Bank of Inlet; Grid Reference 566 673; unidentified Mesodesmatids
Swamp at edge of Lake Powell off Elleker - Grasmere Rd; Grid Ref. 573  674; [Collecting not specified]
10/04/1977
Moss on rocks on slope above Barker Bay Beach; 592 (or 3) 669.5; dead Bothriembryon and ?Paralaoma
Karri, Tingle and Banksia grove S of Little Grove; 586 666.5; dead Bothriembryon in leaf litter and on burned ground, 1 live Bothriembryon.
11/04/1977
Torbay Channel; one live Bothriembryon kingii, dead shells, weevils, one dead B. melo.
19/04/1977
Under rocks on E banks of Kalgan River estuary, just upstream of Lower Kalgan Bridge; ellobiids, Venerupis, Katelysia and Bembicium auratum.
23/04/1977
Area W of Rushy Point to W of Frenchmans Bay Rd;GR 584 669; dead Bothriembryon kingii & melo, live B. kingii - 1 in litter 3 others on Acacia.
Area S of Little Grove; GR 586 666.5; minutres (Paralaoma etc) in bark at base of Karri (or Tingle) - damp below surface, Oxychilus.
24/04/1977
E side of road W of N end of Goode Beach, Vancouver Peninsula; GR 592 668; dead Bothriembryon (2 spp.)
25/04/1977
Reserve S side of road before turnoff on South Coast Highway before turnoff to Marbellup Rd; GR 575 678; no snails.
Peppermint Tree litter (Agonis flexuosa) near beach, Cosy Corner Road to Cosy Corner; GR 564 669; Oxychilus, Paralaoma, Insullaoma.
Lookout above Hartons Beach; GR 562.5 663; no snails in low heath & Peppermint.
Karri forest, near Torbay Head (NE of Lake William); GR 561.5 666.5; Oxychilus, Gratilaoma?, no trace of Bothriembryon, 4 B. jacksoni under bark and on trunk of karri trees.
30/04/1977
Seal, tag AM107; snout to anus 82cm, anterior flippers (front posterior edge 22cm anterior edge 26cm); buried 18' from toilet wall to beach, 12" deep on N side of shrub, at Goode Beach.
08/05/1977
Trip to Porongurups accompanied by BRU and JMS-S.
1; on slopes of Karri Marri forest, within private property on Millinup Pass; GR 592 714; Gratilaoma & one other species in leaf & bark litter.
2; Laterite - On Millinup Road just E of Wansborough Walk turnoff just S of Mira Flores & Marmabup Rock; one Gratilaoma? & 2 juvenile Bothriembryon (& very small) under boulders - dry.
3; Just E of Mira Flores Hut on Wansborough Walk in private land; GR 585 716; minutes in crevices and granite slopes.
4; Top of Wansborough Walk on the Devils slide, on granite slope; GR 586 717; few minutes under rocks on soil.
5; Same area of above, but under bark of karri trees & in litter & close undergrowth; 2 spp. (Gratilaoma and other same as at 1)
6; Karri forest, on new track N of Mira Flores Hutt running along edge of Park in valley; same assemblage of 2 spp.
09/05/1977
Trip to Currinup area accompanied by BRW.
Collected in patch of Karri-Casuarine forest S of Torbay Head (same as collected on 25-IV-77), Bothriembryon jacksoni, and Gratilaoma, also collected stump and 2 pieces of trunk of Nothofagus.
 ...

> 21 July 1963 (Sunday)
Beautiful morning, country in good condition. Bob Fallon at Crossing Inn, knew Blatchford, spent time in old days as his agent in 1923,4, 5 shipping fossils from the Crossing soak for him, does not recognise the ...tothere(?) . H.C. Branby is gardener at the inn, will meet him later Arthur left with truck to get back to Derby by lunchtime. Will ask Bill to send a wire first thing in morning to let me know what to do tomorrow about going out. Fallon says that Blatchford spent most of his time in this area & would not be surprised if the ..notothine(?) came from here. Mr Branby says that a large bone was found between Rundles Bore and Tuber Creek - Mr Pat McDonald Chief Dogger from Wyndham - collected the bone from a native boy who took him to the site, carried in flower pots. (South of Christmas Creek). B. says good "concrete" exposures on the "Leopold" road at 12 mile gorge. Through the gap there a number of creeks, mayor of Christmas Creek is Don Laidlaw - could be helpful. B. told me that he had picked up an "oyster" in the Erskine Ra. Showed him the labyrinthodont fossils I collected - he is not sure but thinks they are the same. Will keep his eyes open.

Eric turned up in Land Rover and we drove down to Gorge, past homestead turnoff then straight on to antcamp hills down the main road then turned left through the antcamps and on to Virgin Bore, from there S.E. about 2 miles down an abandoned fence line to camp at a low outcrop. Toombs & Ken in good order, excellent collections : a beautiful fauna(?) with Arthrodius, Antionals(?), Palaeomiscids, Dipnoi (but these are a mess and could well be something else) Goniatites, small molluscs, Eurypterids & ? (the curious undeterminable things that have puzzled me in previous collections).

Drove out to a locality nearby where there is an aboriginal stone arrangement(?). Ken has collected surface artifacts and I photographed. Went over to the "Amphitheatre" in the Emanuel Range, found a beautiful little fissure fill in a cave (collected)and then another outside (found by Ken Haigh) - this had much more phreatic banding etc. Then on way back Toombs and I had a good look at the floor of the amphitheatre and concluded that the whole is a valley fill which contains shales, conglomerates, sun cracked mudstones and the local cement bedding & inclusions (?) are of the biostromal limestones of the range as well as sandstone pebbles which look as though they could be derived from the Permian (like the hills near the homestead) - collected samples of the fill.

Ken B. collected bats Taphozous in a cave and is also having success with Sminthopsis in a creek near the camp. fat tailed - pale with interorbital(?) stripe well marked. Drove back to camp, photographed the collection of Toombs etc. and then back to the Crossing where I gave the boys dinner. Toombs will be in Perth .

> 22nd July (Monday)
Going to be a hot day.

Ken, Eric and Harry Toombs turned up and we drove out to the exposure of probable Fairfield beds some 10 miles from Fitzroy Crossing along the Derby Road. It is a pit in the topof a little rise where a bull-dozer has pushed up the surface into heaps for road metal etc. Excellent inbatelsintes(?) fossils esp. brachiopods. I found part of the tentacles of a crinoid.Brypzoa also v. common. We collected a good series and I made arrangements with Toombs for him to take the lot. Have the material sorted and send half to us. I must make sure that Errol White adds this material into our agreement.

Got back to the Crossing, found that Bill and Alex had turned up so took Toombs & Eric up for a flight to have a look at Gogo - Bill went with Ken to collect some more fossils from Fairfield Beds (Brachiopods, coral ?). Had lunch at the Crossing then got aboard for flight to Kununurra.

Filmed some Gogo country, Leopolds not as rough as I could have expected, Durack Range very sparse savannah. Filmed Geikie Gorge and surrounding country then nothing until North of Pompey's Pillar from 9,000 ft. Coming into the Ord, fantastic rough country. Some stills taken, wrong height to take cine, still very open savannah, extremely broken rock piles (1545 over main road) Took a lot of film and photos of Pompeys Pillar area Kodachrome II-18, Film no.2 - 60 ft. Argyle Downs turning down over Ord River, still taken looking south, photos of gullying at Ord. Arrived at Club and got accommodation, not good - in undercroft.

> 23rd July (Tuesday)
Kununurra 0800 hrs take-off for Wyndham, some film at S of Ord soon after take-off - co..ing (?) a metre but at 32 frames at f8. Exposed the last five feet coming into Wyndham. Have decided - if not too rough - stick to 32 frames exposing us for 1/80 sec.

Wyndham. Take-off 09.15 hrs, bearing 335* for Cape Ruthieres, The patch of Trop. David Woodland at Crater(?) Valley is densely differentiated from the air. Trees are spaced as in savannah but there seems to be little cover between them. Few steep valley bottoms are densely wooded, particularly in the northern slopes.

09.45 Abreast Buckle Head coming up for Mt. Casuarina will turn over Berkeley River (full of water) for photography.

09.55 back to Casuarina on coast again.Photography with all cameras: Kodachrome II finished cue 3 18ft., - Photos of Cape Ruthieres Ektachrome 16. King George River - also deep gorge10.05 hrs. Le Sueur Island has a reef with breakers on eastern side about 1 island's width off shore. 1010 SE of Cape Londonderry v. dry sparse woodland, deep river gorges with dense woodland along foot of breakaways. Ektachrome S. into one of the inlets E. of C. Londonderry, 3 bays east of C. Londonderry excellent mangroves. Photo Stewart Islands, coming in over Pago Mission, photography Ekta & Cue 10.25. 10.35 on ground at Kalumburu, photography with Ektachrome on way.

Father : Sang
Father : Rasendo (or Rosendo)
Brother: Augustine - Brother Andrew ?

Says that Athol's material was collected from 2 main localities : from the rocky hills near the camp and the rest from the deciduous woodland and the airstrip which I photographed on the way in.

Went for a walk with the Father Superior, drove out W. past the airstrip into "Sandstone Country" where he says that the "ringtail" lives in the rocks [short tail as big as a cat] other animals are Squirrel [flying possum].  large grey kangaroo, little rock wallaby, larger rock wallaby & porcupine. The larger masses of sandstone blocks look identical with the Alligator River situation found by Dahl. the Black Pigeon with white wings is very common also. cf. Dahl. The little rock wallaby comes down to the "parent" country - seats v. common in like country. Marsden Creek in this country poorly vegetated (see photos of the "island"). Walked back to Mission then through it onto the black soil of the "Basalt" country. This is typified by good grasses growing right up to the roots of the trees, big trees, no Cypress pine. He says that the most characteristic animal of this country is the large red kangaroo (probably antilopine?).

15.35 Take off. cine 25, Kodachrome III 13 timed over basin of filmed area to give good pictures of sandstone country, then on to junction of Carson and King Edward rivers, filmed there. Up to Mt. Connelly, basalt savannah well spaced trees, entered reserve area, did some filming on way in but kept b&w in reserve - finished b&w. Turned west at Banjo Creek and then made a swift run back to the Ord. Finished the cine film with a shot of the high cliffs on the far side of the Pentecost(?) across the Forrest River. Kodak II of Wyndham from above the Leake Hills. 16.45 Shot of the hills KII last on film between W. & IC. In to land 17.05 hrs.

> 24th July 63 (Wed)
8.00 hrs Kununurra take off due west for Parry Creek where it crosses the Turkey Creek Rd in order to get photographs of Rogers loc.

New films in all cameras, took 3 b&w, 7 Kodachrome IIof the point where P. Creek crosses the old road. Sandstone country, trees fairly widely spaced except along the creek itself, a bit of a gorge but no real rock piles.

Wyndham. Photo of town coming in of Ken High - of town from Warf.

Take off for Prince Regent Rd. :10.30 b&w 4 Kodachrome II 11, cine none taken. have decided to expose B&W at 500th on the metre for the rest of the trip.

11.00 Junction of Gibb & Drysdale Rds, trees well separated, well watered with creeks but sparse vegetation along banks. Mt Hann area: E. of Mt Hann, entered Prince Regent River area about

11.30 and flew down the river, filming all the way. Because of the sun it was necessary to turn up river for each sequence. There were three major ones:
   (1) in headwaters
   (2) about  mid-river
   (3) tidal sandbanks area with ...ment of mangroves (4) final sequences at mouth of river. These were taken on the beginning of reel[5]. In all cases I changed films in the course of the river. Flew over Kuri Bay system settlement

12.15, took B&W. 12.25 flew over Montgomery Islands, very different in climate from the others which are rocky with woodland or savannah, they have low topography with no rocks, grasslands and mangroves. Over Koolan Is, filmed over Watjulin(?)

12.45 photos & film. All the country here is quartzite hills with sparse tree cover river valleys with mangroves. At higher levels the ..ion valleys seem to become fairly ......ble woodlands. Entrance to King Sound v. sudden vegetation transition S. of Saddle Hill filmed, and also edge of Stokes Bay,

13.05 Point Torment, the centre of Point Torment very different scrub steppe.

13.10 Derby. Had luck in Derby team found that the fuel leads to the starboard engine was worn through where it passed through the main span and a bad petrol leak had developed. New part from Perth needed to go into Broome by B..... truck.

> 25th July 1963 (Thursday)
Our wedding anniversary, sent a telegram to Margaret & letters to her and the children. Drove out to Lighthouse Point to try to see the dinosaur tracks but sea too high, Brown sandstone at lower levels & exposures of flint bedded sandstones with fine cross-bedding at higher levels but strata are horizontal [sketch], on top of this are some channel deposits full of rubbish obviously eroded into the sandstone. This rubbish appears to be solifluxion debris. Above this is a complex ..... with some plant fossils which seems to be heavily ferruginized with fine recognizable sandstones(?). Plant fossils collected from the upper horizons of the of the unferruginous Brown sandstone. Above the base of the uppermost channel deposits and also 1 spec from the ferruginized horizon [sketch].

Alex arrived at approx 11.30, Take off Broome 12.30 hrs, over airfield 12.32 1500ft., 138*, 12.38 over coast. Firestreaks very visible in the Pindan (classified in A.A.R. as Scleropoly(?) 1 serufs(?) several). 12.50 Sandhills coming in but still reasonable vegetation, tracks out here. Excellent E/W track 12.55. Low E/w sandhills of low white(?) parallel, 1300 hrs. clipe(?) ornne(?). Sandhills about 200* apart.

1300-1310 hrs photography in circ. 90/ft, all cameras(?) used / taken at about 3-400 ft. 13.25 flew between 2 series of salt lakes or clay pans. Probably Cudmalgarra clay pan and Chingal Mudduge spring in the Eastern side, no-name on the west. These are interdural , still due some sparse vegetation.

 Photo of chain sandhills 13.30 at 4,900 ft.

