ms the only rock with the exception of amygdaloidal trap.

GRANITE.

Granite or granitic compounds are more or less apparent at or near the
sources of the principal rivers; but with the exception of the Southern
Alps and some patches in the counties of Bathurst and Murray this
fundamental rock is visible in Australia only where it appears to have
cracked a thick overlying stratum of ferruginous sandstone. Thus near the
head of the river Cox where the latter attains its greatest elevation,
and from the character of the valley has evidently been violently
disturbed, we find granite in the valley near the bed of the stream.

Observation 1. Such is the character of the country where the waters
separate, or in the line of greatest elevation which we are accustomed to
term the Coast Range. The general direction of this range is
north-north-east and accords perfectly with the hypothesis of Dr. Fitton,
founded on the general parallelism observed in the range of the strata,
even on the north-western coast, as noticed in his interesting little
volume, the first ever devoted to Australian Geology.* The parallelism so
remarkable in the range of strata in that portion, the general tendency
of the coastlines to a course from the west of south to the east of north
on the mainland, and even in the islands west of the Gulf of Carpentaria,
and a general elevation of the strata towards the south-east, as deduced
from Flinders' remarks, are all facts which should be studied in
connection with the direction of the granite along this part of the
eastern coast.

(*Footnote. An account of some Geological specimens from the coasts of
Australia by William Henry Fitton, M.D., F.R.S., V.P.G.S., etc. 1826.)

Observation 2. It may be also observed that the sandstone reposing on the
rock eastward of this division or watershed is slightly inclined towards
the sea, whereas all the sandstone on the interior side, or westward of
it, dips to the north-west.

TRAP-ROCKS.

Trap-rocks are displayed in a great variety of situations. They often
occur connected with limestone in valleys, sometimes constitute lofty
ranges as on the north or left bank of the Hunter, and along the seashore
at the Illawarra; they likewise cap the summit of isolated hills, but no
particular place can be assigned to them with reference to the position
of any other rocks. Trap forms a good soil on decomposition as is shown
in the rich districts of the Illawarra, Cowpastures, Va