TRANSACTIONS OF THE ROYAL SOCIETY

OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED

OBITUARY

JOHN McCONNELL BLACK, A.LS,

(1855 - 1951)

By C, M. Earpiry *

John McConnell Black, after working at the last page of the Second Edition

of Part III of his Flora of South Australia, retired to bed in the late evening of

Saturday, 1 December 1951, leaving open on his table various floras that he had

been consulting over the genus Statice (Limoniwm). He rose late on Sunday

morning, and sat on the verandah; getting up hurriedly, he apparently felt faint,

stumbled and died in a few minutes. In spite of his great age of ninety-six, his

mind had remained alert and active to the end, and death came after a short

illness from which he had almost recovered.

Black was born at Wigtown in south-west Scotland, on 28 April 1855, just

after the Crimean War; his father, George C. Black, was Procurator-Fiscal and

bank manager there and had three other children. He received his education at

the Wigtown Grammar School and then at the Edinburgh Academy, followed

by Taunton College School in England, the training ground of other natural

scientists, and finally at the commercial “Handels-schule” in Dresden. After

spending a period in two banks (in Edinburgh and London respectively), he

came to South Australia in 1877 at the age of twenty-two, and farmed at Baroota

for five years; there he married Alice Dentord of Wellington, South Australia.

Farming at that time in the dry Port Pirie district was not successful, and Black

with his literary tastes turned to journalism; he moved to Adelaide in 1882, where

he made his home for the rest of his life. He joined the staff of the “Register”

Newspaper in 1883, but after one or two years he transferred to the “Advertiser”

and eventually became Senior Reporter. His colleagues in the Press had the

greatest respect and use for his wide knowledge, especially in matters of history,

geography and languages. He was a capable and efficient reporter and could

handle the most varied assignments, including interviews with French and German

visitors in their own languages; he regularly reported the meetings of a German

Club, the Allgemeiner Deutscher Verein, where the proceedings were conducted

in German. It was in these days, too, that he pursued the study of Arabic

with an Afghan accountant.

Sometimes he had to report concerts and theatres; the songs of the Savoy

Operas ran in his head a good deal, no doubt because of his sister’s connection

with them. One of his most spectacular assignments must have been the reporting

of the reception at Government House to the first Governor-General, the Marquis

of Linlithgow, when he visited Adelaide at about the time the first Federal Par-

liament met. Occasionally Black wrote leading articles for the “Advertiser.” He

was also on the official Hansard staff at the meeting of the South Australian House

of Assembly in 1884 or 1885, and he remained on it until 1903. During these

* T am indebted for substantial help in writing this account to Professor J. B. Cleland,

who prepared the list of species published by Black, to Mr. John Sincock for information

about his “Advertiser” period, and to his son, Dr. E. Couper Black.

C. M. E.

days, he was already indulging his botanical interests; he and his wife were keen

cyclists and he made extensive tours in the South-East; his connection with the

Field Naturalists’ Section of the Royal Society also began early,

After his retirement from active newspaper work in 1902, he devoted himself

almost entirely to botany, but he did keep in touch with some of his former

colleagues and occasionally gave them help in fields where they had learnt to value

his capacity; in this way he used to help his friend, J. Sincock, in editing the

South Australian Journal of Agriculture about the 1907 period; he also took

over the reporting of certain Commissions as casual work after 1903,

“A legacy left him by his sister Helen, who was Mrs. D’Oyley Carte of

Gilbert and Sullivan fame, enabled him to retire in 1902 at the age of forty-seven.

Few legacies have been better bestowed, for it enabled Black to devote himself

to the interests that particularly appealed to him, botany and linguistics, and was

thus responsible for the production of the most important systematic botanical

work in Australia since the days of Bentham, von Mueller and F. M. Bailey—

his “Flora of South Australia.”

In 1903 Black made a tour abroad to the countries of Great Britain, Europe

and South America; one can imagine his delight at travelling in foreign parts—

Spain, Italy, France, and Germany—whose languages he had been studying.

On his return, botanical work started in earnest; by 1909 he published “The

Naturalised Flora of South Australia,” copiously illustrated with drawings by

himself and containing 368 species, In the same year he contributed the first of

a long series of papers, later entitled “Additions to the Flora of South Australia,”

to Vol. 33, of the Transactions of this Society; of this series, the last, No. 45,

appeared in 1949 (Vol. 73); his current miscellaneous notes and descriptions of

new species were ptiblished here, so they are important adjuncts to “The Flora.”

A few new species were included in Part III, Ed. 2, of this work which had not

yet been validly published in Latin in accordance with the International Rules

of Botanical Nomenclature, so it will still be necessary to publish these Latin

descriptions which will appear as “Additions No. 46” in these Transactions. Apart

from the “Additions,” he published several other botanical papers in the Trans-

actions and in the “South Australian Naturalist,” some jointly; the titles appear

in the bibliography at the end of this notice. Being a capable linguist—he knew

Latin, French, German, Italian, Spanish and some Russian and Arabic—he

naturally welcomed any opportunity to study the languages of our aboriginals and

was the first to use the International Phonetic Script to record them; his papers

on this subject are also included in the bibliography.

In 1920, the South Australian Branch of the British Science Guild (the

Guild is now merged in the British Association for the Advancement of Science)

asked Black whether he would prepare a “Flora of South Australia” as the first

of a series of Handbooks on the Fauna and Flora of this State. The genesis

of these Handbooks has been detailed elsewhere; here it will only be mentioned

that the author of each Handbook presented his work as a gift to the State,

and the Government on its part undertook the publication and sold the works

at cost price, with further concessions to students. Black agreed to prepare this

Handbook, and set to work steadily, the four successive parts being published

in 1922, 1924, 1926 and 1929 respectively by the Government Printer, Adelaide,

The new “Flora” was very well done and replaced Ralph Tate’s smaller “Hand-

book of the Flora of Extra-tropical South Australia,” Adelaide, 1890. Black’s

book ran to 746 pages with descriptions and distribution records of 2,430 species,

both native and naturalised, and some 400 illustrations by the author; it was

well indexed, the descriptions and keys to families, genera and species were good

and there were also a useful introduction on the history of botany in South Aus-

iii

tralia,.a glossary, and a map of the State. This was the work that South Aus-

tralian botanists had so long desired; it proved also to fill a gap in the adjacent

Australian States, none of which had very recent floras, and those which had

been published were for the most part almost unprocurable. There had been

nothing as good for the Flora of the Australian mainland since Bentham’s “Flora

Australiensis” and F. M. Bailey’s “Flora of Queensland.” The great Ferdinand

von Mueller, of course, was co-author of the “Flora Australiensis,” and he wrote

numerous most valuable monographs and other botanical works on Australian

plants; his comparable “Key to the System of Victorian Plants,” 1885-8, is

excellent in so many ways, yet in this field of a regional flora it is our opinion

that Black achieved a better synthesis, he certainly had the advantage of following

after the pioneers.

South Australia is contiguous with some part of all the other States except

Tasmania, and the general usefulness of Black’s Flora in Australia is partly due

to this fact; it covers very well the arid vegetation types so widespread over the

large central area of the continent and extending into all States.

Black’s material for this “Flora” was chiefly his own quite comprehensive

South Australian Herbarium and the other Adelaide collections, firstly that of the

University, containing especially the plants which Professor Ralph Tate had

amassed, those of O, E. Menzel, and of the Elder and Horn and other Expedi-

tions, together with much interstate material, including that of J. B. Cleland

from New South Wales and E. Pritzel from Western Australia, together with

exotic plants; secondly, the Botanic Garden collection built up by Dr. Richard

Schomburgk when he was Director during the last quarter of the nineteenth

century (amalgamated with the University collection in 1940); and then there

was Professor J, B. Cleland’s large private collection. Dr, R. S, Rogers, the

orchidologist, wrote the section on Orchidaceae for Black’s Flora, There was also

close correspondence with the herbaria in other States, especially with Melbourne

and Sydney, and of course with Kew in England and others abroad; but it is

remarkable that Black did so well, having spent so little time at the large herbaria

and botanical libraries; his library facilities were those of the city of Adelaide

and its scientific institutions, his own small one and books he could borrow; this

left something to be desired in the direction of specialized and current taxonomic

literature, though he was always at pains to procure monographs important to

him, Black sttidied and adhered to the International Rules of Botanical Nomen-

clature carefully, but he was not an obtrusive nomenclaturist. It is perhaps some-

what to be regretted that he did not see more type specimens, though such studies

belong rather to the province of a monograph than a flora.

Something more must be said about Black’s own Herbarium. It had been

collected partly on his trips in earlier years (he was sixty-five before he began

writing the “Flora of South Australia”) in the regions of Eyre Peninsula,

Ooldea, Marree, the North-east, the South-East and less distant regions;

his family and botanical friends collected for him too, especially his sons, his

son-in-law H, W. Andrew, H. Griffith, E. H. Ising, Captain S. A. White, Pro-

fessor J. B. Cleland and many others, the last-named a most experienced and

critical collector who contributed many new species. Unusual plants naturally

found their way to Black because, though never a professional, he was far and

away the best systematic botanist in South Australia for over forty years, and

State officers and botanists alike consulted him a good deal. Very often he

examined and named large collections made by others in distant or interesting

parts of the State; many of these were reported upon by him in the Transactions

of this Society (see bibliography), and duplicates from such specimens would

usually be available to him for his own collection; there are surprisingly few

of the total of South Australian species not represented in it. The Herbarium

was very compactly arranged and kept in Black’s own study; it was always in

use, in fact it formed an integral part of his daily life. All the specimens are

accompanied by drawings and notes made at every dissection, Black never failed

to note his observations. Apparently he delighted in these sketches and drawings,

which were excellent botanically and often very pleasing and perhaps coloured;

they are to be found all over the margins of many of his personal botanical books.

