Abstract
MELBOURNE. Royal Society oJ Victoria, July 10.—Mr. J. A. Kershaw, president, in the chair.—H. G. Smith: The essential off of Boronia pinnata, Smith, and the presence of elemicin. The plants were collected at Longwarry, where it grows in great profusion, and the distillation was carried out by Mr. P. R. H. St. John. The product consists largely of elemicin, which has previously occurred only in the order Eurseraceae (Protium, elemi resin), whilst (Boronia belongs to the Rutaceæ.—J. T. Jntson: The “clawing” action of rain in sub-arid Western Australia. The author describes the erosion on ground generally covered by hard capping due to surface deposits of hard mineral matter. When this capping is broken, miniature waterfalls are formed, and at lower levels basins with crenulated edges, with a gradual reduction: of rock material from high to low levels; The “clawing” action-of the rills is so marked as to deserve special notice.—J. T. Jutson: A striking example of rock expansion: by temperature variation in sub-arid Western Australia. This note puts on record an instance of a thin slab of granite parting from the main mass and rising convexly 7 in from its base before cracking and breaking up.—E. O. Teale: The diabase and associated rocks of the Howqua River, near Mansfield, with reference to the Heathcotian problem in Victoria. A study of this interesting area of the Howqua district with its Lower Carboniferous, Upper and Lpwer Ordovician, and older rocks throws much light oh the sequence of the Lower Palæozoic series in other areas. Cherts and bedded ash with radiolaria and sponge-remains are found, similar to those of Heathcote, and an interesting phosphate-breccia with trilobite remains is described, which is closely associated with Upper Ordovician rocks.—F. Chapman An Ostracod and Shell-marl of Pleistocene age from Boneo Swamp, west of Cape Schanck, Victoria. This deposit of marl, which does not now appear to be subject to tidal influence, contains an interesting fauna of fresh- and salt-water Ostracoda, and swamp, land, and marine shells. Two of the Ostracods are new. Cypris tenuisculpta, and Limnicythere sicula. It is probable that in late Pliocene and on to Pleistocene times this area was connected with N. W. Tasmania, as an emergence of Bass Strait of 40 fathoms would show the earliest land connection at these points. This theory is supported by the occurrence of Limnicythere both at Boneo and Mowbray Swamps.
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Societies and Academies . Nature 104, 108 (1919). https://doi.org/10.1038/104108a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/104108a0