Crossing Cardy Biddy springs at 13.40 this is clearly an old river system II to the Fitzroy and De Grey, outcrops numerous. From what I have seen on this flight I suspect that the thinness of the vegetation on the southern edge of the Basin is due to the fires. Where fire streaks are present clues are blown out but not otherwise. In bed of Cardy Biddy R. quite dense patches of sturdy timber - looks a bit like Callitris from the air.

13.45 Sandhills now over vegetation badly fire streaked for some reason this is scored as Sclerophyll low tree savannah but it looks the same as the other.

13.55 Slightly bigger trees coming into the picture between the scrub.

13.58 Creeks with denser vegetation along their banks but hardly nack(?)west

14.00 Cross telegraph line took colour & b&w of creeks (b&w too flat, did not come out)

14.05 peneplain with breakway and dense "eucalypt" cover in valleys, presumably the Jurassic means you can see across the De Grey & Oakover.

14.10 Photos / colour of the De Grey. 1 at campsite (Carlindie(?) Creek) passing over Carlindie Stn strip. Photo of the De Grey from 5000. Finished off cine on it as well, end of reel.

14.22 photos coloured and b&w of Bamboo Creek. Country here is crossed with ranges which seem to be Oglaes(?) All around essentially trimodia steppe with vegetation in the creeks & washes(?).

14.35 Flying Marble Bar area, photos, colour & b&w of river and town. Searched for the "Marble bar" & found it upstream from the town in the edge of the hills.

14.45 set course for Wittenoom, rough range country with rounded spinifex covered hills, vegetated creeks in the larger valley bottoms. Very rough but essentially an old surface with little in the way of Breakaways.

14.50 Shaw R.. Hamersleys in sight in the distance. From Marble Bar onwards there is not really very much essential change in the country.

15.03 Turner River in Abydos Airstrip to the west of us. The granites are clearly visible and rise isolated out of the flat plain,Photographs from 6000ft, colour & b&w. The plain of the Turner R. is a wide arc and separates the Marble Bar hills from the foothills of the Hamersleys but they seem to run together to the east of our track.15.10 Coming up into the spinifex covered hills of the edge of the tableland. Tableland is savannah.

15.20 Swamps in Mulga Downs filled.15.25 Landed Wittenoom. Const. Tom Marshall correspondent of Glen Storr. Snakes. : Jack Flood Health Dept.; Bill Flynn, Tom McLeod, councillors, and town clerk Frank Shehan.

Went up into W. Gorge past old mine workings to rock falls around the Eastern Wall after Gorge branched off to West. Found various concretions and ripple marks but no fossils I could recognize. Photographed 2 lots & collected a small ancredin (?) to bring back to show to Neville and Dorothy Beeck to check whether it was these that they had seen. Tom Marshall drove Alex, Ken and myself up. Spent the evening with the council talking about Town & Reserve Planning.

> 26th July 1963 (Friday)
Ready for take-off at 08.00 hrs for Millstream & then Barlee Ra. Route: Swamps over Mulga Downs, film - Millstream via Karijinji(?) film - Mt Hubert area, then Mt Flora & due south to the ...., then direct course to Carnarvon.>  

Take off 09.25 hrs : Start of new reel : filmed range then the vegetation about the Mulga Downs swamps. Over Coolawanyah homestead at 10.55 hrs. Much of the flood plain of the river is bone crusted((?) sand with spinifex and sparse trees. Large patches of snakewood distributed in it. To the east of Coolawanyah the country becomes more broken with low rounded hills & minor breakaways. These hills have well vegetated valleys. 10.00hrs. Fortescue bearing much one district - still reticulated in a flood plain but this is much more restricted. Karijeanje Creek and homestead now visible ahead. Crossed over Karijinji homestead and coming up for Millstream. Local flying at Millstream, filmed and stills b&w & colour. Interesting how local & small the cajeput(?) forest is when flown over as compared with the impression of vastness which one gets clearing or .... through it.

10.35 Centre of Hamersley S.C., Silver Grass Peak. Film, & b&w & KII.

10.40 District creeks flowing S. i.e. now in watershed of Ashburton.

10.45 Country below ironstone sand gently rolling with isolated minor changes, vegetation patchy spinifex. 10.50 Stuart homestead with Boolaloo homestead in distance. Ashburton coming up. Very green, full of water, good trees along its course that spread out at intervals to form patches of woodland. S. of Ashburton across the river from the homestead several Depuch type hills, black, should be v. important for Rock wallabies & Aborignal carvings. 10.58 Mt. Florrie in distance 1 colour photo of rusty(?) lumpy(?) red hills. 11.05 - 10 Flew straight down Koolchabinna Creek through gorge Filmed - 50 ft. then took b&w & colour stills, started new cassette. Bearing throughout approx S, country largely spinifex s laffe(?) with some scattered trees, and concentrating along watercourses very rough terrain with scree slopes.

11.20 Maroonah homestead. We seem to have crossed the transition   between Sclerophyll shrubs savannah with Sclerophyll hammock grassland and Sclerophyll shrubs savannah with arid scrub - patches of which I take to be mulga seem to have become quite common but nowhere near enough to be called mulga country.

11.30 Williambury Homestead mulga thicker, photos c. & b&w. colour was a claypinit(?), b&w by homestead.

11.38 Crossing Minilya river sth branch, great line of circular clay pans filled with water, breakaways of Permian marine(?) series.

11.40 Breakaway of lighter colour in front, probably the beginning of the Cretaceous Peneplain with good onteritized tops(?).

11.48 Sand dunes (fixed) trending N.W./S.E. Photo KII, high clouds, also b&w, approx from Watermelon Creek, vicinity of Mardathuna H.S. Out of the port side we can see the change in direction of the sand hills to E/W in the vicinity of Binthalya H.S. The whole country is studded with clay pans filled with water, mulga now the dominant vegetation.

11.55 Film of this. 12.00 Flying parallel to Gascoyne enormous areas of flooded claypans on either side of the river. All this makes me suspect that a slight rise in rainfall in W.A. would fill great areas of marshes. Carnarvon visible on the horizon through cumulus. 12.05 Descended through cloud,

12.06 Crossing main road just north of Gascoyne Bridge, landed Carnarvon.

13.58 Take off for Bernier. 11 goats south of hisp, at least 1 kid, 25, 5, 13, 1+1, 1, 20, 20, 5, 20, 35, 5, 20, 35, total estimate 130, very rough estimate kids about 1 in 12. Flew total length of Dorre, no goats seen. Dead whale with blue marker south of Castle point. 14.35 Dirk Hartog Cape Inscription, vegetation down to large bloomt (?) on W. coast essentially as in B & D. Some small animal tracks seen, no sheep yet.

14.40 Goat or sheep seen, sheep and a well in the middle of the island

14.43 Sheep 14.48 Extensive sand drifts threatened(?).

14.53 over south passage, Edel Land peninsula, fixed sandhills of the B & D kind of vegetation, similar low scrub. Filmed & took Kodachrome just north of extensive sand drifts.... are crossed at

15.00 Tall scrub in valleys

15.04 Finished with shot of cliffs of Edel Land. Climb to 1500 & set course for mouth of Murchison

15.34 Descending to Murchison  mouth. Flew around, filmed until film ran out. Can't help feeling disappointed with it - so small after Prince Regent ![nature reserve] Kodachromes and last two of (1) Kalbarri town site (2 ) Rocky beach just south of the mouth. Hill River district - all swamps are filled and abundant water, one can easily .... & show a favourable ... could be created here for R. fisciges(?).

17.22 Alkimos hard aground, waves breaking against here too. Wanneroo area extensive lakes, rain squalls over Perth. 1730 Landed Perth.
 ...

the Western Australian Museum. The lecturer was Mr. Bernard H. Woodward,
F.G.S., C.M.Z.S., Director of the Museum, and he chose for his subject
“The National Parks of Australasia, and their value in regard to the
preservation of the native animals.”

Dr. Hackett, M.L.C., the Chairman of the Museum Committee, presided, and
in introducing the lecturer, remarked that this was the twelfth and final
lecture of the third series, and that he was pleased at the good
attendance there had been throughout, which showed that they supplied a
popular want.

Mr. Woodward expressed regret that owing to the Government Geologist, Mr.
Gibb Maitland, having been detained at Pilbarra, the audience would have
to wait until next session to hear about the “Volcanic History of Western
Australia.” He was, however, glad to have the opportunity of bringing
forward a subject in which he had always taken the greatest interest, and
to which he had on all possible occasions, since his arrival in the State,
over eighteen years ago, endeavoured to attract public attention, viz.,
the preservation of the Indigenous Fauna and Flora, the most interesting in the world, for the animals of Western Australia were even more remarkable and peculiar than those of the Eastern States.

The lecturer then read the copy of the petition drawn up by the sub-
committee of the W.A. Natural History Society, and handed by the
President, the Bishop of Perth, the Right Rev. Dr. Riley, to his
Excellency the Governor, Admiral Sir F. G. D. Bedford, G.C.B., as patron
of the Society for transmission to the Minister for Crown Lands. The
petition was as follows :—

“We, the President and members of the Western Australian Natural History Society, humbly petition that the reserve for the protection of the native fauna and flora in the Darling Ranges, Murray No. 2,461, gazetted on January 31, 1902, may be vested in trustees as a national park. This reserve was originally gazetted with slightly different boundaries on February 16, 1904, on the petition drawn up and signed by the President (Sir John Forrest), and members of the Western Australian Natural History Society, which was presented by its patron, His Excellency, Sir W. C. F. Robinson, to the Hon. W. E. Marmion, Commissioner of Crown Lands. It is unnecessary to recapitulate the reasons then given in support of the request ; they are, however, of still greater urgency at the present time, as so many native animals are becoming very rare, and others almost, if not quite, extinct, and they are clearly set forth in the British Parliamentary paper, Africa, No. 5, 1900, reporting the Convention signed in London for the preservation of wild animals, birds, and fish in Africa. The contracting parties were the Queen, the Emperor of Germany, the Kings of Spain, Italy, Portugal, Belgium, and the President of the French Republics. The extent of the protected areas then declared is enormous. Nor is it needful to call attention to the reserves of the Eastern States and New Zealand, to the numerous reserves, including several islands, made in the United States of America since 1900, although that country, with an area only three and a-half times the size of Western Australia, had already a national park fourteen times as large as the one we ask. These questions have been so prominently brought forward in the leading newspapers and magazines of the world that their importance is a matter of common knowledge. We are moved to call attention to the urgency of the matter, as licences to cut timber on this area have been granted, although there is very little fine timber upon it, and this only on the western side, for we consider that it would be a great misfortune to have ‘the eyes picked out of it.’ The Minister for Lands, the Hon. Geo. Throssell, wrote in his minute on this reserve, dated November 11, 1897, ‘he feared an ancient tree would become a thing of the past, and that the reserve should contain some of the noblest trees.’

We further beg that the following islands may also be set apart as reserves and included in the Bill : —

Barrow Island, 90 miles off the North-West coast ; Bernier, or else Dorre Island, Sharks Bay ; Mondrain Island, on the South coast. Barrow Island contains at least five animals not found elsewhere in the world. Bernier and Dorre Islands are the last remaining habitats of Lagostrophus fasciatus, Lagorchestes hirsutus, and Bettongia lesueuri, three of the wallabies. Your petitioners therefore humbly pray that a Bill may be submitted to Parliament drawn on lines similar to those of the South Australian National Park Act, of 1891, and the Deed of Grant to Trustees of the National Park of New South Wales, in 1887, vesting the reserve 2,461 Murray in trustees, so that it may ‘be used as and for a national park.’”

The lecture was illustrated by a large number of lantern slides, commencing with A Zoo-geographical Map showing the limited area now occupied by marsupials and monotremes, the lowest orders of the mammalia, which, with the exception of the opossums of Central America and the South Eastern United States and two small forms in South America, were now only to be found in the Australasian region, proving that this country must have been isolated from the rest of the world since that remote spoch [sic] which geologists name Jurassic, when these orders were the predominant if not the only mammals in existence, as evidenced by the fossil remains found in Europe, the United States of America and elsewhere.

Then followed some thirty slides of typical marsupials, from the recently discovered mole to the gigantic diprotodon, of which the skeleton was obtained from Dr. Stirling, of Adelaide, in February last. Following next to this was shown the ideal drawing made by Professor Owen when he first received one or two bones of this monster from Queensland, and which approximated in the closest manner to the actual skeleton when further discoveries of bones were made five and twenty years later. Next a photograph of Brock’s bust of the Professor.

In the McCleay Museum in Sydney University, Mr. Woodward saw several Western Australian mammals now extinct, although they were plentiful in 1868 when Mr. Masters made the collections, while those found by Gilbert and described by Gould in 1840 still further prove the rapid disappearance of these most interesting forms of life. The prognostication of Darwin, in 1859, concerning the probable early extinction of Australian marsupials had unfortunately become fully verified in the last half-century, for those animals that had become highly specialised in the struggle for existence in the great continents, when introduced into countries situated like Australia, speedily crowded out of existence the marsupials which were less highly specialised. Mr. Shortridge pointed out how the harmless sheep was causing the extinction of the kangaroo rats.

Mr. Woodward then gave a short account of the reserves in the Eastern
States.

South Australia.

The National Park at Belair, eight miles east from Adelaide, contained 2,000 acres, on the slopes of the range of Cambrian Rocks, which culminates in Mt. Lofty. The park was vested in twelve commissioners. The Act of Incorporation was passed in 1891, and a set of by-laws drawn up in 1892 to protect the fauna and flora, etc. The agitation to obtain this reserve or the protection of the fauna and flora commenced in 1883. The Chairman, Sir Edwin T. Smith, K.C.M.G., in January last, kindly gave him much information about the management of the park. It was, however, too small and too near the extending suburbs of Adelaide to be of use in the preservation of the larger animals, and so the Government were setting apart the western end of Kangaroo Island.

Victoria.

This small State, only one-tenth the area of Western Australia, had a reserve of 70,000 acres on Wilson’s Promontory. This reserve was obtained through the energy of the late Mr Le Souef. There were also in Victoria many swamps and other places proclaimed as “breeding reserves for game,” on which all shooting was strictly prohibited, as was the case in the State forests, which are numerous and extensive.