The Herbarium, then, represents all this academic work together with the labour

of labelling, mounting and poisoning the specimens; he accepted such routine

tasks as a matter of course, but he did get help with the very exacting proof-

reading of his books, especially from Professor J, B. Cleland and Miss M.

Raymont, and with the compilation of the Index from J. F. Bailey. He offered

the Herbarium, in advance, as a gift to the University of Adelaide at his death;

the offer was couched in characteristically modest language, and the Herbarium

is now in the Botany School of the University,

The Second Edition of the “Flora of South Australia” was undertaken with

the same Government help as the first, and with a generous grant from the

Commonwealth Science and Industry Endowment Fund for the preparation of

illustrations, thus approximately half the number of species is illustrated in

the Second Edition, Black himself had drawn all except the Orchid illustrations

(by Miss R. C, Fiveash) in the First Edition; his new artists were Miss Maude

Priest, Miss Gwen Walsh and Miss Mabel Raymont. Black’s only remuneration

for his botanical work was a small honorarium in 1949 from the Commonwealth

and State Governments.

The earlier volumes of the “Flora” were out of print in less than twenty

years, and the later volumeés soon followed, so the need for a Second Hdition

was becoming acute by 1939, The book was a standard text in the University

Botany Department, with its strong ecology school, and indispensable to many

other botanical workers in Australia, Black was now eighty-four and it was not

thought that he could embark on such a large undertaking; however, during the

discussion on possible alternatives he agreed to take up the task again; he worked

rather more slowly, but accurately and well, and we are fortunate indeed to have

the work of his next twelve years, almost uninterrupted by illness and ended

only by his death. In that time the new Part I (May 1943) and Part II (1948)

were published, while Part III was nearly completed at the time of his death

and appeared in print within nine months after (September 1952), with some

biographical notes in the preface. Much material was already gathered up for

Part 1V, the preparation of which is being continued by others, with whom

more responsibility for the remainder of the book will rest. The annual “Additions

to the Flora of South Australia” have been mentioned; they continued during

and after publication of the volumes of the “Tlora,” and formed quite a corpus

of material ready to add to the Second Edition; they were his current notes and

observations which he never relaxed from making, though the completion of his

“Flora” would have been the occasion for many another man to do so.

Black was not a monographer, though he has ta his credit a study of the

flowering of Pectinella (a marine seaweed belonging to the flowering plants)

1913, and “A Revision of the Australian Salicornigae’ (the difficult Samphires)

1919. A survey of the list of new species described by him shows that he covered

the South Australian flora fairly impartially and thoroughly; he described several

new species in the family Chenopodiaceae, and in the genera Stipa, Calandrinia,

Acacia, Swainsona, Frankenia, Eremophila, Goodenia and Brachycome. It is of

considerable interest to note that he scarcely ever named or altered the status of

any species or form of Eucalyptus; an exception was E. mcrassata Labill. var

protrusa J. M. B., an ephemeral name included in Ed. 1 only of the “Flora of

South Australia”; no doubt he felt that this was ground where angels might fear

to tread; the understanding of relationships within this genus is one of Australia’s

most challenging botanical problems. He had not the same inhibitions about the

large and quite difficult genus Acacia in which he named 10 species and 4 varieties ;

nor the Stipa grasses.

The chief contributions of specialists towards his “Flora” were those of

Dr. R. S. Rogers (Orchidaceae, in Edition I) and Mr, S. T. Blake (revision

of Cyperaceae in Edition IL), but Black was always very independent in his

judgments and never accepted amy work in his own field uncritically.

“The Flora of South Australia” is his chief monument, being the culmination

of all his shorter botanical publications. In case one should forget the mastery

of the tremendous rarige of detail which it implies, we might mention especially

his series of studies in the difficult families Gramineae, Cyperaceae and Com-

positae, and his seven new genera in as many different families. The Australian

flora, apart from the tropical rain-forests, is now so well known that to find new

genera is rare; of those Black published four still stand; they are all monotypic

containing rare species new to science, viz., Sarcozona from Eyre Peninsula,

Broken Hill, etc., Clelandia from Wilpena Pound, Uldinia from Ooldea, and

Embadium from west of Lake Torretis; they were published in the “Additions”

series under the dates quoted in the “List of new genera... .” appended to this

obituary. Of Black’s three genera not at present standing, Pectinella (1913) had

a peculiar and obscure submarine life history which had long kept its generic

rank in doubt; Black set himself to discover the facts which he at first thought

were sufficient to distinguish it from existing genera, but by 1922 he had aban-

doned his own genus for one of the old ones, Cymodocea. Grtffithia (1913)

turned out to be a rare species in South Australia already described as Helipterum

oppositifolium S. Moore (1897) for Western Australia, he soon discovered this

and apparently at once regretted having distinguished the plant generically from

Helipterum. Hymenocapsa (1925) is a rare little plant which had already puzzled

von Mueller and Tate, even as to its correct family status, and Black’s new genus

was an episode on the way to getting it suitably placed. Naturally his later

judgments about the limits of genera had more of the necessary experience

behind them and they were made whenever possible only after consultation with

specialists,

Many Australian plants are of great anthropological interest for their use

by the aboriginals; one might mention Duboisia, Nicotiana and Solanum; in the

two last there were still problems of the delimitation of species for Black to

cope with and some new ones to be recognised.

Black’s other scientific activities included services to the Royal Society of

South Australia (to which he was elected in 1907) as Council Member 1927-31,

then as Vice-President 1931-33, and President in 1933-34; in 1945 he was elected

an Honorary Fellow of the Society; he was also sometiine Chairman of its Field

Naturalists’ Section. Black was really the unofficial referee for many a systematic

botanical problem which presented itself to the State officers of the Department

of Agriculture, and he always dealt most willingly with such questions; the

Government was aware of these services, and he received the Royal recognition

of M.B.E, in 1942.

His attendance at the meetings of the Australasian Association for the

Advancement of Science appears to have been limited to those meetings held in

Adelaide, of which there have been only four, apart from a few sessions of the

British Association during its Australian visit of August 1914. The first Adelaide

meeting was held in 1893 and Black was not a member, but he joined for the

1907, 1924 and 1946 meetings, though not for the British Association in 1914.

In 1907 the botanist, J. H. Maiden, was President of Section D (Biology) and

gave the valuable presidential address, “A Century of Botanical Endeavour in

South Australia.” This was right into Black’s hands and impressed him greatly.

In 1924 he gave a paper himself to Section M (Botany) on Nomenclature,

which—unlike many a paper on this subject—was perfectly lucid, In 1946, though

already ninety-one, he also attended, especially the Herbarium Sessions then held.

In 1930 he went abroad again and attended the Fifth International Botanical

Congress at Cambridge, representing the University of Adelaide, the Royal Society

of South Australia, and the Melbourne Botanic Gardens; this must have been

a stimulating experience for him; he took part in the discussions on nomenclature

and yoiced his opinion against the principle of having chosen specific names

conserved in the International Rules of Botanical Nomenclature—a never-ending

bone of contention among botanists and others who use plant names; another

Australian also present spoke for the opposite view, In this year of his presence

at the Cambridge Congress, he was made an Associate honoris causa of the

Linnean Society of London. These Associates are a select group which also

includes another South Australian, the entomologist Mr. H. Womersley.

Besides the M.B.E. and A.L.S., Black received four other awards from

the Australian scientific world. Besides being appointed Honorary Lecturer in

Systematic Botany at the University of Adelaide from 1927, he received the

Sir Joseph Verco Medal in 1930 from this Society; then the very appropriate

Ferdinand von Mueller Medal (Australian and New Zealand Association for the

Advancement of Science, 1932) ; the Australian Natural History Medallion (Field

Naturalists’ Club of Victoria, 1944), and finally the Clark Memorial Medal

(Royal Society of New South Wales, 1946),

Black was modest and cheerful, with a rich personality and a refreshing

sense of humour; he was a pleasant companion and formed some enduring friend-

ships; enough has been said to indicate his passion for study in many fields

throughout his life. His habit of continual recording was evidently very strong

and he has left a series of personal diaries covering many years of his life. How-

ever, he seems to have destroyed nearly all his botanical correspondence once he

had noted it, except for a few letters filed with appropriate herbarium specimens.

Black was not a University man nor a trained botanist, but one of those sifted

amateurs of high intellectual discipline who have so greatly enriched the science

of systematic botany; Australia has reason to be profoundly grateful to another

earlier amateur botanist in the same field—the great George Bentham, author of

the “Flora Australiensis.” Most of Black’s botanical work was done at his Adelaide

home in his study, with very modest equipment and library and largely with his

own herbarium; he seems never to have settled in to a period of work at the large

official herbaria; he had of course the freedom of the Herbarium of the University

of Adelaide, where his teaching duties were nominal.

Three sons sutvive their father—Mr. G. M. Black of Gladstone, S.A., Dr.

E. C. Black of Tranmere, S.A., and Mr. A. B. Black of Broken Hill, N.S.W.;

his wife and his daughter, Mrs. Andrew, predeceased him; his son-in-law, H. W.

Andrew, was a botanist in the South Australian Department of Agriculture.

There are several grandchildren and great-grandchildren, with at least one pro-

fessional botanist among them—Mr, Roger Black of Sydney University, a grand-

son.

A bibliography and a list of Black’s new genera, species and varieties are

appended; however, his name will always be remembered as the author of the

excellent “Flora of South Australia.”

vii

LIST OF NEW GENERA, SPECIES AND VARIETIES PUBLISHED

BY J. M. BLACK

Compiled by J. B. Cleland

TotaL—/ genera and approximately 180 species and 40 varieties.

NEW GENERA

PEcTINELLA, 1913 (= Cymodocea) in Potamogetonaceae.

Sarcozona, 1934, in Aizoaceae.

Hymenocapsa, 1925, in Tiliaceae (= Gilesia in Sterculiaceae).

CLELANDIA, 1932, in Violaceae.

Uxprnta, 1922, in Umbelliferae.

