 
were noted for over a quarter of a 'mile easterly from the site where 
they were collected; they appear to constitute a series having a thickness 
of upwards of 20 feet with a fairly persistent strike. 
A dyke now decomposed to a brown clay has been intruded into the 
glacial conglomerate in the lower part of the Lederderg Gorge. 
On the eastern branch of the Korkuperrimul Creek there is an old 
soil, firm and consolidated, overlying the Bacchus Marsh sandstone 
and covered with a flow of basalt from the older series. It is composed 
of water-worn pebbles, angular fragments of sandstone, shale, and pieces 
of charcoal. 
A series of white and exceedingly fine sands intercolated with 
gravels and nodules of magnesite outcrops from under the newer 
volcanic basalt on the east side of the Lerderderg Biver, on Gorman’s 
farm, allot. A, sec. XVII., parish of Merrimu. The fine sand contains a 
very small amount of cementing material, probably alumina, and is 
blended with magnesite. 
About half-a-mile further north there is another outcrop of similar 
fine white sand, in places indurated by the overlying basalt. Sand of 
this texture and purity should be suitable for the manufacture of 
superior glass. 
Samples of sandrock and fireclay were obtained from the first rail¬ 
way cutting on the Melbourne side of the Bacchus Marsh railway 
station. I was informed that fireclay linings for locomotives are manu¬ 
factured from this clay. 
The Barley Firebrick Co. Ppty. Ltd., whose works are situated about 
a mile from Bacchus Marsh, obtain their clay, gravel, &c., from a 
quarry at their works. The clay is mixed with gravel and previously 
burnt ground fireclay material. All kinds of retorts and firebricks 
are made from patterns for customers in this and other States. Some 
retorts made for the Metropolitan Gas Co. are 10 ft. high. Samples 
of the clay and products were obtained for the Geological Survey 
museum. 
A white, tough, adhesive clay, resembling ball clay, was obtained 
from a decomposed dyke which intersects the Ordovician rock bands at 
the Barley bridge, where it crosses the Lerderderg River, 2 miles from 