New South Wales.

Mr. Farnell (Chairman), Mr. Murray White, and Mr. O’Sullivan, trustees of the National Park, took him on two occasions to that magnificent reserve, and the secretary, Mr. Malone, supplied him with a copy of the deed of trust, map, and by-laws. The National Park, about 17½ miles south of Sydney, contained about 35,000 acres, and Kuringai Chase, of about the same area, was 20 miles to the north, while in and about Sydney itself there were nearly 4,000 acres of public parks and recreation grounds. In the National Park the lyre bird was increasing in numbers and losing its shyness, for one seldom passed along Lady Carrington’s drive without seeing some. Mr. Le Souef saw seven nests last year. A number of views of Kuringai Chase and the National Park were thrown on the screen, showing the picturesque weathering of the Hawkesbury sandstone, the waterfalls, the upper of 111 feet, and the lower of 45 feet, the luxuriant growth of the palms and trees, ferns, and the deep gorges cut by the rivers, and the fish hatcheries, etc. In the maps of the National Park a portion was marked off as the deer park. In this the imported deer were flourishing ; they were fenced in and not allowed to interfere with the indigenous fauna. Thus they did no harm, for the two could not inhabit the same lands.

New Zealand.

In New Zealand, there were three special reserves for the preservation of
the fauna and flora : —

(1.) Little Barrier Island.
(2.) Kapiti Island.
(3.) Resolution Island.
These islands were mountains, rising to 5,000 feet on the last-named, and were in parts well timbered. In addition, there were on the mainland numerous State forests and the National Park, a huge block of land containing several volcanoes on an elevated plateau.

The address of Colonel C. S. Ryan, President of the Australian Ornithologists’ Union, on the protection of native birds, referrer [sic] to The Protective Legislation of the civilised world, from Great Britain to Japan.

Colonel Ryan stated that Australia and New Zealand could not afford to be behind, and that the first object to be attained was to get the Acts in the various States strictly observed. It was notorious, continued Mr. Woodward, that some of the game laws were more observed in the breach than in the fulfilment, especially in the country districts. Take, for instance, Sunday shooting. It was an offence against the Victorian police statutes ; if the law were strictly carried out it would give an additional close season in favour of the birds. Could the Western Australian Police Act be amended in this direction? Mr. Milligan reported that the Cannington district was overrun on Sundays by larrikins with guns, who fired indiscriminately at all birds. Mr. Gale informed the lecturer that the 64th Victorian, No. 33, an Act for the protection of kangaroos, allowing them to be killed for food, but not for sale or barter, was absolutely useless, for a smart lawyer proved to the Court that no conviction could be obtained under it. Only a few years ago an Eastern hunter cleared off 80,000 kangaroos in the North- West and North, not for the benefit of the State, but only for his own pocket. The netting of wild birds should be forbidden. Only a few weeks ago they had heard of many thousands of ducks being captured and slaughtered at Wagin. A swivel or punt gun was illegal, and so should nets be.

In conclusion, attention was called to the valuable Report by Mr. Shortridge
of the British Museum, published in the “West Australian” of the 18th June
last. It gave an account of his zoological work in Western Australia, and
discoveries during the past two years and a-half, and offered very
valuable suggestions as to the best means to hinder the rapid
extermination of the many unique forms of animal life still to be found in
Western Australia. He deplored the total destruction of the two species of
Potorous :—P. gilberti (Gld.), Gilbert’s rat kangaroo, P. Platyops (Gld.),
the broad-faced rat kangaroo, both common in 1840, when Gilbert was
collecting for Gould, and he might have added Choeropus Castanotis (Gray),
the pig-footed bandicoot, which had apparently died out both in South
Australia and in this State. On Bernier and Dorre Islands, off Carnarvon,
were still to be found Lagorchestes hirsutus (Gld.), the rufous hare
wallaby, and L. fasciatus (P. and L.) the banded wallaby, but in rapidly
diminishing numbers, and Mr. Shortridge advised that those islands be
declared reserves.

Still more important from the zoologist’s point of view was the question of Reserving Barrow Island, on which occurred at least five species peculiar to that locality, M. isabellinus (Gld.), the Isabelline kangaroo, the Spectacled Hare-wallaby, Lagorchestes conspicillatus, the Barrow bandicoot, P. barrowensis (Thos.), a peculiar rodent, M. ferculinus (Thos.), and the King’s wren M. edouardi (Milligan). None of these five was to be found elsewhere in the world. There had been some talk of making use of Barrow Island as a hospital for the aborigines, but as it was 45 miles from the coast, and nearly double that distance by boat, and was inaccessible at certain seasons of the year, it did not seem to be a feasible scheme. It would certainly cause the extermination of the fauna.

Mondrain Island, thirty miles from Esperance, was the hatitat [sic] of Hackett’s wallaby, Petrogale hacketti. The Reserve in the Darling Ranges (Murray, 2,461), was selected by Mr. Woodward in 1893, the Premier of the day, Sir John Forrest, having asked him to suggest an area. He, at his own charge, examined the Crown lands between the Canning, Beverley, Bannister, Pinjarrah, and the Williams, and marked on a map three areas high in the ranges and quite unsuitable for agricultural purposes. Land so rugged and so covered with York-road, narrow leaf, and box poisons that the Poison Land Syndicate would not take them up at fivepence per acre, payable over twenty years, at the time they secured the 1,200,000 acres surrounding these three areas. He marked the one between the Bannister and Pinjarrah No. 1 as the best of the three for the purpose, as great grey kangaroos and emus abounded. The country was very picturesque, consisting of gneissic hills covered on one slope with ironstone conglomerate. From the summit of Wourhaming Hill, an immense outcrop of diorite, 1,900 feet high, the view was magnificent, all the higher peaks in the Williams district in the south, Mount Darkan in the north, and Mount Brown near York, being conspicuous. There were many sandy blackboy flats, and some permanent waterholes. The timber was chiefly scrub jarrah, with wandoo in the flats, a few sheoaks on the hills, very few banksias, and on the western edge a little fine jarrah and red-gum.

Areas Nos. 2 and 3 were neither so accessible nor as large ; they lay near
the Darkan and towards the Sand Springs respectively. On these there were
some clay swamps, a larger proportion of sheoaks, but scarcely any fine
timber.

The lecturer concluded with the exhibition of a photograph of a great grey
kangaroo, in the attitude assumed when at bay, and over it inscribed the
legend of the Dying Gladiator (slightly modified) “Moriturus vos
salutant.” The audience did not turn down their thumbs, but seemed
unanimously in favour of protection being accorded.

Dr. Hackett, at the conclusion of Mr. Woodward’s lecture, thanked him for
bringing up the subject in such an interesting and emphatic way. He urged
the great importance of the protection of such animals peculiar to
Australia as Mr. Woodward had mentioned and illustrated by lantern slide.
Many of these animals were already extinct, and they should do all in
their power to prevent such an extinction through the want of suitable
protection in the way of national reserves. Speaking more particularly in
reference to the Museum lectures, he thanked all the gentlemen who had
assisted during the series ; and he eulogised the work of Mr. Woodward,
upon whose shoulders had fallen practically the responsibility of
arranging the lectures during the past three years, and he hoped that it
would be possible for the next series of lectures to be delivered in a
more suitable lecture hall, instead of the present room which was so badly
adapted for that purpose.

...

> 25th Oct.
Up at 0500 in order to catch the early ANA flight to Brisbane. Unfortunately this was also delayed. Another passenger also flying for Perth (Mr. Hedges) and I decided to make a fuss after being told that we could not get off until after 11.00 hrs. We got TAA to put us onto the 9.30 flight. We then arrived in Brisbane at 11.30. Hedges is for the Territory - recruiting in W.A. and other states He has recruited Colin Daley who has given my name as a referee.

Met at Brisbane by Alan Bartholomai. He was in good form, doing good work. He has had the very large series of specimens collected by Tom Kirkpatrick & has concluded, as we have, that coefficients of variation are really very low in natural populations of macropodidae. (c.2.). He is also doing some very nice work relating a lot of the Queensland [de lls?] species to the modern Fauna. Had a good talk to Jack Woods. After lunch drove out to the University and saw Connell the Registrar, and Drake the Public Relations and Alumni Officer. He gave me very interesting data on the Convocation wrine[?]. He said:(a) Their convocation could not join the Australian Federation of University grads[?] because of their statutary position.(b) Their Alumni Association (Alumni=past students, staff and senate & convocation) is funded for the express purposes of having a free voice, & for fund raising. (c) That the association cannot pay its way for at least 3 years.(d) It now takes up about 60% of his time plus that of ancillary staff.

Couldn't go down to Fleay's sanctuary[?]. Hopeless in a half day. Had a further session with Jack & Alan over the specimens they had been going through in connection with my list of rare species. Asked for the loan of a few specs.. To the Hotel early, went out and bought tea. Wrote to M. and to the V. C. To bed early.

> 26th Oct.
An excellent flight up to Port Moresby. First sight of New Guinea is the land bank of cloud lying WestEast along the line of the Papuan coast. Started to come down from 30,000 ft and could see the line of the Owen Stanleys lying above the clouds. Turned in towards Port Moresby (Photographs in colour). Very struck by the similarity between the savannah around Moresby and that of Kalumburu. Seems very likely that the Trunsina[?] savannah fauna is in fact an Australian form which has got across[?].

Landed and met by Sir Alan Mann, John Wamersley and Roy McKay. Sir Alan was in his official Rover 3 litre - v. nice! They installed me in the Gateway Hotel - an airconditioned, very humid and quite warm in Moresby - and we then had lunch.

After lunch we went for advice[?] around to see the Museum site in June[?] Valley and then to the University to meet Ken Inglis, Prof of History, a trustee and acting V.C., Ken Lamb Prof of Zoology, and also ran into Don Drover Ex. W.A., Prof of Chemistry. Had a brief talk to them and then arranged to come back next Wednesday. Called a Trustees' meeting for 10.00 next morning.

Drove out to the C-J's house met Lady Mann (Yvonne) asked for driver[?]. Then drove out to Govt. House to meet the Administrator, David Hay & wife for drinks. Started well - he was wearing a BNC tie ! then moved on to Ett and LTR. From then on very easy. He told me that he had now categorized me !! He added "very favorably" how lucky Old School ties are still worn - I have seldom felt quite so dishonest but if his aim is to get off the ground all tactics must work.

Had dinner with the Manns. Very hectic and endless bottles of good wine. To bed but not to sleep easily. Hope this pace does not continue.

> 27th Thursday
Worked in my room until 08.30 when Roy Mckay called. Then down to the Post Office where I sent a cable to Lyn to ask for Judy Buick's address in the Territory in the hope that her husband would be near Moresby and able to help the women[?] with class programmes etc. He used to be one of our casual teachers in the W.A.M. Sent a telegram to M. to tell her arrived safely.

10.00 meeting of the Trustees at the Museum. The Museum is depressing[?]. Beautiful stuff but not a great deal of it. Very poorly displayed, and stored on worse fashion. Specimens[?] are destroying each other. Labels poor and falling off. Trustees are doing their best but not succeeding because they are combining two functions of policy and managed to the detriment of both. Roy McKay is not pulling his weight. He is spending too much of his time on things that he is not trained to do - such as writing articles for the Press etc. and the actual physical things that need doing are not being done. Money is being spent on all sorts of things that give a poor return (such as fieldwork by McKay and visitors) and nothing in the storage of collections which are priceless. Talked to the trustees about the function of museums. ....

In the afternoon drove out to see the Administrator with the C.J., talked to him about the terms of reference. I told him that the Trustees were a statutory body charged with the care of Museum and of looking after the interests of the public in this respect but it would not be possible for me to dictate policy - however, I would do my best to open up possible lines of policy for the Trustees to decide upon and then, when that was done, to produce a plan as to how that would be done. He warned me about flying too high - he also asked whether there would be any possibility of including a native member or two in the Trustees. Both the C-J and I concluded that this would not be satisfactory at this stage -- wait until the Trust. is a policy-making body & their time will come. The C-J is very keen to expand the whole thing to make a sort of National Trust out of the whole, with Trustees of each branch being got together for 1 meeting a year. There could be something in this.

H.H. is very keen on a Friends of the Museum and also getting some financial ways to cough up to get the Museum of the ground. Amboo[?] Hy [?] is keen on the former and he's already done some spadework on the latter on Burns of Burns Philp. H.H. also warned me that I should not give the impression that this was another backdoor means of getting money for the University ! Funny to see the boot on the other foot.

Got back to he Museum and wrote to Peter Crowcroft and asked him to put Graeme Pretty in touch with me at Adelaide Airport on my way through. Most important that he should do what we want for the report. We need ammunition not artifacts!

Spoke to the N-G Scientific Society, fair, quite a lot of questions.

> 28th Saturday
Picked up by John Womersley at 0900 and we went down to TAA and fixed the flight tickets to Lae. Then connt into town and did a bit of shopping for slacks[?], a pen, one film, etc. After that went back to the airport checked in baggage and up to the Gateway Hotel to have a drink before leaving. Met a young Scottish Dr & wife. He's a malarialologist[?]. Main comment of interest is that apathy is their main problem in an eradication campaign.

Left on a "Friendship" for Lae at about 12.40. Took about an hour. Almost all the way above the clouds saw nothing of the land below. Arrived at Lae after lunch and was met by Mary Womersley. V. nice., 2 children at home and 3 in Warwick in school. They used to have them at Adelaide but moved up to Qsld. John took me to the Huon Gulf Motel where I was booked in. Very comfortable room - airconditioned etc. Spent most of the afternoon driving around Lae. A beautiful place with very strong resemblance to Penang. Mountains in the distance lovely gardens. Poinciana tinus (H.K. "Flame of the forest") along the streets and epiphytes everywhere. Took a few coloured photos.