Empapium, 1931, in Boraginaceae.

GRIFFITHIA, 1913 (= Helipterum) in Compositae.

NEW SPECIES AND VARIETIES

PoTAMOGETONACEAE—

Cymodocea Griffith.

ScHEUCHZERIACEAE—

Triglochin ovoidea, T, hexagona.

GRAMINEAE—

Dichanthium humilius; Aristida biglandulosa; Stipa dura, S. horrifolia =

S, Drummondiu Steud. S. plagiopogon, S. indeprensa, S. multispicults,

S. mundula, S. breviglumis—=S. verticillata Nees.; Agrostis limitanea;

Eriachne Isingiana; Danthonia geniculata, D. auriculata; Triodia aristata =

T. irritans R. Br., T. lanata, T. longiceps; Eragrostis confertiflora, E.

infecunda,; Poa humifusa, P. halmaturina.

Varieties—Eragrostis interrupta var. densiflora — E. confertiflora; Stipa

falcata var. minor, S. semibarbata var. gracilis, S. setacea var. latiglumis,

5S. eremophila var. dodrantaria—=S, plumigera Hughes, S. pubescens var.

maritima, S. pubescens var. comosa — S. Blackiti Hubbard, S. scabra var.

auriculata; Chloris divaricata var. minor; Eriachne ovata var. pedicellata =

E. mucronata R. Br..

CYPERACEAE—

Cyperus Clelandit == C, dactylotes Benth.; Schoenus racemosus, S. mono-

carpus (Tetraria monocarpa, Cladium monocarpum) = S. Carsei Cheesm.,

S. tesquorum; Tetraria halmaturna (Heleocharis halmaturina) ; Cladium

gracile (= C. laxum (Nees) Benth.) ; Gahnia hystrix; Bulbostylis Eustachit

(posthumous).

Varieties—Cyperus eragrostis var. pauperata, C. exaltatus var. minor

(omitted in 2nd Ed.).

RESTIONACEAE—

Lepyrodia valliculae.

CENTROLEPIDACEAE—

Centrolepis Murrayi.

JuncacraE—

Varieties—Juncus polyanthemos var. major.

LILIACEAE—

Lomandra densiflora, L. fibrata.

Varieties—Thysanotus Patersonii R.Br. var. exfimbriatus; Bulbine semi-

barbata Haw. var. depilata.

viii

IRIDACEAE—

Moraea xerospatha var, monophylla.

ProTEACEAE—

Grevillea quinquenervis, G. muricata== G. Rogersi Maiden, G. umbellifera.

Varieties — Hakea ulicina R.Br. var. latifolia, H. Ivoryi Bailey var.

glabrescens.

LoraANTHACEAE—

Loranthus diamantinensis,

PoLyGONACEAE—

Muehlenbeckia coccoloboides,

CHENOPODIACEAE—

Chenopodium melanocarpum (Ch. carinatum var. melanocarpum), Ch. deser-

torum, (Ch, microphyllum var. desertorum), Ch. insulare; Atriplex cordifolia,

A. crassipes; Bassia articulata, B, decurrens, B. ventricosa, B. limbata;

Kochia scleroptera, K. enchylaenoides (K, tomentosa var. enchylaenoides),

K. excavata and var. trichoptera, K. Cannoni, K. coronata; Threlkeldia

diffusa; Pachycornia triandra (F. v. M.) J. M. B., P. tenuis (Benth.),

J. M. B.

Varieties—Atriplex campanulata Benth, var, adnata, A. leptocarpa F. v. M.

var. acuminata = A. acutibractea, R. H. Anders. A. Lindleyi Mog. var.

quadripartita; Bassia paradoxa (R. Br.) F. v. M. var, latifolia, B. uniflora

(R. Br.) F. v. M. var. incongruens (Ed. I, Additions), Babbagia acroptera

var. acuminata and var. deminuta; K. tomentosa (Moq.) F. v. M. var.

‘appressa (Benth.) J. M. B. K. triptera Benth, var. pentaptera; Arthrocne-

mum halocnemoides Nees var. pergranulatum, and var. pterygospermum.

AMARANTHACEAE—

Trichinium seminudum, now Ptilotus seminudus; Amaranthus grandiflorus

(A. Mitchellu var. grandiflorus J. M. B.).

Varieties—Puilotus Murrayi var. major; Trichinium helipteroides var. minor.

AIZOACEAE—

Sarcozona Pulleinet (Carpobrotus Pulleinet).

Varieties—Trianthema crystallina (Forsk.) Vahl. var. clavata.

PoRTULACACEAE—

Portulaca intraterranea; Calandrinia remota, C. dipetala, C. spaerophylla,

C. stagnensis, C. disperma; Anacampseros australiana,

RANUNCULACEAE—

Ranunculus pentandrus = R. parviflorus L. var. glabrescens J. M. B..

CRUCIFERAE—

Blennodia pterosperma (B, canescens R. Br. var. pterosperma J, M. B.);

Menkea hispidula = M., villosula (F. v. M. et Tate) J. M. B.; Lepidium

halmaturinum,; Hymenolobus alatus; Hutchinsia cochlearina = Phlegmato-

spermum cochlearinum, H. eremaea == Ph, cochlearinum (F. v. M.) O. E.

Schulz var. eremaeum J. M. B.

LEGUMINOSAE—

Acacia rhetinocarpa, A. coronalis, A. rwalis, A. euthycarpa (A. calamifolia

var. euthycarpa J. M. B.), A. prolifera, A. Mengelit, A. barattensis, A. pingui-

folia, A, tarculensis, A, quornensis; Daviesia nudula; Pultenaea eymbifolia

= Gastrolobium elachistum F. v. M., P. quadricolor, P. trifida, P. trinervis ;

Indigofera longibractea = I, Basedowi Pritzel; Swainsona villosa, S. flavi-

carinata, S. reticulata, S. campestris, S, viridis, S. dictyocarpa, S. fissimon-

tana, S. Morrisiana == S, Murrayana Wawra., S. microcalyx and var. adeno-

phylla; Ptychosema stipulare (1938) Central Aust. (not in Fl. S.A.).

Varieties—Acacia retinodes Schlecht. var. uncifolia and var. oraria (post-

humous), A. Bynoeana Benth. var. latifolia, A. sclerophylla Lindl. var.

lissophylla, A. aneura F. v. M. var. latifolia; Cassia Sturtii R. Br. var.

planipes and var. involucrata (later a var. of C. desolata), C. curvistyla

(1938) Central Aust. (not in Fl. S.A.); Pultenaea graveolens Tate var.

glabrescens, P. villifera Sieb. var. glabrescens; Swainsona canescens (Benth.)

F. v. M. var. Horniana, S. oreboides F. v. M. var. hirsuta J. M. B. =

S. Behriana (F. v. M. herb.) J. M. B., S. stipularis F. v. M. var. geniculata;

Glycine sericea var. orthotricha.

ZYGOPHYLLACEAE—

Zygophyllum compressum, Z. tesquorum.

RuUTACEAE—

Boronia palustris Maiden et Black; Correa calycina; Asterolasia muricaia;

Phebalinm bullatum.

Varieties—Correa rubra Sm, var. orbicularis and var. megacalyx.

TREMANDRACEAE—

Tetratheca halmaturina,

EuUPHORBIACEAE—

Euphorbia Murrayana = E. Stevenii F. M. Bailey, E. Finlayson; Poran-

thera triandra; Beyerta subtecta.

Varieties—Phyllanthus thymoides Sieb. var. parviflorus.

RHAMNACEAE—

Pomaderris halmaturina. ;

Varieties—Spyridium eriocephalim Fenzl. var. glabrisepalum, S. halmaturina

F, v. M. var. integrifolium, S. subochreatum (F. v. M.) Reiss. var. laxius-

culum.

MALVACEAE— ‘ :

Plagianthus incanus ; Hibiscus intraterraneus; H. crassicalyx (1933) Central

Aust. (not in Fl. S.A.)

DILLENIACEAE— :

Hibbertia paeninsularis, H. crispula.

Varieties—Hibbertia sericea (R. Br.) Benth. var. majer and var. scabrifolia,

H. stricta R. Br. var. oblonga,

FRANKENIACEAE—

Frankenia orthotricha, F. foliosa, F. granulata, F, muscosa, F. crispa,

F, cordata. ;

Varieties—F. pauciflora DC. var. incrustata, F. serpyllifolia Lindl. var. ere-

mophila (= F. eremophila Summeth.),

VIOLACEAE—

Clelandia convallis.

THYMELAEACEAE—

Pimelea Williamsonti, P, continua,

MyrracEAE—

Melaleuca corrugata, M. monticola, M. oraria; Thryptomene Whiteae =

T. Elliottid F. v. M.; Calythrix involucrata.

Varieties—Baeckea crassifolia Lindl. var. pentamera; Eucalyptus incrassata

Labill. var. protrusa (not in Ed. II); Melaleuca decussata var. ovoidea.

HALORAGACEAE—

Haloragis semiangulata, H. ciliata.

Varieties—Haloragis heterophylla Brongn. var. linearis.

UMBELLIFERAE—

Uldinia mercurialis; Carum sioides = Sium latifolium L. var. univittatum.

Varieties—Trachymene heterophylla F. v. M. var. Teppert.

EPACRIDACEAE—

Conostephium halmaturinum,

LoGANIACEAE—

Logania recurva, L. insularis,

GENTIANACEAE—

Limnanthemum. stygium.

CONVOLVULACEAE—

Ipomoea lonchophylia, I. diamantinensis (posthumous).

BoRAGINACEAE—

Halgania glabra; Plagiobothrys orthostatus; Embadium stagnense.

Varieties—Hehotropium tenuifolium R. Br. var. parviflorum.

VERBENACEAE—

Dicrastylis verticillata,

LABIATAE—

Varieties—Prostanthera Baxtert A. Cunn. var. sericea,

SoLANACEAE—

Solanum coactiliferum, S. centrale = S. nemophilum F. vy. M.; Nicotiana

excelsior (N. suaveolens Lehm. var. excelsior), N. ingulba.