Drove over to the herbarium which John is officer in charge of the Division of Botany. It is a beautiful structure [?] 8,000 squ ft, cost $200,000 including air conditioning. Designed as one new building is on the flow principle. 1 very good feature not in our plans is a staff[?] room at the entrance into which all food boxes must be placed. No food goes into the building. The plant entrance is at the other end and all the fumigation[?] is carried out at an entry bay with a tank into which methyl bromide[?], 4 ozs per cu ft at 76*F, is the finegment[?]. This is blown out before the tank is opened. The specimens are then dipped into 5% in white spirit lauryl pentachlorphenate (LPCP trade Mystox). Unfortunately they can't use compactors because they are in an earth tremor zone. Photos of inside of herbarium. Went to the Botanical Gardens and took photos c and b&w of Dendrolagus matschiei.

Had drinks at the Womersleys to meet various people (see list at end). Took them out to dinner at the hotel. Wrote up notes,  to bed at 23.15.

> 29th Sunday
Spent day driving to Bulolo, Wau and McAdam Park [1C 31] [BW 7]
(see notes at end).
C31 Markham Bridge looking W. upstream egret in foreground. Broad valley with hills C8000ft in background.
C32 View back area Markham Valley for Oomsis Hill.
C33 Manmade grasslands, made from hill forest by burning, filled swamp in foreground, one sago, mainly Alstonia spathulata
C34 Spathoglottis sp. single blossom on roadside
C35 Near Wampit tributary of Markham. Syo in valley and hill forest behind.
C36 Wampit River, looking upstream at about 800 ft. river alt about  200 ft. still lowland rainforest
C37 Same but stepped down.

New film
C01 C02 Village houses Guracor Village. These houses are made with planks (broad axed); originally these were sheets of bark
03 Patep Creek looking up towards headwaters of Wampit River. Deforestation of native gardens in different styles. c. 3000 ft. Oak-laurel forest, bush fallow regrowth. Flat-topped trees are Albizia which are a sure sign of very old gardens or sometimes gravel banks on rivers (possibly in skyline of photo)
04 View down Snake Valley towards the Watut & Bulolo. Small town in photo Mumeng. c 3000 ft. Curecina[?] on top of leeth[?] (see Plaine fig.15, p. 62) just to the north of his maps). 2 sypp of Auracaria fine foliaged Hoop pine, coarser.
05 Rhododendron aurigeranum very many gsp of indigenous Rhododendrons in N.S.W.
06 Section exposed in Munery[?] creek. Oxyglucate [?] fallen off hillside. Typical disorganised material.
07 Valley of Snake River, downstream towards the junction with the Watut. Hills of schists of the Kaindi metamorphosis - c 1800 ft in valley.
08 View across the Watut at old Sunshine Gold sluicing site. Foreground on, left Kaindi schists, centre tailings from the dredges middle distance, Otibanda beds exposed. Status localists are on the right of the picture.
09 View down the Watut across Otibanda beds for the junction of the Watut and Bulolo, on eastern side of snon[?]looking north i e towards Sunshine
010, 011, 012 Village with suspension bridge
013 Wau gorge looking downstream, Araucaria in foreground
014 Wau down the airfield
015 J.B. McAdam park, lake and rainforest behind
016 Wau Gorge looking downstream
017-21 Sunshine. The faultline looking downstream across to the Sunshine Goldbanda[?] locs. of Stutina[?]
022 Suctic[?] loc. looking yestern [?]. This is taken slightly south of 08 looking back.

We drove up from Lae starting at 0815 and in brilliant sunshine. The road goes up the Markham Valley and then up the Snake River valley and after crossing the high point at about 3600 ft falls down into the Valley of the Bulolo and Watut Rivers. First of all the road goes through coastal swamp forest with mud water and sago palms mixed in with it. From alongside this the hills rise sharply with lowland hill first. This is often converted into Kunai granted by native burning. Recently there has been considerable re-afforestation by prohibiting burning - principally at higher levels ("Pia Hambu"). The road is a good one and tests violently around the valley. In the higher hill country the native gardens and the succession through into "Bush falloo" is very obvious. In the areas of no names land along the Snake Valley huge areas of kunai caused by anthropogenic fires occur with small patches of araucaria first in the valleys and along the hill-tops showing what it must have been like.

The road passes high schists with sunshine is reached and down the Otibanda lake series became obvious where they have been directed by the river. The sluicing operations have also revealed large areas.

From there we drove on up to to Bulolo where we stopped for a drink with Robin Angus and his wife Beverley. Robin is in charge of the Forestry School. Bulolo is a hot & reputedly unpleasant place. It is reasonably attractive now with trees planted and gardens but said to be hot in the valley.

The road from Bulolo goes through a deep gorge - very spectacular - along which the miners had to go to get to the goldfields at Edie Creek. Altogether, the scenery is incredible. The miners used to say that it was so dark in the bottom of the gorge that you could look up and see the stars in daylight ! may says now that I have seen it I should get hold of "Gold Dust & Ashes" again.

Wau is an attractive place with an uphill airstrip ("Give way to aircraft baby"). Seems just high enough to be cool. Had lunch at the Wau hotel very pleasant, Meg and John were my guests. Real cream from a nice little herd of Jerseys !

Rain threatening & getting quite cold. Drove out to McAdam Park. Jim McAdam was the Director of Forests who started the forestry survey and had a vision of reafforestation. He had a coronory and died at 49.

A glorious place. Raining heavily - drove down the gorge through the valley & back to Lae. John pretty tired after a long and difficult drive. John very interesting about land tenure here. Apparently the land all belongs to the villages and when timber leases are granted the govt. pays the village a lump sum which is assessed on the royalties which is sometimes some thousands of dollars. This system is one of the principal reasons why there few National Parks here. All the land is owned. It seems likely that the Native House of Assembly will change all this. The Papuan[?] administration can't do it - without a scream from the U.N. John likes the idea of a sociological survey of N.G. but how to graft this onto the lhnnen[?] as an administrative mind ?
 Sleep on it !

> 30th October Monday
Flight up to Goroka & the Baiyer Valley & on to Mt Hagen Michael[?] picked me up as we want to get some film. Picked up John & Mrs Playfair. Took C23 photo of Goroka here.
0935 Take off for Snake River and Sunshine

Fly up Markham Valley to get some photos of
C24 Lake Warum from about 1100 ft. above teuin[?], same as C33 of yesterday.
C25 Hill valley above Wagau
C26 Waterfall above Snake River at about 4,000 ft.
C27-31 Sushine[?] from air also B&W-12
C32 The junction of the Zalolo & the Watut
C33-36 The beds of the Upper Watut, B&W 13,14,15

There are considerable exposures in the Upper Watut spread over a considerable area, Obviously well-worth extensive work.
Loaded with Kodachrome X.

Set course 315* across Watut & roughly 11 to the Markham to Goroka. 10.35 Met by Henderson and Ken Jones who drove us out to meet Barry Madden at the Teachers Training College. This is a remarkable place: took photos of the College also views from the College C1-4 at the Goroka Teacher Training College at the base.

Madden is very keen on the idea that the College might be helped by a local museum - met Joey Hynes, the science teacher at the College He is very good value. I told him that if he wants identification we will do what we can for him. He is teaching biology with an essentially ecological approach, but geology with the rocks forst followed by geomorphology !

Drove on down to the hotel in town. Had lunch, Madden was invited too to join the party which was made up of the main committee and the District Commission. Hardly had a chance to eat. Talked like a Dutch Uncle.

Went out and visited the Goroka town[?], a colourful job. Product of Local Rotary. Really a remarkable achievement. Apparently they were awarded a prize and the whole thing was published in the Rotarian. Must get a copy.

14.48 Take off for Mt. Hagen and Baiyer River. Going SW cross Asaro River Gorge - Purari Gorge.
C5-10 In the gorge villages and mountains
C11 Kundiawa admin headquarters of Chimbu district
C12,13 Wahgi[?] Valley at Nundugl looking west c.2000ft., mountains in Nundugl [?] at about 8000 ft.
C14 Baiyer valley about 3000 ft., sediments clenerd[?] for the Hagen volcanics.

Met by Bob Bell the District Commissioner in his car, driving rain and then went to the Sanctuary. Met David Gosney (age about 18-17) who is now in charge after Shaw-Mayer [?] left a few weeks ago. He showed us around. A fascinating collection of Birds of Paradise moved from the former Halstrom Trust at Nondugl. Also a few native animals. The boy is keen but has a hell of a chip. Doesn't know what the future is. Apparently the whole thing is a bit of a pet of Tom Ellis. This has succeeded by getting some $6000 into its expenditure this tear. The rest of the money comes from Mt Hagen locals with support for Halstram. This is in the form of a few yards of chicken wire, so far. It is about 70[?] miles from Mt hagen by road, with a mile or two of extra road to the Sanctuary.

Took photos of 3 species of Tree-Kangaroo:
1. Dendrogalus satschiei, (2 stripes)
2. Dendrogalus dorarius, (ring on tail) 
3. Dendrogalus goodfellowi, (bearlike with light patch on rump)
Two cucures[?], a white female and a spotted grey male.
Small and very beautiful jungle wallaby ? Dorcopsulus, sharp attractive face and bare end to very short tail (All B&W).

Drove back to Mt. Hagen through the rain. Took photos of the native villages and a few of the locals in the rain with their pandanus leaf raincapes, also a shot back down the valley towards Baiyer River from the passage into Mt Hagen.

Got back to the Residency where the D.C. put us in the guest wing. He and his wife came round for a drink before going out to a dinner engagement. She turned out to be a very old school friend of Pamela Tunley's[?]. Promised to give regards. They got us two axes for the boys.

Had dinner out, although very tired, John and I sat up and discussed the problems raised by Baiyer Valley Collection and hopes of a Biological Survey of new Guinea. To bed at 11.15.

> 1 Nov. 1967 (Tuesday)
Up at 5 with a cup of tea and then in to the aerodrome about 7 miles out. Took off as the valley fog rolled up and headed for Goroka where we were to drop a pilot who had hitched a lift.

Photos of the valley across from Mt. Wilhelm over the Nondugl strip to the range beyond. Very striking in the early morning light. The Markham ramifies across its flats.

Arrived at Lae at 0800 and went out with John to buy some curios for the little girls & Pete got some Trobriand pigs for Sue & Kath and a Sepik mask for Pete. All trade goods but still nice.

Continued talk of night before - added to the insect situation (see Idors?)
1. Mephology - see Dorothy Shore
2. Fish collections and any systematic marine collection - see Rogerson[?]

Getty's[?] visit. A good look at Hagen, drainage in the Wahgi Valley or Kangel Valley. Investigate reports that the Anthropologists for ANU who  are collecting archaeological material and shipping it out as personal possessions. John is hoping about the whole thing, thinks that the Snowy concept is a very good one. He drove me out to the plane at 10.00.
 
Notes on our conversation of the night before: written in aircraft Friendship "Frank Hann" (a good omen!) between Lae and Moresby.
The concept as I put it to John[?] was for a number of separate projects in Lae, Moresby and Goroka.
1. A building almost identical with the Lae Herbarium to be built in Jone[?] Valley to house the collections, staff and workshops of the Papua NG Museum[?].

2. The present accommodation be kept to house the Port Moresby Galleries of the PNG mine[?].

3. A smaller module be constructed at Goroka alongside the present Goroka galleries of the PNG museum to provide professional services for the Highlands & end local unions[?].

4. When the Moresby module bursts at the seams a new module be built alongside the present Lae Museum to house Zoological Survey Division and the Biological Survey of New Guinea be created with 2 divisions. Which, together with the Anthropological survey, would comprise the PNG Museum.

> 2nd Nov. 1967.
Mr Lang ABC. 2356, or 2646 rang, wants me to ring him back for an interview at 3.30. Neville Moderate, Photographer.

> 3rd Nov.
Went out to the Fishes Lab down at the coast beyond the University and photographed b&w. ?Risso's Dolphin. Harold J. Coolidge. Ryson showed me Chelus landers - re Harold's idea of 12 years. Will write to him and send copy to Harold. Write to Elwood about Barry Wilson-Cones[?]. Left Moresby at 1340 - a fantastic trip. I'm afraid I bulldozed like mad all over the place but they seemed happy to take it and it was the only way to put it over in the shortness of time. Alan Bern[?], Dorothy Shaw and Roy McKay all came down and saw me off - they really are a nice mob.
 
People met in New Guinea. Moresby.
1.   Sir Alan Mann, Lady Mann (Yvonne), Chief Justice.
2.   Mr John Womersley (& Mary at Lae), Chief Division of Rotary, Dept of Forests, Box 314, Lae.
3.   Mr. Roy McKay, Preparator in Charge
4.   Prof. Don Drover, Prof. of Chemistry.
5.   Prof. Ken Lamb, Prof. of Biology
6.   Prof Ken Inglis, Prof of History
7.   Mr. David Hay, Administrator
8.   Mr. Tom Ellis, Director, Dept of District Administration, Port Moresby
9.   Dr. Dorothy Shaw, Senior Plant Pathologist, Dept. of Agriculture
10. Keith Mattingly, Managing Director, South Pacific Post Ltd.
11. R (Bob) Cole, Commissioner of Police
12. Miss Elaine Bruce, Secretary, Museum.
13. E. Ted Fenner, Entomologist, Dept. of Agriculture
14. Dr. Duncanson, Director of Higher Technical Education
15. A.(Sandy) Renwick (monocle), Resident Geologist, B.M.R.
16. Mr. L.W.(Winston) Filewood, Fisheries, Division of Agriculture, Stock and Fisheries
17. D. M. Rapson, Chief Division of Fisheries, Dept. of Agriculture
Ewer Dept of Biology
Dr. K. McKinnon, Director of Education
Dr. J.T. Gunther, Vice Chancellor.

Not  met: Tony Newman - Treasurer, Jim Ritchie, Actg. Treasurer - George Summers (W.A.) P.S.C.

Lae
Mark Coode (=Code) - Cary (wife), Senior Botanist, ex Cantab.
Phil Scully, Rosemary - Postmaster
D.N.Ashton & Jean, District Commissioner, to move to Bougainville
Michael Galore, Assistant, Lae herbarium friend of Walkers)
Robin Angus, Bulolo - Principal Papua & N.G. Footy School...

> Sunday 12th June 1960: 13.30 Arrived Derby, booked into Club Hotel, found Landrovers, petrol, Wapet, Tom Carter, Neil Johanssen, sleeping accommodation for expedition headquarters ; arrange with R.M. Rowell & Co to unload goods from "Dorrigo" 15th June Derby.

List of stations & managers:
  Brooking Springs, Skuthorpe
  Nemina, Bownell
  Jubilee, Macnamara
  Mt Anderson, G.C. Rose (owner, manager)
  Blina, Henwood
  Calwynyardale, Henwood, snr.
  Laurel Downs & Quambun , Kim Rose
  Noonkanbah, Beaton
  Yeeda, George Wells
  Kimberley Downs, Paddy LeLievre
  Luluigui, Ted McLarty
 
> Tuesday June 14th 1960.
Drove out to Liveringa, saw exposure of Blina 71/2 miles E of Yeeda, collected 3 geckoes ; collected River Wallaby (agilis) about 5 miles W. of Liveringa homestead [WR70], skin & skull, m., 16 kg. They say that these are hill kangaroos (agilis), nailed-tailed wallabies ("Aravel"), rock wallabies in Erskine Range only and another small wallaby (?lagorchestes).

> Wednesday June 15th.
Drove to Erskine Range, then to Paradise Stn. ; saw a good exposure of Blina (basal) on road into Paradise ; some fragments of bone and a Lepidosteoid scale ; the polycypod Isaura common apparently in coprolites.

Saw many agilis, very common in forest or grass near water ; do not appear to be common in dry areas. Collected a small Amphibolurus on road to Paradise about 5 m. north of homestead.
 
> Thursday June 16th.
Worked to west of Erskine well ; shot agilis doe [W.R. 71] with female joey 200 g., preserved in formalin, adult ear 75, H.F. 20.8, total 132.5, tail 71, skin and skull [skull stolen by crows], agilis has a noticeably sharp nose. Drove to Derby.
 
> Friday 17th June.
Collected stores and crates from wharf, prepared formalin tanks for permanent base hut, found a nice series of M. veritas in tank probably left by Mees and Douglas. Left for Erskine Well approx 14.30. Arrived about 18.70 hrs. Found that Camp and McKenzie had had a v. successful day They had worked a low hill of Blina at the SouthEast end of the Range.They had found a skull of Trematosaur, very pleased.

> 18th June 1960.
Worked all day in the exposed S.E. of the range. No further skulls but more bone, second fragment of same skull found by Camp. Shot female agilis with joey, white hipstripe very visible in this species, nose also very pointed, graceful, carries full curved upwards while running ; generally found in he vicinity of water.

> 19th June 1960.
Went back to Erskine, collected on western side of Eastern Hill with breakaway of Erskine sandstone. I collected an almost perfect skull of a Brachyopod. Spirits up again after very hard day before. Collected throughout the day more and I found a fine exposure in which John found an occiput. This appears to be ...-like reptile. Euros plentiful on the range.On way home collected 2 male agilis: WR73m, E.84, HF24, T 80.5, total 153, wt.19.75 kg ; WR74f, E83, HF23.8, tail 81, total 150, wt.15.25 kg.Went to Fraser outcamp for water, shot female agilis WR75, E83, HF22.7, tail 69.5, total 135.5, wt. 10.5 kg. Also shot an animal like agilis but moved on all fours among trees, found it to be an Onychogalea. Skin v. like a red (rufous) in texture, & similar colour to agilis but paler, hipstripe marked, tail very long and dark for a considerable distance from its tip. Too badly shot to preserve skin, collected skull and hind feet for Striten(?). WR76f: E 79, HF 18.5, skull only collected,(hindfeet....); the head inside view is flat to a point in front of the eyes, then down sharply appears roman-nosed, fully furred between the nostrils. Preserved nose skin of each species: unguifera and agilis. Sketch of each on next page.

> 20th June 1960.
Collected in same locality, v. little success. Crossed to north of road where exposure had showed in aerial photographs ; found a stratum bone bearing, v. leached out, these curious plates appear to be cronopterygian(?) skull dual elements, pair of them found in opposition. Mac shot a female with joey: WR77. Males have no red, females are reddish fawn, many ticks.
 
> 21st June 1960.
Drove to Derby, on way the axel to the American trailer broke, needs new axel, backing plate and pair of shoes. Left Derby after lunch (our generator fixed) to Dry Corner. Across Fitzroy at Langey Crossing then onto a Wapet road about 2 miles on left, difficult driving much sand drift. Saw "cat" with bright red eyes, brown flash with bushy tail as I fired, range too great. Saw feral cats, 1 rabbit, unusual in lower rainfall area, wild asses, 1 mile west of Geegully Creek, crossed Geegully at Clanmeyer Pool, asses braying in the early hours.

Note: Have adopted policy of putting all skins into a saturated solution of brine for 12 hours then drying them off. They seem to be excellent, fur is fine even on feet and insects do not seem to touch them. WR77 was pickled for 12 hours, then carried drained off but otherwise wet in a bowl until afternoon 22nd with no apparent harm.

> 22nd June 1960.
On to Luluigui, McLarty out. Went down to Moores Bore, then Waterfords Bore, McAlear's Bore, then east & then north along fenceline to Dry Corner Bore, then east & S.E. to Tutu Bore, camped there. Worked the Blina outcrops, not successful, very poor expanses of sandblasted fragments in surface. General scenery sparse acacia etc with grass, bushes all heavily browsed ; occasional boabs ; slightly denser acacia and some small eucalypts along creek banks, saw numerous asses near dry corner well; cattle everywhere. Collected a small & beautiful pygopodid just beginning to wriggle into a clump of grass, pupils vertical slits, grey-brown colour, looks like Lialis.

Persuaded John to go out in the evening (palaeontologists, unlike mammalogists, go to bed as soon as it is dark !!), saw very little life, the area seems to haqve been recently inundated ; saw small bird, also a small graceful wallaby - pale in the light - probably Lagorchestes conspicillatus.
 
> 23rd June 1960.
Spent morning looking at ? Blina exposures at the Dry Corner Syncline, after lunch packed up and drove back towards Derby on road from Luluigui that crosses Geegully near the river. No kangaroos seen, in afternoon crossed good exposures of Jurassic sandstone (Windjalla) between road and river ; much crossbedding. Traces of plant remains but no whisper of bone. Texture of rock is not hopeful of fossil bone, very soft sandstone. Drove on towards Broome-Derby road at Langey Crossing of Fitzroy but before reaching it a bustard flew into Landrover, killed instantly. Stopped, camped for the night. Good eating.
 
> 24th June 1960.
Drove on to Langey Crossing. A siltstone or shale on south bank, found a plant fossil. Looks like Blina but said to be Upper Jurassic and glauconistic but cannot see glauconite and it does not look marine.

Met a man fishing, visitor from Victoria, gave me 2 catfish, a perch and  a (?) goby caught in bottom with mussel bait.
F. W. Mock, Mahoney's Rd., E. Burwood, Vic....

Trip Gullewa-Murchison.
[Route to Gullewa from previous trips.]
Conversation with S. R. White before departure to get advice on Merkanooka Whites (he refers to them as "Wombat whites!)

John White's house.To get there turn west at Pintharuka south of tennis court, straight along road for 5-6 miles, plough disc: Beware of Children. John's place on right of road, Hamel living with Pa & Ma at Merkanooka.

Jim O'Brien knows of a man in Mullewa who found fossils in a well.
The stations out from Gullewa :  Mellenbye Stn. Broads, Barnong Stn. Mitchells, Burnerbinnah Stn. Craven ; Stan White says all helpful.

Single Cliff : about in the centre of the triangle Magnet, Paynes Find, Yalgoo ; wall of rock carvings etc.; Stan White describes them as peckings. From Yalgoo Lyall Palmer or son John at the hotel will direct to Burnabinnah on which Single Cliff stands, mention Stan White.

Conversation Bert Main suggests look at Green Creek series between Mingenew and Morawa, says that there are beaches obviously Post-Permian. Get there (data from 1st Gullewa trip 1957) from Morawa 14 m. before bridge s. of Mingenew bushfire sign on south of road, 200* east of sign, track in.

> 21 Sept. 1961.
Left Perth 6am, picked up Duncan Merrilees, Northam, Wongan Hills, lakes - salt on roadside, Buntine (met John Read friend of Duncan), Perenjori, collected ? condostraca and an  "anaspides" - very saline, almost saturated, shallow with a fine slender weed ; Morawa, Mellenbye turnoff, stockgate on road, saw red kangaroos, doe with joey at heel, Turi Ari Hill, Gullewa, stockgate, kangaroos colour of erubescens, dark ears abnormally coloured rufous?.  Mooloo Well, Ederga River set up camp in dusk. Numerous rabbits from warrens at bases of mulga trees, bright 3/4 moonlight, birds calling, ground covered with small compositae, a beautiful sight, plenty of water in river. Used new gun.

> 22nd Sept. Friday
Rabbits, corellas & flies, finished setting up camp. River bank bedded sediments, outcrops of greenstone, collected small geckoe, coxiella from small runnel approx. 8ft above present water level, Kodachrome photos of campsite, went to artefact site found by Duncan on the E. bank above a wide dyke of quartz which crosses the river. Collected artefacts for Ian Crawford to record the site. There are greenstone masses exposed on east bank, a dyke of quartz crosses the river with layers of pebbles including laterite and greenstone and a fine deposit of silt called loess, this contains coxiella and a large gastropod (Rhagada?). A few hundred yards above the camp loess covers the greenstone, no fossils found ; collected water beetles and insect larvae from river, saw 2 emus, went out with headtorch, shot rabbits.

> 23rd Sept. 1961.
Went north along road to ?Endergerlp to point opposite foothills of range about 3 m. N. of camp. Telephone line crosses river. Walked out all exposures between that point and the northernmost place reached yesterday. No fossils. Collected Atherines in Ederga R. for Gerlof, teal in river also black duck in flock of about 40.

Drove to Barnong Stn., Mitchells not at home, left note telling them where we were. Drove back to camp, saw a small rat-sized mammal - not identified in thick mulga between Yalgoo road and first well along fence line. Shot at a fox but missed, collected 2 rabbits, a female which we preserved the skull of W.R.79, she was in milk and fully grown, also shot a juv. black rabbit W.R.79 skin & skull. Rabbits plentiful along banks of river with warrens among the roots of mulga clumps. Plovers about calling and approaching camp in moonlight. Prepared bobtail and blue tongue skulls and girdles for skeletons for Duncan.

> 24th Sept. 1961.
Cleared up around camp, finished salting rabbit skulls, wrote labels. Duncan went down to river to fish purging, girdles of reptiles. Walked along river northward, collected Atherines for Gerlof.

Sequence of weathering of gemstone with laterization in a B horizon clearly shown south of the bar* on the east side of the river. Greenstone breaks up into blocks which decompose ; the cracks between the blocks being filled with perculating material ; laterite pebbles form in the blocks in the B horizon. Above this there's frequently a pebble bed which we interprete as being the result of the removal of fine material in a B horizon and the production of a "gibber" layer, subsequently this has been buried. On the west side of the river north of the bar is a demonstration of dune-bedding in the "loess" and some yards closer to the bar (i.e. south) the loess is seen to overlay a grit with coxiella and pebble beds below it, below this is greenstone but B horizon is on top of the grit. A bank below this is covered with artifacts - house stones and blocks which appear to be weathering out of the unconsolidated soil fine although some clearly post date it and lie above the present loess surface.

Hammer stone and artifacts collected from beach.

After lunch crossed river and worked north along E. bank, at first the weathered greenstone with a B horizon is visible and then the character of the country changes greatly opposite the hills. Place with no exposures, only unconsolidated soil visible and then, north of that a fine sequence of greenstone below, overlain by fine grit with coxiella overlain by a ..ontemized grit, overlain by a...essent bedded red umber then by a "white" umber like the lower travertined grit and then abscinfamably on top the loess which breaks up into climastistic blocks in weathering. Coxiella present throughout the grits and Rhagada was collected.

Drove back to Ederga springs, saw small Notomys or Antechinus, many rabbits. Set traps in evening between the two wells on the way from Yalgoo Morawa Rd. Saw small mammal ? bandicoot size.

> 25th Sept. 1961.
Visited traps set in mulga - no success. Went north to northern end of exposure on west bank and examined it southwards to where it petered out before telephone line. Moved north to where river divides into 2 branches at Ederga Springs. Road crosses both branches north of here. The river is broad here with exposed green grit in the bed, numerous coxiella found, appear to be more than one species. This is acting as a reservoir of water and it is feeding into the river from small quays in the girt. Above the green grit is the brown grit, the loess is missing. At the northern end of the main (last) branch: south of the road, there is a bar of greenstone across the river. Found small piece of longbone in a plaster of pebbles in the green grit in the centre of the E. branch. Found wood fragments v. delicate in the green grit. V. depressing exposure, not possible to see anything well, banks v. poor. Shot kangaroo Red male inspot, collected skull and some skeleton for Duncan W.R.80. The new rifle is too highpowered, shatters everything.

> 26 Sept. 1961.
Drove to Barnong Stn. Mrs Mitchell in with baby Robert, Husband and 2 other children gone to Morawa. V. nice person, an avid collector of rock specimens, spent some time talking to her, had tea and buns, phoned Bob Vincent - he is unable to join us at all this trip, phoned Margaret, she and children all well. Cost of calls 24/-. Mrs Mitchell spoke of a very interesting native area outside Yalgoo, encampment with mia mias still standing, kept secret by owners. Mrs M. spoke of an interesting place 5 m. south of Turi-Ari Hill with kaolin, ochre and ? burial mounds, speaks of excavating one day.