SCROPHULARIACEAE—

Veronica parnkalhiana,

Varieties—Peplidium Muelleri Benth. var. longipes.

BIGNONIACEAE—

Tecoma doratoxylon,

MyororaAcEAE—

Eremophila parvifolia, E, pentaptera, E. neglecta, E, MacGillivrayi.

Varieties—E. MacDonnellu F, v. M. var. glabriuscula.

GOOoDENIACEAE—

Goodenia unilobata, G. vernicosa, G, lunata, G. argentea, G. anfracta,

G. modesta; Scaevola bursarifolia,

Varieties—Scaevola linearis R. Br. var. confertifolia.

CAMPANULACEAE—

Cephalostigma fluminale.

STYLIDIACEAE—

Stylidium inaequipetalum.

ComMPosITAE—

Brachycome tesquorum, B, lissocarpa, B. Tatei, B. neglecta, B. lyrifolia,

B. campylocarpa; Minuria rigida; Calotis ancyrocarpa; Olearia microdisca;

Senecio orarius; Pterigeron cylindriceps; Cassinia complanata; Griffithia

helipteroides = Helipterum oppositifolium S. Moore; Helipterum uniflorum;

Helichrysum Mellorianum, H, Basedowtt; Toxanthus Whitei = Miullotia

Kempe: F. v. M. var. Helmsii F. v. M. et Tate; Angianthus Whiter =

A, Burkitttt (Benth.) J. M. B.

Varieties—Brachycome tberidifolia Benth. var. glanduligera J. M. B.;

Calotis erinacea Steetz var. biaristata; Senecio Georgianus DC. var. lati-

folius, S. odoratus Hornem, var. obtustfolius; Helichrysum apiculatum

(Labill.) DC. var. racemosum, H. ambiguum Turcz. var. paucisetum; Myrio-

cephalus rhigocephalus (DC.) Benth. var, pluriflora; Angianthus brachy-

pappus F. v. M. var. conocephalus; Sonchus asper Hill var. littoralis

J. M. B. = S. megalocarpus (Hook. f.) J. M. B.

SPECIES IN COURSE OF PUBLICATION AT BLACK’S DEATH

(Latin diagnosis still required)

Bulbostylis Eustachii J. M. B. (Cyperaceae).

Acacia retinodes Schlecht. var. eraria J. M. B. (Leguminosae).

Melaleuca corrugata J. M. B. (Myrtaceae).

Ipomoea diamantinensis J. M. B. et al. (Convolvulaceae).

SPECIES NAMED AFTER J. M. BLACK

Stipa Blackii C. E. Hubbard (1925).

? Blackiella Aellen (1938) == (Atriplex p.p.).

Bassia Blackiana Ising.

Salicornia Blackiana Ulbrich (1934) (S. pachystachya J. M. B. non Bunge).

1909

1922-1929

1943-1952

1909-1949

1911

1914

1915

1917

1919

1925

BIBLIOGRAPHY OF J. M. BLACK

The Naturalised Flora of South Australia. Pp. 192, figs. 206. Pub-

lished by the author, Adelaide.

Flora of South Australia. 4 parts. Pp. 745, figs. 337, plates 54.

Handbook of the Flora and Fauna of South Australia series, issued

by the British Science Guild (S.A. Branch). Published by the South

Australian Government.

Flora of South Australia. 2nd Ed, Three parts only (incomplete).

Pp. 683, figs. 964. Prepared and published by the same authorities

as Ed. 1. (The Handbooks Committee is arranging for this edition

to be completed).

PAPERS IN TRANSACTIONS ROYAL SOCIETY S. AUST.

Additions to the Flora of South Australia, A series of papers illus-

trated by the author and published more or less annually ; there were

45 such papers in 41 years, and they were numbered successively,

except for the first six, which were assigned numbers retrospectively

in “No. 7”, vol. 37: 121, 1913. Owing to an error, two papers

received the number 41—vz., the true one in vol 66: (2), 248,

1942 and the next in vol 67: (1), 36, 1943, so the following paper

was numbered 43 in vol. 69: (2), 309, 1945. In this series were

published Black’s current observations, his new species and the bear-

ing of important monographs upon the status of local species. It is

expected that No. 46 will be published posthumously.

New Species of Boronia. 35: 1. (With J. H. Maiden),

Botany for the Scientific Results of S. A. White's Expedition into

the Interior of Australia, 38: 460-72.

Botany of S. A. White’s Expedition into the North-west of South

Australia, 39: 823-843.

Botany of Edgar Waite’s Expedition to the Streelecki and Cooper

Creeks. 41: 631-653.

A Revision of the Australian Salicornieae, 43; 355-368.

The Flora of the North-east Corner of S. Australia North of

Cooper's Creek. 49: 103-120. (With J, B. Cleland and L. Reese.)

Additions in S. Aust. Naturalist. 8:28, 1926. .

1927

1936

1915

1917

1920

1925

1925~1951

1926

1924

xii

An Enumeration of the Vascular Plants of Kangaroo Island. 51:

24-62 (With J. B. Cleland.) Additions lc. 65: (2), 244, 1941 and

73:22, 1952.

One Hundred Years of Systematic Botany in South Australia, Cen-

tenary of Royal Society, Address No. 4. 60: xxxi-xxxv.

The Botanical Features between Oodnadatia and Ernabella in the .

Musgrave Ranges, with a Locality List of Plants. 60: 114-127. (With

J. B. Cleland.)

PAPERS ON ABORIGINAL LANGUAGES. Loc. cit.

Language of the Everard Range Tribe (for S. A. White’s Expedi-

tion into the north-west of S. Aust.). 39: 732-5.

Vocabularies of three South Australian Native Languages—Wirrung,

Narrinyert, and Wongaidya. 41; 1-14.

Vocabularies of Four South Australian Languages—Adelaide, Nar-

runga, Kukata, and Narrinyeri— with special reference to their

Speech Sounds, 44: 76-94,

PAPERS IN 5$.A. NATURALIST

The Primitive Flora of Adelaide. 1: 42.

Australian Botanical Nomenclature, 6: 57.

A Study in Weeds. 6: 30.

Plants of the Encounter Bay District. 6: 22, 46; 8: 39; 10: 37, etc.,

until 1951. (With J. B. Cleland.)

Plants of Kinchina and Monarto South. 8: 4, (With E. H. Ising

and J. B. Cleland.)

PROCEEDINGS AUSTRALASIAN ASSOCIATION FOR THE

ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCE.

Australian Botanical Nomenclature. Paper read to Section M

(Botany), Adelaide Meeting. Reports 17: 742-5.

NATURALLY FUSED COAL ASH FROM LEIGH CREEK, SOUTH

AUSTRALIA

BY GEORGE BAKER (COMMUNICATED BY S. B. DICKINSON)

Summary

Natural incineration of sub-bituminous coal at Leigh Creek generated ash which on fusion at higher

temperatures was converted into three main types of clinker having differences in colour, texture,

magnetic properties, density and mineralogical and chemical composition. Slow crystallization

yielded holocrystalline masses of varying size, containing very little glass and over two dozen

mineral species, noteworthy among which are magnetite, hematite, native iron, pyrrhotite, titan-

augite, fassaite, gehlenite, perovskite and spinel.

NATURALLY FUSED COAL ASH FROM LEIGH CREEK,

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

By GrorcE BAKER

Communicated by S. B. Dickinson

[Read 17 April 1952]

552.125,1 (942-17)

SUMMARY

Natural incineration of sub-bitumincus coal at Leigh Creek generated

ash which on fusion at higher temperatures was converted into three main

types of clinker having differences in colour, texture, magnetic properties,

density and mineralogical and chemical composition. Slow crystallization

yielded holocrystalline masses of varying size, containing very little glass and

over two dozen mineral species, noteworthy among which are magnetite,

hematite, native iron, pyrrhotite, titan-augite, fassaite, gehlenite, perovskite

and spinel.

INTRODUCTION

Surface and sub-surface portions of the Upper Coal Seam, Lobe “D” in

the North Basin, Leigh Creek Coalfield, six miles north of Copley, South

Australia, have been naturally burnt. The Upper Seam averages 30 feet in

thickness and consists of sub-hituminous coal, type C. Baked reddened shales

and occasional patches of naturally fused coal ash resembling clinker have

beev developed along parts of the edge of the North Basin. These phenomena

result from high temperatures geiterated by a pre-historic fire in the upper

oes of the southern and western margins of the coal basin, above the water

table.

The North Basin coal was found by Mr. S. B. Dickinson, Director of

the South Australian Geological Survey, as a direct outcome of the discovery

of the baked shales and fused ash, followed by subsequent recognition of

‘Triassic fossil plants in less baked and unaltered portions of the shales.

Some two and a half dozen pieces of clinker, collected by Messrs, S, B.

Dickinson, A. J. Gaskin, L. W. Parkin and the author, were examined in thin

sections and polished surfaces. Four of these specimens have been separately

chemically analysed.

The pieces of clinker are vesicular to scoriaceous, varying in size from

10x 1515 mm. to 20x 95 x GO mm. The larger specimens typically contain

abundant black tron oxide minerals and are hence dark-grey to black. Smaller,

lighter-coloured specimens, ranging from gray to greenish-gray and yellowish-

gray, possess minor amounts of opaque minerals, usually as brownish-yellow-

hydrous iron oxides arranged around occasional gas cavities. The lighter-

coloured (gray) fused ash is the more dominant type found in the field.

Most of the clinker is holocrystalline and fine-grained, but small quanti-

ties of glass occur in parts of all varieties of the fused ash. The mineralogy

and chemistry of the clinker are complicated by the occurrence of a variety

of constituents in different concentrations in the original coal and by some

variations in the conditions to which these were subjected after the natural

formation of coal ash. Clinkering of the ash, however, was largely a function

of its chemical characters.