Drove S. of Turi-Ari Hill to place where creek crosses road (culvert). Banks which I had previously described as loess - not so. A (?) recent unconsolidated fluviatile deposit varying from a fine gritty soil on top to one layer of fairly coarse pebbles. Met Mitchell and 2 children on way there. Nice, a bit like John Calaby in appearance. Silent. They are getting rid of their goats by selling them at 20/- to Singapore, sold 1000 last year. Says that it is becoming more arid, gave 2 sets of ... 20 years each. Most recent rainfall 9 ins., previous set 11 ins.. Invited us over to have a bath !

Returned to Ederga Springs, searched bed of river, high in river i.e. near bar in E. branch and about same level in W. branch there is a vast amount of silicification both of the green grit and also tree roots etc. Chert v. common, a most unlikely place for fossil preservation. The presence of enormous quantities of chert upstream is a mystery, below Ederga Springs and at the spring itself occasional pieces were a source of comment, upstream the stuff is everywhere. Still no further base. Examined exposures N. of road crossing, I West, Duncan E. banks of main river (E branch : D branch is clearly a tributary) Nothing. Duncan did not reach the main creek entering the river some hundreds of yards from the road. I got opposite it, he seems to have good exposures in  its banks. The green grit was missing from the section at the Northern end of my search (below it). Collected 2 rabbits before more came up - caught 1 by hand in spotlight, shot other WR81 skull only with inguinal testes.

Made point of chert, will try skinning with it. Partly skinned kangaroo, did admirably- cuts as cleanly as a knife both for making initial incisions and for skinning.

> 27th Sept. 1961.
Skinned out kangaroo limbs & skull, also rabbit skull.

West South of camp for 1st time. River takes a bend with wide deposition of sandbanks heavily vegetated, seems to be very wide here. W. bank good exposures, about central has sequence from green grit on top of horizontal surface, some pebble beds in brown grit, undulating bedding in brown grit - B horizon above, origin appears to be brown grit, fairly considerable silicification but not too hard to scratch.\\ above the B. horizon is a clearly unaltered brown grid which must post date the B. horizon. It apears to be a loess and could be the result of a subsequent E/W/ tributary. Duncan found dried Tyto.

Crossed fence, crossed saltbush plain joined track and went up hill, down other side and faced east to river, v. poor exposures visible. Back to camp along track via Mooloo Well and gate in fence. Mitchells came out to camp and invited us up for the night.

Went across the river to w. side N. of Goanna Flat and selected a section, collected specimens, photographed it.

Sketch: diagram of observations of layers of bank.

There is some confusion about specimen B. It comes from what I believe to be the contact between the green and brown. However it is clear that the green oxides to brown (?) are both specimens A & B  coxielle.

Took numbers of photographs.

Drove to Barnong. The Mitchells are very interested. Mrs M. draws well and paints. Mentioned the "Kangaroo rats" and she had a sketch of a specimen which she had had, clearly Antechinus, pouch marked, she says common between here and Yalgoo. [3 children: Jane, Henry, Robert, parents Neil and Judy Mitchell]

> 28th Sept
Mrs Mitchell's notes on the Antechinus:" Coloured brown, black and white, jumps like a kangaroo. About 3 and a half inches nose to tailbutt, tail 4 and a half inches. Four distinct digits on each paw, with red clearly defined claws, white membranous flaps inside each ear. Pouched."

Perth addresses of Mitchells.
Went out to meteorite site posted by Mitchell on left hand side of road Barnong to Wurarga, 9 m. N. of Xrds on Yalgoo 4 mile.

2 major holes about 20+ apart and 3 minor filled in pits in the same line, partly filled in but clearly more than 8ft deep, suggest gramma holes, appears to be a grit horizon in walls - Duncan collected samples for nickel analysis.

Bob Campbell, manager Billabalong, owner Ted Officer, woolgrowing.

Picked up traps, packed up camp then went down to Main's section w. of Mooloo Well  and photographed.

Sect 2 (i.e. Duncan holding 2 fingers up) :
Sketch of layers of deposits above river bed. Duncan collected 3 :(1) top of sect grit (2) middle gravelly grit (3)white deposit of bone.Drove to Mellenbye, Leonard and Nan Broad.

> 29 Sept 61
Start Mellenbye, drove to Little Biddy breakaway, this is about 2 m. N. of Berbo Hill. A breakaway in the precambrian along the edge of the channel of the Ederga. Here the river meanders along lakes which it enters at Brady Hill.

Collected Varanus gouldii (small spec.) in burrow also Amphibolurus in burrow, also ants from exposed edge of lake. Collected artifacts, a beautiful microlith of quartz down in sand alongside W. bank of lake and other artifacts of quartz and greenstone from top of breakaway, all surface.
Beddie dingo: native names for two lizards :Varanus gouldi - Waddabi. Amphibolurus - Jubbi. A large Amphibolurus ? barbatus is called Wunnarda at Yellatery Stn. says local names are the same
   Kadgi Stn - Frank Broad
   Lochada - Robbins
   Warrada Stn - Harry Broad
   Burnabiamah Stn - David Craven

Had lunch at Mellenbye then left for Kadgi, Morawa Yalgoo Rd, cross Gortha Xrds, cross Pintharuke Xrds, turn left for Kadgi homestead, gate (cockies) in fence with track down to right, well with windmill, well (probably North Paradise), tracks leading NE and SW, took SW track hoping to get to Lochada Rd. Collected spider in Land Rover, brushed off scrub through open window, many hollow eucalypts, v. old track forking left, disused well with v. poor fence and cockies gate track to right along fence after well. Collected 3 spiders of some sort from web in fence at disused well. Wheel marks in scrub on left, slight dogleg in fence, meet fence at Rt, L5. Go through cockie's gate turn south, meet E/W rd at rt Ls, turn left should be Rt to Lochada. Lake on rt handside of road with small exposures of brown grit, probably Ninghabour Hill on Weelhamby lake. Appears to be good exposures beyond hill on SW side of lake on the Lochada-Kadgi where it crosses the lake, turn left to Lochada Homestead, south east to Rabbit Proof fence, through gate in fence & then south, gate across rabbit proof fence rd. at rd. to East should take us across to the N.S. Karara Rd, T junction Karara Rd, turn south to hit new Perenjori/ Warriedah Rd, so through gate immediately after turning, fourways meet at signpost to Karara, go through cattle gate south. Arrived at a homestead, Wannarra, very surprised, apparently crossed the lake twice without knowing it.

Take right fork, gate, gate and well, well, old homestead tracks L & R through gates, took left road, road still good, beautiful flora will photograph next morning. Camped for night facing east. Fox shot in spotlight WR82 male skeleton, owl killed on road by landrover 16 m. W of Warrara Homestead F. skinned for Gerlof, carcase preserved in formalin, lice collected.

> 30th Sept 1961
Heading for Wubin/Paynes Find road from Wannarra Stn, Great Northern Highway, Paynes Find, Gt. N. Hwy, turn off N. to Yalgoo signpost, stopped for lunch and to prepare specimens, creek flowing E/W load crosses quite exposed with lenses. Small artifacts scattered over surface of land above the banks. Collected. Predominantly an industry of small points ....ctical uniface of which excellent examples. Also in tributary W. of R flowing into the S. side of the creek there is a pebble bed exposed with what appears to be large cl...dy artifacts of quartz. It seems to me that although any one of these pebbles could be placed in a series of water rounded stones (non artifact) that these are far too many of one type here for this to be accidental. Series collected containing two "kodj-type blades".

Crossed lake, climbed range, many euros, crossed range and camped.

> 1st Oct.
Artifacts scattered about left, v. poor, did not collect. Emu dead on road, collected Tarsometatarsus and foot, sternum, sacrum and head. Thandelarra homestead, creek with well and windmill. Sections of grit with Rhagada and other small shells. Photographs (with Duncan +3 fingers), specimens collected from bottom ABCD. Artifacts numerous on NE bank above creek, the same attempts at ..face asymmetrical points. Small microliths based in these, cores of harefoot type, part of a lower grindstone and a pitted hammerstone. This industry should be compared with the upper ulstry collected on the 30/2/61 and the surface industry at Ederga R. Drove to Burnerbinnah, David Craven, wife, Miss ?, and 2 daughters and a 2 y.o. boy. David Craven a v. interested naturalist, tries to identify material, uses Glauert's snake book, wife collects odd things like spiders, shells etc.. He described a small red marsupial, about 3 times the size of a mouse, reddish brown, short, wide, head, big ears, bright eyes, fat tail - seems a description of the short-faced Antechinus ; saw no red patches behind ears. The animal was under a sheet of tin and escaped under the shed, has not been seen since. The children also shot a small mouselike animal a few days ago, no remains, colour of a mouse, thin tail, not a hopping mouse, big ears and a foxy face - obviously a form of Sminthopsis. The hands also got a hopping marsupial when splitting rotten fence post, it had a pouch - Antechinopsis ?. Will send specimens to the museum but he's worried about getting them there in reasonable condition, will leave formalin with him. Showed him how to collect and recognise artifacts. There are 2 major aboriginal pictographic sites on the property - one with bands in the rock (at Bulgomarra), another Single Cliff w. of fence n.of Copalgo Pool. There are also stone ang..ents.  He described 3 locations with exposures of grits:

(1)  Bulgomarra Creek - the gorge runs alongside the old road to Yalgoo. Above the gorge there are grits, the gorge is where the creek flows through breakaway country, Single Cliff is about 2 miles N. of Bulgomarrap.
(2)  Mandamanda creek. This is the creek which is shown on the maps as flowing north of the Northwest tip of Lake Monger, it has about 4 miles of exposures about 12 ft. high in places.
(3)  Curiyalgoo - photographs shown with car in picture: exposures of grits topped the car by a couple of feet, a pool in Bulgomamarra Creek below the gorge.

Craven tells of Tom Lockyer of Nalbara Stn and of a rock hole which he and Lockyer had cleared out when he was a hand there in 1937(9?), there were 9 feet of bones(?) there, also of a carved stone which Lockyer had which had been found by one of his hands. Drove over to Nalbarra Stn, saw T. C. Lockyer and Mrs. Lockyer - nice people, 4 boys, 1 in RAAF, 2 at school, 1 home on stn but away at Royal Show. Produced a muller (pitted) for Glauert, collected by Colin Lockyer and promised to Glauert by him at the George Hotel. Lockyer also gave us a beautiful stone churinga which had been found by one of his hands (George Bridges) on the surface. The place where it was found was the camping place of Jacky Warren, a full blood who died there. The camp was also used by a message carrier Chullaballoo. Jacky Warren carried round a lot of spears, woomeras, and objects Lockyer never saw. Corroborees were also held down at the camp, a special one was held in honour of Mrs. L. when they were first married. Reported a cave full of skulls, locality known to Baden Thiergill in Mt. Magnet (newsagent). He said that the rock hole with bones was blasted out by earlier surveyors for their camp and they had a trig. point on the granite. We went out to the granites and the rockhole Dept homestead 3094.5 NW diagonally across paddock though in length and face. Granite outcrops, well in top of western granite, drive right up on northern face 3102.8. Well apparently blasted in my opinion, steel spike lying around, broken slabs of rock not exfoliated, 1 scrap of noden bone, dead emus and sheep in hole, nothing worthwhile. Back to homestead and looked around garden of old homestead (destroyed in flood) where bones from the hole were said to have been used for garden purposes, nothing but modern bones found. Drove back along Thundelarra Rd and camped. Emus v. common in this area, large numbers roving about by day.

> 2nd Oct
Drove to Nalbarra to make phone call, could not get through, left telegram. Yoweragabbie Stn breakroy country where corroborees were held with creeks. Old full blood Nugget can inform, hands in rocks, information Bill Dempsey who used to be head stockman at Binnaburnah and would be there for 3-4 days & then on to the Murchison.

Nelson Pierce, Waratah Ave. used to be boss of Nalbarra. He recently took all diaries from 1911 on and account books, inform archives, also records of the gaol were lying about in the weather, some have been sent to archives but he refused do reading through the old ledgers the other day. Inform archives. Lockyer is manager for company headed by Colin Pearce. Drove back to camp, picked up Duncan & trailer, adjusted trailer brakes, suspect no linings. 16 m. from Nalbarra on rd to Binnaburnah collected abstracts and table of contents also in English, with nomenclature also in Latin.Varanus gouldii, labelled with metal top Nalbarra 2/10/61. Arrived back at Binnabinnah. David Craven gave locality of Cuttathas a rockhole about 2m. due east of Bulling R. H. Mrs Lockyer phoned to say she had got through to Margaret and all well at home. Talked to Craven who used to be a stockman on Nalbarra, he says that the rockhole in granite is at the posn marked Nakedar well but Nakedar well is actually a couple of miles further on, probably the unmarked windmill NW of the rockhole. Craven says that Leggadina lamps are present on the property, Mus musculus in house, identified v. damaged carcase They will try to catch one for us in the next few days. Amphybolurus, Mrs Mitchell says the local native name for this is booni (bunai).

Left trailer at homestead for Cuttathar rock hole said to be native camp and also possible deposits in soak. Cuttathar seems to be a perfect site for an archaeological excavation, there's a pool of perfectly fresh water (full of tadpoles of 2 sorts and small crustacea - both collected) which is  part shaded - probably as much as 1/2 shaded for a large part of the year, not quite permanent. Surrounded on 2 1/2 sides by low cliffs of decomposed granite 10-12 ft in height and a sloping massof sand on the other sides. Good quartz in the vicinity for artifacts, and artifacts scattered around on the surface of the open sand (a sample collected). There are low caves, the largest about 15 ft x 15ft and averaging about 4ft to the roof, roof fire-blackened. The floor of the cave is well above the surrounding depression and one has the impression of a deposit within the cave. There are 2 main shelters, the second much smaller and small niches in the rock wall which also appear to have been used. There are bones sticking up out of the cave floor [sketch of cave], photographed both in colour + b&w, zebra finches drinking, Photographs(colour) start with photos of this.

[List of B&w photos taken].

Drove back to Burnabinnah Homestead, Mrs Craven gave us tea and a stew of meat and bread. She had also collected a striped Ergermia in the house where they are very common.

Drove out to Manda Manda creek and camped on good exposures of grits. Road good all the way except for last bit where it comes low along flats and tends to become lost.

> 3 Oct Tuesday 1961
Walked out exposures downstream from camp, many lenses of gravel in the grits, grits varying from fine with root holes to coarse. Chertified tree root holes and bands of hard whitish silicon material, grits when broken often show concentration of blackish iron staining. No fossils found. Few waste flakes on surface.

Drove north along track to creek crossing, exposures poor, chert on surface. Surface is a fine brown grit with some pebble bands, hard chert layer 1/4 to 1/2 in. in thickness, sandy brown grit, fine hai... with root tubes (chertified) and small holes (reminiscent of loess) ..oden soil.

Munda Munda well - windmill. Drove around over the flood plain above the well, here grits are exposed over a wide area and low banks exposed over a wide area, there is also much loose sand. Returned to Munda Munda well, back to creek crossing, collected samples of chert. Duncan found 5 discrete images how the river has low exposures and wide vegetated sand banks in the middle. Walked out beds. Kodachrome of pondiar discontinuity E. bank of R. Continued downstream, good exposures of grits greatly undercut, unfortunately no fossils, continued to walk out exposures until camp reached. Packed up camp and returned to homestead. Saw Euro on returning to main road. The sequence here with many chert horizons and lenses, coupled with the .... picture of a shifting bed filled with small pools, sand bars, gravel lenses etc gives rise to a general interpretation of local channels reworking deposits and leaving an extremely complex stratigraphy.

Discussion about mallee fowl after tea. Get hold of Frith's Australian .... magazine article for them.
Fox first appeared in this country in 1929, first four taken on Muralgarra and not known what they were (Bob King).

Local names for Echidna: Kundawar and Ningar.

Biggadas[Wallaroo] not common near homestead but some around a mile or  two away.
Susanne 7, Janet 10, Robert 2 1/2, David 13.

> 4th Oct (Wed) 1961
Cleaned up, did washing and then drove to Single Cliff, Thundelarra Rd. through gate and across clay flat (Bilgonara Creek outwash), turn right into Station rd, cross creek at Coryalgo well, drove along fence running W of N., get through fence, Single Cliff visible. Single Cliff is a prominent isolated breakaway on high ground, good vantage point. The drawings are confined to a very small area about 20 ft. x 5ft. at ground level on the eastern side. Peckings consist of emu tracks, stick men, concentric lines, winding line, emu track in circle, also small ochred hands : [sketch]. There are numbers of holes in the br... which are well filled with enberat(?) well plugged with sticks and stones, found an artifact embedded in the enberat in one of these to the N of the carvings & about 8 feet up (collected artifact). Isolated hands in excellent condition under arch to N end of breakaway: 1 small with fingers closed, 2 full sized big hands.

Returned to homestead, pack & grease vehicle etc. Back to Bulgonarra Creek, turned off at Thundelara rd at Jarramunda well on to Coryalgo well and examined exposures below the well. These exposures are very interesting and reveal features not seen before: the SE bank is composed of red grit with pebble lenses and silicified tree root holes. Exposures loo -  up to 6ft below this grit is an extensive lateritized pisolithic layer and below this a beautiful silicified grit. The lateritic layer is eroded off at a point about 150* below the crossing and the riverbed is a white mass of hard rock [sketch], samples collected. Crossed creek, followed the fenceline and through gate. Drove up creek to gorge, v, rocky terrain, difficult to get trailer through so stopped vehicle & walked. High cliffs of granite (decomposed)with a distinct terrace above the present creek line. Some small remnants of grit. Camped for night and prepared the lizards(?) collected at Burnabinnah.

> 5th Oct 1961 (Thursday)
Drove back from edge of gorge to follow main track northwards. Climbed hill and at top apparently well above the level of the top of the gorge, crossed small creek and run alongside. Exposures of red grits and even a green grit, possibly the creek before it enters the gorge. Caught small amphibolurus. Drove North to well probably Gullamilyaroo pool. Exposures of grit in w. bank, red sequences & good exposures of green grit, below the well I estimate the green grit with chert to be about 6ft thick with about 3ft of red grit above, there is clear indication that there is discontinuity between the green grit and the red. The modern creek in both places seems to be flowing along the banding where the red grit comes to an end [sketch].

Crossed into Muralgarra Stn, entered savannah plain with creek flowing between 2 outcrops of granite, grits exposed at base. Collected Myrmicine ants for Athol [Douglas], hot work digging, stopped to have lunch at a most beautiful flowering tree about 9 ft tall, blossoms rather like foxgloves sprouting out of the calyx of fuchsia, photographed it for Royce and collected some blossoms, unfortunately no fruit. Fence with mill & gate probably ..... ... between Thorocogycogy and Booyoo sp.

Tracks very poor on this station, they lead from one point to another but not in the direction marked in the 10 mile maps and not to the places one wants to go. Arrived at well with good mill in creek with extensive yards, an old wagon. What appears to be a large holding paddock and the remains of an earlier windmill ... by cyclone. This is probably the well without a name on Muralgarra Stn SW of Booyoo Sp. near the southern boundary with Thundalara Stn. Shot young M. rufus F. WR83, kept only skull and pelvis, nulliparous with large buck who was warning her and hung around when she was shot.

Walked out extensive beds, on S. side of creek green grit exposed with a clearly laterized zone.he beds are 8 - 10 ft thick, red grit missing. On N side of creek the red grit is well exposed, an unmistakable artifact found in the pebble bed just above the contact between red and green grits. Walked upstream, r. beds continue for approx. 1 mile in the western tributary with a small cup in the junction between the E & W tributaries[sketch]. The red grit then gives up. No sign of fossils in the green grit. Drove west downstream, collected fragments of a tortoise probably C. stendachineri.

> 6th Oct 1961 (Friday)
Prepared kangaroo skull. Exanined section where artifact was found and photographed it.

Sketch of stratigraphy and description of site. Stratigraphy of rain creek as above well but less green grit and red grit now on both banks. Collected 2 parts of artifacts part embedded in the deritus of the erosion platform above the N. bank within 100* W of the boundary between green & red. Track joins round top of tributary, cross flat tributary, low exposures all the way. red grit seems to be better on south bank, tributary from NE. EW track turns west. River at this place is a wide sand river about 50* wide with low banks with good exposures (stepped) of red grit on both banks. On S side of the fence the banks tend to be covered with sand and exposures are poor. No fossils.

Good exposures of red grits on green for about 1/2 of a mile from fence northwards. Photographed dark red bottlebrush same as that seeds collected from 5/10/61.

Back at fence, track v. poor, through fence(strainer) and trends southwards here, turned W along fence, found addled emu egg, tried to blow it for Duncan's children but it broke.

Continued south met EW fence at T with gate , turned west. Met fence turning south at R+, fence due west, rt L fence turns South, main road cattle inthough.

Yalgoo, stopped at the pub, phoned Margaret. Drove on the Geraldton road to Mullewa. Continued west along Geraldton Rd across rlwy line and then down rd to Mingenew for 7.4 m to Kockatea Gully, camped there for the night. On way into Yalgoo tried to trace squeaks in trailer - offside brake drum, oilbearings appear to be well packed but drum squealing badly, did not withdraw bearings, flushed out drum with petrol and slacked off the adjusting bolt until squeal disappeared. No brakes in rt wheel.

> 7th Oct (Saturday) 1961
Kockatea gully. Duncan both brown and green grits present, collected specimens. Drove to Mullewa (garage), posted film and wrote to Margaret and Gerlof. creek trib. of Wenmilla Creek on rt of road just north of Mullewa, series same as Ederga - green & red, horizon of coarse pebble conglomerate between and layers of pebbles at various levels in the red. Wenmilla Creek crosses rd. here there is a complicated sequence in E of rd. Good contrast between a very white conglomerate(&seen) and a basement rock which appears to be largely granitic, no definite red except for a rubbishy upper soil horizon, further down there is a complicated sequence of weathering of basement which can be followed to nearly in weathered Granite through to a "false shaly grit"covered with brown grit. The shaly grit has been penetrated by root tubes which are silicified. Tutawa Gully, v. extensive deposits of red and green grits, channels cut & recut, excellent exposures, numerous lenses of pebbles in one place near road green grit on lateritized bedrock, in other places the green grit is lateritized. Laterite pebbles in some green grit and chertified layers are present, red grit has pebbles inc. laterite. Deep pools in bedrock with C.[Chelodina] Steindachneri, caught a few for Duncan.

Greenough River crossing. Granite close to surface in bed of river granite sheets with quartz veins, small patches of what could be green grits - colour very green but v. soft may be re...ted. Immediately above the bed (hidden in sand) in the banks is a greenish deposit but this is red when broken, some small amount of chert in it. Above this a red grit and mud reddish ? loess. Have walked this out previously as far as the bar downstream, did not appear fri...form .. ... occasion .. impressing the ..now.

Boolardoo Stn met Jensen, not much help, Murchison R., had meal in darkness, Billabalong Stn. met Bob Campbell, will pick him up next morning. Camped outside home paddock, change to front tank, turn off along fence to west after passing through gate (1st gate not a change gate). Turn through fence before well, join fence at continue south, creek on right, stopped. Duncan prospected northwards and I workedd south, good specimens of green and brown grits, wide channel with many beds, bars etc. 400* south of car halt found artifact in situ above bed, approx 2ft above green grit with silicified layers, found further artifact below it in a gravel patch loose in bed. Collected some artifacts from surface above banks for comparison.  Blazed tree (white gum) 7ft above ground, v. wide butt on tree, Blaze R on N side of tree. Returned to camp and bed.

> 9th Oct onday 1961
Soaked grease nipple in petrol to try to clean it.
Set off for Yallalong via New Forest homestead, saw creek we prospected yesterday extensive exposures of grits, several chanels end at the road the grits end some 200-400* W of the parent edge of the creek. Passed several other creeks on the road between granitic and quartz massifs all contained some grits. Clearly at some time this country was a land of great streams flowing between islands and peninsulars of hard rock - an enormous contrast with today's picture of arid acacia scrub and dry wadis.Collected a tula adze-flake and a tula slug on the surface at edge of creek 2 m. W of New Forest homestead. Collected artifacts at various sites in order to show range of materials used at various localities on the road.

Arrived Yallalong homestead, owner Eric Fitzgerald & wife & 2 children (7 & 10) away. Hand Glen Bailey gave us lunch. After lunch drove down to river, collected water-dragon on horizontal eroded cliff edge of green grit. Caught 2 species of fish, 1 appears to be spangled perch, both caught with hook & line using Atheines as bait, did not preserve atheines some caught on last trip to Murchison. Duncan found an Australite in situ in a dense conglomerate well down in the section, the conglomerate was eroded horizontally but no doubt that the australite was cementd into it. Photographed the site in colour & b&w, also photographed in colour one of the two species of fish to get a record of very definite yellow markings. Climbed a tree to try and get a bearing from australite promontory to homestead but could not find it, took bearing of distinct breakaway. Left homestead for Billabalong.

> 10th Oct. (Tuesday) 1961
Packed up and left Billabalong. Drove to Woolgorong, boss Gary Ted Officer & manager Wickman out mosting, Mrs Wickman at home, told us about meteorite and letter from govt. geologist saying it was not a meteorite. Bill Hamlet, native of about 60 raised on Boolardy (Bullardoo?) arrived at station with Dutchman Alfred Both of Mosman Park. Hamlet (m/w) had found the meteorite with another native shortly after the fall was heard by Mr & Mrs Wickman and other people working on the station. Hamlet took us out to the place. Directions. Through gate outside homestead along road to Mullewa, turn right just before first fence and site a hundred yards or so in along the fence line. Depression had been dug out by Hamlet and others but many fragments of meteorite lying around most on one side of crater but a few scraps on opposite side. Found scraps (majority with c... intact) in the wall of the crater - all but one on the side with the majority of fragments i e Western 1 fragment on opposite side. I am perfectly satisfied that these fragments are all in situ. Duncan took very full notes, collected all fragments we could find (? helped by Bernie, Hamlet's grandson). I am struck by the resemblance of the thing to my memory of Bencubbin. Returned large lump of meteorite which the station had kept to Mrs. W. who states that a field party from Geol. Survey had taken all the remainder (a kerosene tin full) to Perth Photographed the station's lump trying to get the crater "flow lines to show up" both colour and b&w. Joe Lord had reported on the material to the Wickmans as being partly  kaolinized gabbroidal doleritic (Letter Geol. Survey 12.9.61). Will see him about this as soon as get back to Perth.

Duncan also had a further fall described to him by Hamlet. Stuck by resemblance with his description of noise and heat given by Mrs W. The other meteorite was on Mungo Stn 1 1/2 m. from Deep Well c. 4 1/2 m. from the woolshed. Jimmy Tyson, John Mungo, working on Mungo both know the position  (mud map in Duncan's notes). Hamlet also described "bones sticking out of rock on Boolardy (Bullardoo?) Stn, towards Mileura? boundary. Fred Simpson and Danny Simpson, Mungo Fred, Frank Tiger, Mick Gilbert, Wlat Nugee all know(mention Hamlet told us). Talked to Hamlet and mentioned kinchi, showed him Churinga from Nalbara, made sure Bernie ...Hamlet said that such things were used at Wilgie Mia area. Suggested that caves beyond Wilgie Mia contained such things. Go from  Glen Stn through the gap, Wilgie Mia on right, come to old gold mine, then to flat plain with native ..ed graves, go further to another flat plain, breakaways with caves, says churingas in them. Hamlet then produced his kinchis and said that one was used in his circumcision and that they were used for scarification, showed scars on forearm. I showed Hamlet blade I made in Barnong, he then sliced his forearm with it and drew blood. His kinchis were circular and his own c. knife was wrapped in a small parcel of ... feathers in a small briefcase [sketch]. Says that the stone for the kinchis is found around Wilgie Mia, appears to be a very dark chert, very even.