Baked and partially fused fossiliferous Triassic shales associated with

the clinker have already been noted (Dickinson, 1946, p. 95), as presumably

resulting from combustion in sitte of a coal seam in portion of the North

Basin at Leigh Creek.

The clinker outcrops at the surface and has been penetrated by bore ZV8.

Unaltered shale, baked shale and clinker in that order were obtained in the

bore between 176" to 43’6” below the surface. The shales immediately above

the fused ash reveal marked brecciation, developed by gravitational collapse

into the cavities left by the burnt-out coal seam beneath.

Many specimens of the clinker are slag-like masses bearing certain te-

semblances to vesicular lava, and in this respect are something like the “cor-

ite” (Bowen and Aurotsseau, 1923, p. 447) of petroleum geologists. Several

of the smaller vesicles in the scoriaceous and vesicular clinker are infilled

with radial and concentric growths of white to pinkish-white minerals, thus

causing the clinker to resemble amygdaloidal lava. A few of the smaller dark-

coloured pieces of clinker with dense texture closely resemble dense basalt in

hand specimens. The pieces of clinker are thus examples of “pseudo-igneous

rocks.”

Pseudo-igneous rock and baked shale from the combustion of coal seams

have been noted in several parts of the world. Brady and Greig (1939) noted

reddening and melting of shales in contact with a partly burned sub-bitumin-

ous coal seam near the head of Coal Canyon, Coconino County, Arizona.

Lorisdale and Crawford (1928) noted pseudo-igneous rocks and baked shale

from the burning of lignite from Freestone County, Texas. Professor Benson

of Otags University, New Zealand, has under description a score of examples

of fused, baked or reddened shales connected with coal seams in New Zealand.

Other examples are known in various parts of America and Germany.

THERMALLY ALTERED AND FUSED ROCKS

SALES

The fine-grained argillaceous rocks associated with the clinker at Leigh

Creek, South Australia, have been baked and reddened to various degrees

according to their proximity to the burnt coal seam. The shales and the coal

seam have low dips and the coal has been locally burnt from the surface down

to the water table.

Of three examples of the shale examined from drillhole ZV8, one, the

furthest from the clinker, is soft, grayish-brown and little affected by heat,

The others, from near the clinker are yellowish-brown to reddish-brown and

in parts have been thoroughly baked to a hard porcellanite.

Partially baked portions of the outcropping shale show traces of fossil

plants. The woody structures and finely cellular leaf impressions of Thinn-

feldia can still be recognized in them, also remnants of fossil fruit impressions,

Originally-occtirring dendrites along joint and bedding planes have been baked

with the shale. Where in direct contact with the fused ash from the burnt

sub-bituminous coal seam, thin Jayers of the shale have been locally fused

along bedding planes. The fused layers have a superficial resemblance to light-

brown and reddish-brown patches observed in some pieces of the clinker, so

that some of the clinker might appear to be composed of fused shale. It is

difficult to assess from the hand specimen, however, whether amy of the ingre-

dicnts of the shale actually became admixed with the coal ash to form the

clinker, and the evidence from thin section inspection and chemical analysis

indicates otherwise. Fragments of baked shale welded in parts of the clinker

show sharp outlines and only rare microscopically thin fused edges in contact

with the clinker. The greater bulk of the clinker was evidently derived from

the fusion of ash-forming mineral matter, etc. in the sub-bituminous coal.

CLINKER

PHYSICAL PROPERTIES

The texture and colour of the clinker is variable, but three main types

can be selected by reference to texture, colour and magnetic properties, thus :

(a) dense, dark bluish-gray, basalt-like clinker that is moderately mag-

netic and contains white minerals infilling several of the occasional

gas cavities present.

(b) vesicular to scoriaceous, dark, almost black, heavy clinker, some

pieces of which are dense in texture and strongly magnetic. Scoria-

ceous portions contain a few infilled gas cavities.

occurring in a normally light-gray to yellowish base, Specimens of

type (c) clinker are feebly magnetic and more vesicular than

the darker coloured clinker. The texture and colour of

type (c) clinker are also more variable. This clinker contains occas-

ional small pieces of baked shale firmly welded into a slaggy matrix,

but these are quite distinct from the matrix and not admixed with it

in any way. Many of the cavities in the vesicular portions are infilled

with white minerals.

_ Colour variations in the clinker go hand in hand with marked changes in

mineral composition and hence with chemical variations (cf. table 1V), thus

resulting in the general types of clinker set out above, This trend is illustrated

by the following arrangement, where there is a threefold transition fram the

more commonly occurring, rather less strongly magnetic, gray clinker of type

(b) :

Strongly magnetic TYPE (b) clinker

—dark grey to black

Weakly to [ [FesOs --FeO~tich

moderately SiOs-poor. NasO-rich]

magnetic

TYPE (a) —__—_—_— Less strongly magnetic TYPE (b) clinker

clinker . —grey to dark grey

[FesOs-—moderate [FeO —Fe,Os—rich

SiG«=moderate SiO:—poor. NasO—poor]

Na;O ~ poor]

» Weakly to non-magnetic TYPE (c) clinker

—light-grey to greenish-prey and

yellowish-grey

[Fe,0.—FeO—poor

SiOs—moderate. NasO—moderate]

The weight of individual clinker specimens varies from just under one

ounce to seventeen ounces. Some darker pieces of type (b) clinker are much

more strongly magnetic than others of type (b) that are not so darkly

coloured. The remainder of type (b), which are moderately to weakly mag-

netic pieces, are generally rather more strongly magnetic than type (a) clinker

and are the most abundant in the field. Most of the lighter-coloured pieces.

of type (c) clinker are weakly magnetic, some much more feebly so than

others. A few small pieces of this type are non-magnetic.

The variability in density of various pieces of the different types of

clinker is illustrated in table I. The densities were determined on a Walker’s

Steelyard in distilled water of temperature 15°C. The magnetic properties

listed have been assessed from the strength of attraction of suspended pieces

of clinker to an Alnico hand magnet.

Taare I

Magnetic

Density Properties Colour General Type

3°14 strong dark-grey to black type (b)

312 strong dark-grey to black type (b)

2°97. weaktomoderate bluish-grey type (a)

2:95 weak greenish-yellow to reddish- less vesicular var. of type

brown (c)

2:92 moderate , dark-grey with yellowish lighter-coloured var, of

patches type (b)

2-92 moderate dark-grey with greenish vesicular var. of type (b)

patches

2-82) weak bluish-grey vesicular yar. of type (a)

2-80 weaktomoderate dark greenish-grey to vesicular var. of less mag-

yellowish-grey netic portions of type

| (b)

2:72. weaktomoderate brownish-grey to yellowish- darker var. of type (c)

grey

2:70 very feeble greenish-grey type (c)

2:62 weak greenish-yellow with light- type (c)

grey patches

2-62 weak mottled light-grey pink- type (c)

ish= and yellowish-green

The average density of the twelve pieces listed in table I is, 2°86. The

_vatiability in density yalues from specimen to specimen is partly attributable

to variation in vesicularity, but despite this factor, variability in density with

colour, and hence with composition, can be detected (table II), Darker-

coloured specimens have greater density values. This is due principally to

the increased magnetite content in type (b) clinker and to the preponderance

of a dark-coloured augite in the less strongly magnetic type (a) clinker.

Lighter-coloured specimens with lower densities are practically void of mag-

netism. The degree to which yesicle infilline with white mineral matter has

occurred, also affects the density values of different types of clinker.

In order to eliminate variations in density due to vesicularity, the densit-

ies of the four chemically-analyzed pieces of clinker (I to IV in tables 11 and

IV) have been determined in the powdered form, with the following results -

(table IT) :

Tanre IT

Density of

Density of vesicular hand j Silica

Ne. Powder specimen (Range) Type of Clinker Content

I 2-651 2-62 -2-95 type (c) 32-2

VW 2-963 2:82-2:97 type (a) 315

iil 3267 2:80 —2-92 type (5) 18-4

(moderately

: magnetic)

lV 3-276 3:12-—3°14 type (b) 19-4

(strongly

y magnetic)

These determinations reveal that there is a real variation due to chemical

composition between the main types (a, b and c) of the Leigh Creek clinker,

the density varying essentially with the silica content,

FusIBILITY

The fusibility of the Leigh Creek sub-bituminous coal ash to form slag,

has been determined as 1,250°C. to 1,290°C. (see Poole, 1946), Initial deforma-

tion in a reducing atmosphere occurred at 1,210°C-. and blobbing at 1,295°C.,

while in an oxidizing atmosphere, initial deformation otcurred at 1,300°C.,

and blobbing at 1,300° C,, the residue after fusion in an oxidizing atmosphere

being dark-brown and rough (Parker, 1948, p. 45).

Locally, the burning coal seam should have attained these temperatures

in order to ptoduce the natural clinker. Coal ash is a complex mixture of

compounds and would not have a definite melting point. Partially fused and

baked portions of the adjacent shale would not require such temperatures for

their thermal alteration. Moreover, the temperatures in the adjacent shale

were evidently not as high as those recorded by Brady and Greig (1939) for

4 trap-like rock formed by the melting of shale by a burning coal seam in

Arizona. The lowest temperature of melting of the finely-ground rock was ex-

perimentally determined by Brady and Greig (1939, p, 118) as 1,117°C. At

1,232°C., the material had become all glass, Felspar persisted in small amounts

to 1,212°C,, so the temperature of the rock was definitely in excess of 1,117°C.

and probably in excess of 1,212°C. :

Many of the natural effects in the Arizona example are similar to those in

the Leigh Creek oceutrence. There was a reddening of the overlying shale

(the Mancos Shale in Arizona) as in the Triassic shale at Leigh Creek. Loc-

ally, where natural chimneys formed, due to slumping, Brady and Greig noted

that considerable melting of the shale had taken place, Melted rock flowed into

cracks in the shale and also collected into small masses. Melted rock of this

nature has not so far been noted in cracks in the Triassic shale at Leigh Creek,

and the separate lumps of naturally formed clinker were derived from the

fusion of a coal ash that had been produced during earlier phases of the incin-

erating process, not from the melting of shale,

Evidently the naturally fused coal ash at Leigh Creek cooled relatively

slowly, since only smal] amounts of glass are found in parts of the fine-grained

clinker. Although some clinker is found outcropping at the surface, much of it

was formed tinder an overburden of Triassic sediments, and has been partly

exposed by subsequent erosion of the overlying brecctated shale, Clinker

occurs down to 43’6” below the surface, where it is in place beneath baked

and brecciated Triassic shale, as shown from bore ZV8, hence supplies of

oxygen must have been made available underground during burning; these

supplies evidently came down natural funnels created by slumping. Hot blasts

of gas generated in such funnels, assisted by the presence of natural fluxes in

the coal ash, would readily lead to fusion of the coal ash and formation of the

lumps of clinker.

The availability of constituents and the conditions requisite for their fus-

ion, were obviously variable from place to place, im order to have generated

magnetite plus sulphide-rich phases in parts, felspar-rich phases, titan-augite-

rich phases, fassaite-rich phases, spinel-rich phases, perovskite-rich phases,

apatite-rich phases and phases poor in some of these constituents in yet other

parts. At the same time, certain of these phases, more particularly phases rich

in iron oxides and sulphides, were affected by oxidation at high temperatures.

The cause of the natural generation of coal ash and its subsequent fusion

to clinker in the North Basin at Leigh Creek, was evidently spontaneous com-

bustion due to oxidation of the sub-bituminous coal seam. Burning started

at the outcrop and proceeded downwards to the water table in a rank of coal

suited to a relatively high rate of oxidation and one in which rate of oxidation

would increase with depth from the weathered outcrop.

CHEMICAL Composition or Lerco CrEEK COAL

ASH AND CLINKER

The ash contents of the sub-bituminous coal from the North Basin at

Leigh Creek have been determined (Poole, 1946) as :

Upper Seam, Lobe “D’ == 7-49%

Lower Seam, Lobe “D” = 12:29%

The ash content of the sub-bituminous coal in the North Basin is only

approximately one-half that of the Main Basin sub-bituminous coal at Leigh

Creek. Only the upper seam in the North Basin caught fire, so that clinker

was formed from the seam with the lowest quantity of ash (7°49%) available

for fusion. The ash content of the upper seam, in an ultimate analysis by Dr.

W. Ternent Cooke (see Parkin, 1947, p. 112), is given as 10-78%, while the

accepted. average ash content of this seam is recorded as 7:-43% by Parkin

(1947, p. 114), that of the lower seam averaging 13°56%.

The chemical composition of the coal ash 'from the North Basin, as set

out by Poole (1946) and Parkin (1947, p. 111), is shown in table III -

Tasre IIT

SiOs - - - 21°18% TiO, - - -~ 120%

AlOs - - ~ 14:85% POs - - - 1:96%

FesOs - - - 12-28% SOs - - - 14-81%

MsO - - - 522% cl ~ - - §-56%

CaQ - - = 14*75%

NaO - - = 10-12% Total - - 100-61%

KO - = = 068%

(Anal, T, W. Dalwood — see South Australian Dept, of Mines, Mining Review;

No, 84, 1947)

Chemical analyses of four separate pieces of the clinker, carried out in

the chemical laboratory of the Mineragraphic Investigations Section,

Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, Geology

attment, .Melbourne University, show the following ingredients

(table IV):

Taste IV

Chemical Analyses of the Leigh Creck Clinker

I II III iv Vv

Si0, - - - = 3223 31°51 18-43 19-44 25°5

ALO, - - - = 20°68 20-42 25°48 19-71 21-6

FeO: - - = = 4:29 7-72 21-26 16-06 12-3

FeO = -+- = = 0-75 4-39 5-85 2-61 3-4

MgO - - - - 3-93 5-05 4-14 4-18 4:3

CaO = = - = 24-67 24-28 21:12 23°51 23:4

NaOQ - - = - 2°28 0-46 0-05 5-37 2-0

K,0 - - - - 0-87 0-15 0-01 0°22 0+3

HO(+} - - - 1-51 0-81 0-80 1:87 1-2

H:O(—) - - - 0°53 0-62 0-15 0°35 0-4

CQO. - - = = 1-02 0-60 0°60 1-02 0-8

TiQs - - - = 1:97 1-58 0-92 1-04 1-4

POs - - = = 1-56 1-88 1-36 3-21 2:0

MnO - - - = 0-32 tr. 0-02 0:07 0-1

CoO - - - - tr. tr. tr tr. tr.

NiO - - - - tr. tr. tr tr. tr.

, DPQ ey nil nil nil nil ° nil

ZrOu - = = = nil nil nil nil nil

CrOs - - - - tr. tr. tr. tr. tr.

BaO - - - = 0:01 nil nil 0-01 _

cl = = © = 0-09 0-09 0-03 0-60 0-2

S$ - - - - - 213 0-50 0-01 1-62 11

CuO - + - = nil tr. tr, tr. —

Total - - - 98-84 100-06 100-23 100-89 100-0

(Analyses I to IV, anal. G, C. Carlos)

I— Type (c) clinker, Leigh Creek, South Australia,

11 — Type (a) clinker, Leigh Creek, South Australia.

I1I— Type (b) clinker (less strongly magnetic portion), Leigh Creek, South Australia.

IV — Type (b) clinker (more strongly magnetic portion), Leigh Creek, South Australia,

V— Average of analyses I to IV.

For purposes of comparing the chemical composition of the clinker with

that of the coal ash, the average composition of the clinker has been calculated

(table TV, column V) and the ratios of the various oxides to silica have been

determined for the average of the clinker analyses and for the coal ash. These

ratios are set out in table V.

TABLE V

Ratios of oxides and silica

Average Clinker Coal Ash

ALOs

a ao. - ~ - 0-85 0-70

Total Fe

so, - -. os, - 0°61 0-58

MgO

so. - - - - 0-17 0+24

CaO

Sor ms - - - 0-91 0-70

NaO

- - < > Q- ’

ao. 08 0°48

ae lee ae 0-01 0-03

SiOz

LL ie eee 0-06 0-06

SiO.

P.O: ae 0-08 0:09

SiOs

The chemical variations between the various types of clinket and the

significance of the variations and similarities between the oxide/silica ratios

for the avetage clinker and the coal ash respectively, are discussed later in

the paper under “Conclusions.”

MINERAL COMPOSITION

The natural clinker from the Leigh Creek coalfield reveals considerable

changes in the mineral composition (table VI) among the principal types

(type (a), type (b) and type (c) clinker). These changes, linked with colour

variations, density variations and changes in magnetic properties, find their

best expression in chemical variations revealed by the analysis listed in

table IV.

Parts of the clinker are rich in magnetite and allied minerals, with accom-

panying iron and copper sulphides. Other parts are richer in titanium minerals,

while yet other parts are impoverished in these constituents, but richer in sili-

cate minerals carrying lime, alumina, soda and magnesia. The content of sul-

phides of iron and copper, although never important in amount, does show a

marked tendency for concentration more in the iron-rich phases than else-

where.

The assemblage of iron minerals in parts of the clinker includes iron sul-

phides, various forms of iron oxides and native iron itself. This indicates that

processes of both oxidation and reduction were able to operate quite locally

in the vicinity of one and the same small specimen of clinker. The existence of

iron in three states of valence is apparently a reflection of the oxidation poten-

tial of the environment at the temperatures involved. Reducing environments

favoured metallic iron, oxidising environments favoured ferric iron, while fer-

rous iron was the stable phase of the iron for a wide range in gaseous compo-

sition (cf, Barrett, 1945, p. 498).

Subsequent exposure of clinker at the surface, with further oxidation un-

der atmospheric conditions and some hydration, led to the development of

hydrous iron oxides from the ordinary processes of weathering of the iron min-

erals present.

Bowen and Aurousseau (1923, p. 445) noted that average shale shows a

marked dominance of K,O over Na,O and an excess of alumina over that

required to make alumino-silicates with the alkalies and lime, Fusion and

recrystallization of such average shale would therefore lead to the formation

of sillimanite and cordierite types of minerals, Absence of these groups of

minerals from Leigh Creek clinker and the dominance of Na,O over K,O in-

dicate that practically none of the components of the Triassic shale were ab-

sorbed into the constitation of the fused coal ash.

TastE VI

Mineral Composition of the three main Types of Leigh Creek Natural Clinker

; Type (a) Type (b) Type (c)

Mineral Clinker Clinker Clinker

Albite ee fe] o °

Apatite - - . - - - o o °

Biotite - - - - - - o ~ -

Calcite (secondary in vesicles) - o o o

Chalcopyrite - - - - - oo t -

Chalcopyrrhotite -~ = - = a 2 - -

Cryptocrystalline silica (secondary in

vesicles) - - - - - - t Tr T

Fassaite (var. of augite) - - = - - Cc A

Gehlenite (var. of mellilite) - = - Cc Cc Cc

Glass (colourless to palte-yellow) - o r fe)

Goethite (needle-iron-ore) - - = - r f -

Gypsum (secondary in cracks and

vesicles and as crusts) - -- - r r T

Hematite - a er ae Cc Cc t

Tron (native) -— = we fw o o r

_Lepidocrocite - - - - - r - -

Limonite + - - - - - r r r

Maghemite (?) - - - - - r r ~

Magnetite - - - - - - Cc A Fr

Opal - += - = = = = - - ©

Peroyskite - - - - - - fe) - o

Plagioclase (basic) - - - + fs) o a

Pyrite - . - - - - Tr r =

Pyrrhotite - - - - - x ° ° r

Quartz (interstitial and in vesicles) - r r r

Spinel = = = = = = Cc ° Cc

Thomsonite - - - - - o r t

Titan-augite - m= oe = A - -

“Zwischenprodukt” - - - r - =

A= abundant, C=common, o= occasional, r=rare

Opaque MInrracs

The opaque minerals detected by examination of approximately 30 pol-

ished surfaces of the clinker, cousist of native iron, pyrrhotite, chalcopyrite,

rare pytite and chalcopyrrhotite, considerable amounts of magnetite and

hematite, some poethite, a little lepidacrocite and possibly maghemite,

The opaque minerals vary in quantity from place to place and from piece

to piece in the clinker, being more abundant in strongly magnetic specimens

and reduced to occasional specks in the light-coloured clinker of type {c).