Drove to Merkanooka and brown grit between Corra and Tendin creek crossing near gravel pit on south side of it (pit on hill). Rescued from wheat paddocks by Jack Bradley who guided us. Whites report hearing of fossils from Dooranel River. Also fossils reputed to John White on Byro Stn by ex hanger. John Baker now Rules Store Morawa (said to be wombat small kind) in caves.

> 11th Oct. 1961, Wed.
Saw Baker in Morawa. He said that John White had wrong end of stick. Says that recent mammals which were referred to as "wombats" on Byro had made holes in Byro. Suggested that we contact present ranger. Knows of no fossils.
Returned to Perth.
 
13-14 Oct. 1961 - Rottnest Island.
Collecting and filming quokkas for quokka birth film with Hugh Biscoe and Chester (Animal House Zool. Dept.). Population large and v. satisfactory numbers caught at rubbish tip. Filmed and released.
3 joeys kept: WR84 Male juv. carried in pouch, fell out when mother captured 13.10.61. Torch and net.
WR85 Female juv. at heel 13.10.61. Torch and net.
WR86 male juv. at heel 13.10.61. Torch and net....

interesting paper on coal and lignite. There was a good attendance of the
members of the Society, and the Vice-president (the Hon. J. G. H. Amherst)
presided.

Mr. BERNARD WOODWARD said:
The consideration of coal may be taken up from various points of view, both scientific and practical, but this evening we are chiefly interested in the former, and will endeavour to review what geology, mineralogy, palaeontology and chemistry can teach us on the subject. The name coal, spelt cole, until a comparatively recent period, is derived from the root col, or kull, meaning fuel, and is common, to all the languages comprised in the Teutonic group of the Indo European family of languages.

GEOLOGY.

As a matter of custom the term coal is applied to almost every kind of
solid mineral fuel, but by geologists it is used specially to designate
those mineralized plant remains that occur in the upper series of the
Palaeozoic rocks known as the carboniferous system, because seams of coal
form one of its distinguishing characteristics in most parts of the world.

Seams of coal also occur in the Old Red Sandstones, the Permian and the
Triassic series. While to those coals found in Mesozoic rocks the term
lignite or brown coal is applied. These occur in both the Jurssic [sic]
and the Cretaceous epochs, but more notably in the latter, in which seams
over six feet in thickness are worked in Germany.

The New Zealand and Californian coals are of this age.The brown coals of Germany are chiefly of Tertiary age (Oligocene). In Greenland the latest Arctic Expedition discovered a bed of coal of Miocene which so recently although it is as black and lustrous as the Palaeozoic fuels.

The peat that is still in process of formation in the bogs of Ireland, may be described as a poor kind of coal that only requires subjecting to heavy pressure to produce a fuel equal in value to many of the lignites, an event that may occur by ordinary natural causes in the course of time. Thus we see that nature has provided us with a vast number of beds of fuel extending from the Devonian Age up to the present time; and these vary in strucure [sic] and appearance from the peat and the soft and earthy peat coals the paper coals occurring in thin yellow grey layers like compressed leaves of paper, to those lignites having a distinctly woody appearance, and hence termed “wood” or “board coal,” and to others as hard and black as true coal and known as “stone” coal, so that it is impossible to tell by simple inspection whether some of these hard black fuels be true coal or merely superior lignite, some of the latter being far superior as fuels to many of the poorer coals.

Consequently difficulties arise as to the exact definition of coal, the engineer, the manufacturer, the merchant, being only interested in these fuels as far as their economic value is concerned, whilst the geologist classifies them according to their derivation, which led to some curious evidence being brought forward in the remarkable case which was tried in 1853, at Edinburgh, before the Lord Chief Justice and a special jury to settle the question, What it] coal?

The owner of an estate had granted a lease of the whole coal contained in it. In the course of working, the lessees extracted a combustible mineral of great value as a source of coal-gas, and they realized a large profit by the sale of it as gas-coal. The lessor then denied that the mineral in question was coal, and disputed the right of the lessees to work it. At the trial there was a great array of scientific men, including chemists, botanists, geologists, and microscopists ; and of practical gas engineers, coal viewers and others there were not a few. On the one side it was maintained that the mineral was coal, and on the other that it was a bituminous schist.

The evidence, as might be supposed, was most conflicting. The judge, accordingly, ignored the scientific evidence altogether, and summed up as follows ;—“The question for you to consider is not one of motives, but what is the mineral ? Is it coal in the language of th[ose] persons who deal and treat with that matter, and in the ordinary language of Scotland ? Because, to find a scientific definition of coal after what has been brought to light within the last five days, is out of the question. But is it coal in the common use of that word as it must be understood to be used in language that does not profess to be the purest science, but in the ordinary aceptation [sic] of business transactions reduced to writing ? Is it coal in that sense ? That is the question for you to solve.”

The jury found that it was coal. Since this trial the mineral has been pronounced not to be coal by the authorities of Russia, who accordingly have directed it not to be entered by the Custom-house officers as coal.

PALAEONTOLOGY.

As we have before said the geologist calls that true coal which is of carboniferous age, and to determine this point he has to call in the aid of the palaeontologist because the age of rocks is determined by the fossil remains of plants and animals found in them; for a certain order of appearance characterises these organic remains, each great group of rocks is marked by its own special types of life, and these types can be recognised, and the rocks in which they occur can be correllated, even in distant countries, where no other means of comparison is available.

In the Devonian system, only algae and other cryptogams with a few cycads and conifers are found. In the Carboniferous ferns attained a special development, as did certain lycopodiaceae, known as sigillaria and lepidodendra, these reaching 60 to 100 feet in height, with a diameter of 40 inches, while their modem representatives the club-mosses rarely exceed 8 or 10 inches in height. Gigantic equisetaceae known as calamites were equally luxuriant. True coal consists of the remains of these plants.

In the Permian system palms first appear. In the Secondary or Mesozoic age, the forms characteristic of the palaeozoic beds, sigillarae, lepidodendra and asterophyllites (ferns) disappear; and in the Jurassic times the prevalent forms in the forests were cycads, and with these were associated numerous conifers related in form to our arancarias and thujas, with an undergrowth of ferns and fleshy fungi.

In the later Oolitic times the earlier forms of cycads and ferns disappear, and are replaced by those more nearly related to those of the present time.

In the Cretaceous system the dicotyledonous trees appear, being represented by juglandites and ac[c]rites, related to our walnuts and maples, also alders and hornbeams and shrubs allied to our willows, while the cycads are much diminished in numbers.

In the Kainozoic or Tertiary strata the flora approaches still more closely to the present, for the brown coals of Germany of this age are composed almost entirely of the remains of conifers, although oaks, beeches, birches, alders and willows have assisted in the composition.

Peat, the formation of which is now going on, is composed chiefly of bog-mos [sic], Sphagnum palustre, which has the curious property of growing on upwards while the stem decays. Many of the plants have been beautifully preserved in the shales associated with the various coal measures, its can be seen in the collections exhibited in our Geological Museum, while microscopic sections still further help to elucidate the mystery of the composition of the coals, for even when they have been so much altered that the stems and leaves are represented by nothing but a structureless mass of black carbonaceous matter, there are found diffused through this a multitude of minute resinoid yellowish brown granules, which represent the spores of the gigantic Lycopodiaceae of the carboniferous flora. The of course do not occur in the lignites, which generally show a true woody structure under the microscope.

Although for want of time I have only referred to the flora, Yet in the identification of strata the fanna [sic] is still more important, because more numerous, and I would call the attention of members to the collection of the British carboniferous fossils in the Geological Museum, and ask them to compare them with those from the Irwin district, when they will be speedily convinced that that is truly of Carboniferous age.

MINERALOGY.

Considered from a mineralogical point of view, coal is placed in the hydro-
carbon group, along with petroleum, the wax-like parrafin series, amber,
the mineral resins, asphalt, &c., all of which are believed to be of
organic origin, although so much altered as to have lost all trace of
organic structure, as is the case with albertite—a brilliant jet black
hydro-carbon found in the lower Carboniferous rocks of Nova Scotia—which
is very valuable for gas-making, but only occurring in irregular fissures
cannot be regarded as a coal. The chief varieties ties of coal
are—firstly, anthracite, which contains 80 to 95 per cent. of carbon, but
graduates into the next variety, bituminous coal, which contains from 73
to 90 per cent. of carbon, and is divided into caking and non-caking, the
latter approaching most nearly to anthracite in composition, and being
also termed free-burning or steam coal, according to the purposes for
which it is used ; secondly we have cannel coal, the name being corrupted
from candle, because a because a splinter can be lighted and will burn
with a flame. It differs very little in composition from some of the
bituminous coals, but yields on destructive distillation large quantities
of gas and oils, both burning and lubricating ; and lastly, there is
torbanite, an earthy variety of cannel that yields large quantities of gas
and oil, but leaves an ash almost at bulky as itself. This was the subject
of the 1853 law-suit above mentioned. Then come the lignites or brown
coal, of which jet is a variety.

CHEMISTRY.

In the next place we will see what light chemistry can throw upon our
subject. Coals may be analysed to show actual per centages of carbon,
hydrogen, oxygen (these two apart from the amount contained in the water
which would have been previously been driven off), nitrogen, sulphur, and
ash, and the ash may be separately analysed, as is done to ascertain if it
contain anything that will interfere in metallurgical operations. Analyses
do not always throw much light upon the economic value and uses of a coal,
for a good deal depends upon the way in which the molecules arranged, for,
as before mentioned, some bituminous coals yield much more oil than others
of almost identical chemical composition, their constitution being
evidently widely different. In Lignites the amount of carbon varies from
49 to 75 per cent., hydrogen from 3.79 to 5.63, nitrogen from 0.57 to1.34,
sulphur from 0.49 to 4.59, ash from 1.83 to 19.34, water from 5.90 to
49.50, the specific gravity from 1.13 to 1.41. In coals the carbon varies
from 70 to 95 per cent., hydrogen 4.65 to 6.00, nitrogen 1.49 to 2.65,
sulphur 0.55 to 1.51, ash 0.79 to 4, water 1.35 to 3.50, and the specific
gravity from 1.25 to1.46. From these figures we see that coals [sic]
contains more carbon and hydrogen and less nitrogen than lignite, but the
latter contains much more water and generally more ash. The assay method
of estimating fuels is of more practical value, giving the amount of
water, ash, coke, and volatile hydro-carbons. Coals give from 50 to 90 per
cent. of coke, and from 8 to 33 per cent. of gas, except in the case of
some of the superior cannel coals which give up to 66 per cent. of
volatile matter. Lignites give from 30 to 63 per cent. of coke from 15 to
36 per cent. Gas.

CONCLUSIONS.

To sum up, it is impossible to distinguish coal from lignite by external
appearance, or by chemical analysis the superior lignites being better
fuels than some of the inferior coals. The lignites mostly contain much
more water than coal, and while the latter may be dried it is useless to
perform that operation on lignites for they re-absorb water from the
atmosphere almost to the extent of that driven off. While only some coals
are non-caking, all lignites are and so nearly valueless for gas-making as
the coke being left in powder has no commercial value. Lignites are often
valuable fuels, and are largely used in all parts of the world. In this
colony there are many beds of lignite in the southern districts, some of
which like the Flybrook and Fitzgerald are so friable that they are never
likely to be of much commercial value, but the Collie will be most useful
for household purposes, locomotives, smelting works, &c., though it cannot
be economically employed in gas making, as it does not cake, and so does
not give coke of any value, nor will it not be accepted by mail steamers
on account of the large amount of water it contains, necessitating the
carrying not only of the additional ten per cent. of useless water but
enough extra fuel to drive that off. It is hard and travels well, and so
will certainly be a source of great profit. Our great hope, however, of
finding good steam and gas coal lies in the districts extending from the
Irwin to Kimberley, where the Carboniferous formation is so largely
developed as stated in the  reports of the Government Geologist.

The GOVERNMENT GEOLOGIST (Mr. Harry Page Woodward) gave an interesting description of the different formations of coal in this colony. The collie coal resembled very closely lignites, and he put it down as Mesozoic coal. certainly not the coal of the Carboniferous Age, and as it was generally decided that anything that would sell in the market was coal he had called it coal.

There were very large seams there, and extended a great depth. The coal was a coal that would travel. But at present the colony had no great need for coal, as, if the coastal steamers used it, and the railways used it, the total amount they would require would not keep one mine going. As far as the prospects for coal in this colony were concerned, he considered the colony had very fine prospects indeed, for the Carboniferous rocks outcropped in many places between the Irwin and Wyndham, in fact they were more largely developed than in any other part of the world.

Mr. R. WYNNE said that about a year and a half ago a gentleman visited this colony who was an expert in coal, and he took the opportunity of showing this visitor a specimen of the coal from Fly Brook. The gentleman in question immediately pronounced it to be lignite and that it was of similar quality as the lignite used at the present time throughout New Zealand. It was, he said, bound to be very valuable for fuel. It was of much more recent formation than the other coal, and possibly the other coal might be found underneath at a greater distance.

The GOVERNMENT GEOLOGIST said that it was very often thought by the public on seeing lignite that it was an indication of coal. This was a mistake as lignite had nothing to do with coal, as the lignite rested on very old crystaline rocks, rocks of an age beyond the Palaeozoic rocks.

Dr. JAMESON proposed a vote of thanks to Mr. Woodward for his interesting paper. He thought the question he had gone into was one full of interestat the present time. He had shown them the great complexity of the subject and the difficulty of forming a true opinion. Perhaps it would be better to leave the matter to thoroughly scientific men, and not to experts. It seemed a strange thing that they should apply, as on a recent occasion, to a gentleman from the other colonies for an opinion on the coal, when they had men of a scientific education here.

Mr. POOLE seconded the motion which was carried unanimously.

Mr. WOODWARD said he had had some conversation with Mr. Bond with regard to the Irwin coal, who told him he was going to continue boring and prospecting in spite of any adverse report.

The business of the evening was conc[luded] by the notice that at the next meeting [the] Government Geologist would give a pap[er on] gold....