Many of the textures and structures of the opaque minerals are sub-

Ticroscopic and some can only be just detected under a 1/12N 1-30 oil im-

mersion lens.

Native Iron

Native iron is not common jn the clinker, but is nevertheless widely dis-

persed as small. well-rounded globules averaging 0-01 mm. across. It was evi-

dently fermed in the clinker at temperatures in excess of 1,030°C. The native

iron is seldom located near pas cavities, being largely confined to parts of the

clinker where reducing conditions were maintained. In subsequently weath-

ered pieces of clinker, the native iron is not as noticeably altered as some of

the pyrrhotite.

The native jron persists through all colour varieties of the clinker, al-

though considerably reduced in amount and size in the lighter-coloured speci-

mens. It sometimes shows thin rims of magnetite formed by heating in the

presence of oxygen; these magnetite rims have often been martitized.

Globules of native iron are frequently associated with pyrrhotite, Droplets

included in the pyrrhotite are rarely 0-006 mm. across, more usually 0001 mm.

and under. In many places, the droplets of native iron are coated partially

or entirely with pyrrhotite, Very infrequently, discontinuous rims of uneven

width around some of the native iron globules are composed of chalcopyrite.

PYRRHOTITE

Pytrhotite occurs mainly as small, disseminated angular to Iobate areas

and as rounded droplets. In its association with magnetite grains, it is some-

times moulded around the magnetite, but occasionally the pyrrhotite is envel-

oped by thick crusts of magnetite. These magnetite crusts follow the grain

boundaries of the pyrrhotite and where such combinations form portions of

the walls of gas cavities, the crusts of magnetite maintain a uniform thickness

parallel with the walls of the cavities. This would indicate that the pyrrhotite

has here been altered to magnetite by heating in an atmosphere containing

oxygen, the relatively thick crust of magnetite protecting the core of the

pyrrhotite from complete alteration by oxidation.

Pyrrhotite is by far the most common sulphide mineral in the clinker, but

is never abundant, Rounded droplets are not uncommon and the small, often

well-developed, irregularly lobate patches infill the interstices between some

of the silicate minerals. The larger of the pyrrhotite areas measure 0:10 x 0-10

mm, and occasionally show (0001) cleavages; the smaller particles and

many of the droplets are under 0°001 mm. across.

Weathered pieces of clinker show various stages in the alteration of the

pyrrhotite. Products of oxidation and hydration are largely hematite and

goethite, with a smali amount of lepidocrocite (in type (a) clinker).

An uncommon feature in one piece of clinker (type (a)) is the occurrence

in parts of the pyrrhotite of minute unmixing blebs of chalcopyrite. These are

best pronounced in a “zwischenprodukt” (pl. I figs, 1 and 2) produced by par-

tial alteration of the pyrrhotite (cf. Ramdohr, 1950, p. 412) in one or two

places. The “zwischenprodukt” is greyish-cream in colour and partly appears

as mottled grains of angular shape, It evidently consists of sub-microscopically

intergrown marcasite and magnetite developed from the break-down of the

pyrrhotite, Solid solution of a few percent of CuFeS, in the FeS lattice 1s

well known from experiment and is realized in nature at high temperatures of

formation, as in the small sulphide globules enclosed im the initial products of

crystallization of some magmatic rocks. The appearance. of unmixing pheno-

mena from such solid solution in the Leigh Creek clinker (pl. I, fig. 2),

therefore points to a high temperature of formation,

The distribution of the pyrthotite in the natura] clinker tends to be some-

what streaky, indicating that parts of the original sub-bituminous coal were

relatively high in pyritous mineral content, while other parts were impover-

ished in this ingredient,

CHALCOPYRITE

Most of the chalcopyrite was formed as occasional small grains, with few

larger scattered grains. A narrow veinlet of chalcopyrite cutting through pyr-

hotite in a polished surface of the type (a) clinker, is an unmixing feature and

apparently allied to the ex-solution blebs of chalcopyrite elsewhere in the

pyrrhotite.

Whereas some of the ex-solution bodies in the pyrrhotite are typically

chalcopyrite, some are more like chalcopyrrhotite. As noted by Edwards

(1947, p. 88), copper sometimes becomes precipitated as chalcopyrrhotite

from solid solutions of chalcopyrite and pyrrhotite, under certain conditions

of cooling. Such conditions have been partially fulfilled in portions of the

Leigh Creek clinker, but their precise nature has not been assessed,

Pygire

Pyrite is only a minor constituent of the natural clinker, occurring as rare

small specks. The original pyrites (actually mareasitic in the Leigh Creek sttb-

bituminous coal), was largely converted to pyrrhotite on burning of the pyrit-

ous coal seam. At atmospheric pressures this change occurs at tempcratures

in the region of 690°C.

Small veinlets of secondary pyrite cut through an oxidized grain of pyrt-

hotite in one of the polished surfaces.

MAcNeETITE

Parts of the clinker are strongly magnetic and show a multitude of small

crystals’ of magnetite of varying size, more especially in the darker-coloured

specimens of type (b) clinker. Lumps of clinker rich in magnetite and weigh-

ing up to half a pound, can be lifted by means of a small, but strong, Alnico

hand magnet.

The magnetite is sometimes scattered through the fused rock as cttbes

and grains of less regular shape; sometimes the crystals are amassed into

clusters,

Accompanied by their alteration products, the magnetite crystals often

form the principal component lining the walls of numerous gas cavities. In

parts, the magnetic grains are atranged in web-like growths, due to concentra-

tion along the crystal boundaries of the smaller, even-grained crystal aggre-

gates of the silicate minerals. Magnetite has also formed as small included par-

ticles in pyrrhotite, the particles being of the same average size as included

droplets of native iron (q.v.). Magnetite crusts around pyrrhotite and mag-

netite cores enveloped by rims of pyrrhotite, have already been described

(see section on pyrrhotite).

In most of the less magnetic pieces of clinker, much of the magnetite has

been altered to pseudomorphs of secondary iron oxides. In parts of the feebly

to non-magnetic pieces of clinker there has been complete oxidation and

hydration of the original smai] quantity of magnetite, but in some parts both

iton sulphides and iron oxides are virtually absent, their place having been

taken by iron-bearing spinel.

A characteristic feature of the mode of occurrence of the magnetite in the

clinker is the presence in the same field of view under the microscope oF (i)

patches with clean grains of structureless magnetite (associated with patches

richer in the sulphide minerals) and (ii) adjacent patches of magnetite crystals

containing ex-solution lamellae fin parts of the clinker impoverished in sul-

phide minerals). The un-mixing structures in the magnetite are composed of

regularly arranged, uniformly narrow lamellae of much less strongly reflecting

spinel, lying along the three octahedral directions in cubes of magnetite (cf.

Ramdohr, 1950, p, 656) and along (100) planes in octahedral crystals, The

spinel lamellae haye a dark-grey colour under the reflecting microscope, but

are somewhat lighter than the silicate minerals,

In some pieces of the clinker the magnetite forms a second type of

mixed crystal with spinel. Narrow jackets of the magnetite enclose central

cores of much lower reflecting spinel, while short lamellae along (111) direc-

tions in the magnetite rims are composed of more strongly reflecting hematite,

Some of these hematite lamellae are isotropic and regarded as maghemite, A

few of the magnetite crystals possess later-formed tims of spinel,

The occurrence of magnetite crystals with ex-solution lamellae of spinel

in some parts of the clinker, indicates relatively slow cooling, very much

slower than in artificial slag. For this reason, FeO minerals such as wiistite

(Mason, 1943, p. 101) would not be expected, even though reducing conditions

that would fayour the development of wiistite existed ia parts of the clinker,.

Moreover, any FeO available is likely to combine with the available MgO and

Al.O, to form ferroan spinel rather than magnesiowiistite. Furthermore.

wistite is unstable below 575°C. (Mason, 1943, p. 174), tending to disinte-

grate into iron and magnetite,

HEMATITE

Hematite is a common constituent of the clinker, more particularly in

less strongly magnetic, datker-coloured pieces. In lighter-coloured pieces

of the clinker, all original magnetite and most of the sulphides have been con-

verted to hematite and the anly remafning fresh original iron minerals are

rare small particles and droplets of the sulphides and sometimes native iron,

preserved from alteration within the silicate minerals.

Pseudomorphs of hematite after cubes and grains of magnetite are a

frequent feature of some of the moderately magnetic lumps of clinker. Hema-

tite commonly occurs after the magnetite lining the walls of gas cavities,

whereas magnetite crystals surrounded by silicates and situated away from

g25 Cavities in the same piece of clinker, frequently remain unaltered,

The hematite often forms rims to magnetite crystals, alteration pro-

ceeding from the edges inwards and occasionally penetrating along octahedral

planes in typical martitization structures, The formation of these structures

may have been assisted by the high temperatures developed during burning

of the sub-bituminous coai seam, thus resulting in “hitzmartite” fram oxida—

tion under heat of both the pyrrhotite and the magnetite.

Partia) and complete pseudomorphs of hematite after pyrrhotite aré not

uncommon, One example, a double pseudomorph, provides evidence of pyrr-

hotite first altering to magnetite and then to hematite, spindle- and needle-

shaped areas of hematite penetrating remnants of the magvetite that partially

replaces pyrrhotite.

Some hematite-like pseudomorphs in magnetic portions of the clinker

have brownish internal reflections, are isotropic and show grayish-white

colours in polished surfaces, indicating the presence of a certain amoynt of

maghemite. Mason (1943, p. 117) notes that artificial Fe,O, readily oxidizes

to y—Fe,O,, so it is likely that the magnetite developed in the

clinker could just as readily be oxidized to form ferromagnetic iron oxide

(maghemite) under conditions af slow oxidation at the lower temperatures

ruling during cooling phases.

GoETHITE and LEPmoacRocITE

The group of the secondary iron hydroxides is represented largely by the

needle-iron-ore mineral goethite and very little of the ruby mica lepi ocrocite

These minerals have resulted from weathering of portion of the iron sulphides

and iron oxides in the clinker and from partial alteration of the droplets of

native iron, Their development was no doubt aided initially by partial decom-

pasition of such of the pyrrhotite grains as were heated in air along the wails

of gas cavities in the clinker.

The limonite group of tminerals is more common in the moderately to

weakly magnetic pieces of clinker and often more prominent lining the walls

of gas cavities in more vesicular pieces of clinker. yp

In limonitized portions of the “7 wischenprodukt” showing unmixing of

chalcopyrite in the type (a) clinker, areas formerly occupied by blebs of

chalcopyrite are now represented by holes, while in the less altered “zwischen-

produkt” itself, blebs of chalcopyrite are still preserved (pl, I fig. 2), This

shows that chalcopyrite is destroyed much more slowly in the “zwischen-

produkt” than in nearby limonitized areas.

TRANSLUCENT AND TRANSPARENT MINERALS

Translucent and transparent minerals forming the matrix (pl. L figs, 3 &

4) in which are set the opaque minerals already described, consist of the geh-

lenite variety of mellilite, titan-augite, fassaite, albite, some basic felspar, spin-

el, perovskite, biotite, quartz and apatite. All of these minerals, however, are

never found in one and the same piece of clinker, (cf. Table VT). A little glass

occurs in parts of the clinker, more especially ta type (2) and in a few pieces

of type (c) clinker, but no important amounts of glass are present anywhere in

the clinker.

White minerals infilling certain gas cavities in all the types of clinker

consist of calcite, crystalline and cryptocrystalline silica and zeolitic minerals

such as thomsanite (pl. I fig. 5). The thomsonite is biaxial positive and has

a Tefractive index approximately the same as that of Canada balsam. A little

opal is also present in some pieces of type (c) clinker. Some cavities and cracks

exposed in clinker outcropping at the surface of the ground, have been partially

infilled with secondary gypsum that is forming today in the Leigh Creek repion

and which has its origin in cyclic salts.

Textures vary in the different types of clinker, principally as a result of

the disposition of the translucent and transparent minerals. The textures are

inainly amygdaloidal, fine-grained basaltic (pl. I figs. 3 & 4) and vesicular to

scoriaceous. In the hand specimens some pieces of the clinker resemble dark,

dense volcanic rock such as basalt, with gas cavilies iti parts containing

radial mineral aggregates, while under the microscope the resemblance is

equally as striking, (pl. I fg, 5}.

Type (a) CLINKER

‘Type (a) clinker has a marked basaltic texture. It is not strongly mag-

nétic and its dark colour is largely die to purple pyroxens plus a certain

amount of magnetite (and hematite) as dust and small crystals. The purple

Jrytoxene is biaxial positive, with 2V near 30°, refractive index = 1-695,

hirefringence = 0-020, extinction angles are up to 43°, dispersion is strong

(r>v) and pleochroism is weak from purple to grayish-yellow. In view of

the titanium content (158%) revealed in the analysis of type (a) clinker

(table TV, column IT), added to the fact that other titaniferous minerals are

very rare, this pyroxene is evidently a richly tttaniferous augite (titan-aupite

can contain up to 484% ‘TiO,). It is an abundant mineral in the type (a)

chnker (cf. table VI).

The basic plagioclase in type (a) clinker and all other types of the clinker

{ol I fig. 4), is biaxtal negative, with a low 2V and extinction angles up to

0°. More common in some parts of the clinker are crystals of albite which

account for the higher soda content of certain pieces of clinker, as for example

the more strongly magnetic portions of type (b) clinker (see table IV, column

Next in abundance to titan-augite in the type (a) clinker, is a colourless

to very pale yellowish mineral with low birefringence and straight extine-

tion. It is uniaxial negative and has a refractive index within the range 1°64)

to 1-665, indicating a species of the melltlite group having the proportions

aikermanite = 20, velardenite = 80. These properties are closest to those of

the gehlenite variety of meililite,

Very little quartz is present in the type (a) or in any other type of the

Leigh Creek clinker. It infills rare interstitial areas and occurs in some of the

infilled gas cavities associated with granilar aggregates of calcite. It has also

been observed as rare inclusions in the albite.

Biotite, pleochroic from pale lemon-yellow to pale reddish-yellow, forms

incipiently developed small patches and occasional well-developed plates

showing basal cleavage. It is confined solely to the type (a) clinker.

Colourless to pale-yellow glass is interstitial in isolated patches of the

clinker. It is largely isotropic, but portions are weakly birefringent with

biaxial positive optical figures. The isotropic glass has a refractive index of

1-560. It contains numerous needles of apatite, thus accounting for the bulk

of the 1°88% P,O, revealed by chemical] analysis (table IV, column II),

Needles of apatite also occur in the biotite to = lesser extent,

Multitudes of minute, greenish-coloured, isotropic crystals with cubic

form are iron-magnesia spinel. They are scattered throughout the type (a)

clinker and account for the higher MgO content (table IV). The majority of

these crystals do not show the magnetite rims noted around spinel in polished

surtaces of the other types of clinker, but the inner cores of some magnetite

grains are mixed crystals of spinel and magnetite. Sometimes the spinel

itself shows slight zoning in thin sections.

Several small, octahedral, skeletal and irregular crystals about the same

size as the spinel crystals, show brown internal reflections in polished sur-

faces. In thin section, some of these crystals are reddish-brown and since they

show birefringence, are not to be confused with spinel or with maghemite. In

polished surfaces they have a bluish-grey colour and a lower reflectivity than

spinel. They are evidently crystals of perovskite, some of which occasionally

farm nuclei within the magnetite crystals,

Tyre (b) CLINKER

Type (b) i8 a dark-coloured clinker, patts of which are more strongly

magnetic than others, Clusters and disseminated grains of magnetite are set in

a “basaltic” matrix of fassaite and gehlenite, with variable amounts of basic

plagioclase and albite.. ' ;

Spinels in the type {b) clinker usually have rims of magnetite, Some-

times the core of spinel is small compared to the crust of magnetite, but all

gradations are present from this to crystals having large cores of spinel and

much-reduced rims of magnetite.

Larger gas cavities in type (b) clinker are lined with hematite followed

by a layer oi clear calcite, then a very narrow band of limonite-stained car-

bonate, The remainder of such cavities is infilled with dusty aggregates of

calcium carbonate crystals that include angular quartz grains and occasional

clots of limonite. Smaller cavities are characteristically round to sab-round

in outline and are typical small gas cavities; larger cavities of irregular

outline are sometimes lobate and result from the coalescence of several

smaller gas bubbles.

Typs (c) CLINKER

In the lighter-coloured pieces constituting type (c) clinker, the yellowish

to greenish colour is caused by the development of pale yellowish-green fas-

saite to the complete exclusion of the putple augite so characteristic of type

(a) clinker. The fassaite is weakly pleachroic from lemon-yellow to pale

greenish-yellow. It shows 90° cleavages and occasional 8-sided cross sections.

The refractive index varies from 1°690 to 1°700 and extinction angles range”

from 0° to 26° on (110) cleavages. Some crystals of the fassaite show contin-

uous zoning, others more rarely show discontinuous zoning. In some of the

zoned crystals an outer zone, rather more yellowish in colour, extinguishes

at up to 16° less than the greenish-yellow core. The mote yellow rim is evi-

dently richer in alkalies.

The next tnost common constituent to the fassaite is gehlenite. Basic

plagioclase, albite and a little glass are present, alsa pale-yellowish to colour-

less spinel crystals, long colourless needes of apatite (mainly in the glass)

and dark reddish-brown perovskite,

Some of the spinels show zoning in polished surfaces of type (c) clinker.

In reflected light they have dark-grey centres and rather lighter-grey rims

ticher in iron. The spinel crystals are similar in size and abundance to the

magnetite grains in more strongly magnetic portions (i.e. type (b)) of the

clinker. They are therefore to type (c) what the magnetite is to type (b)

clinker, Type (c) grades into type (b) clinker by diminution of spinel and in-

flux of magnetite and allied minerals, a phase in the transition being one in

which the magnetite possesses ex-solution lamellae of spinel,

Polished surfaces of type (c) clinker reveal negligible amounts of iron

sulphides and iron oxides, so that type (c) clinker, typified by a fassaite-

gehlenite-spinel assemblage, was impoverished in iron, indicating a marked

variation from type (a) and type (b) samples of the Leigh Creek clinker. Such

a variation is best explained in terms of the availability of different amounts

of different ingredients from the sub-bituminous coal ash, types (a) and (b}

developing from more iron-rich areas, type (¢) from portions originally richer

in the kaolin group minerals that supplied alumina and silica dominantly.

Numerous gas cavities in the type (c) clinker are occasionally lined with

thin crusts of limonite. The larger cavities usually rernain open, the smaller

cavities are frequently inflled with calcite, rarely with cryptocrystalline and

opaline silica and in places with secondary gypsum,

CONCLUSIONS

The Leigh Creek natiral clinker was formed as relatively small lumps

from the fusion of sub-bituminous coal ash at temperatures in the region of

1,300°C,

Natural combustion of parts of the Lobe “D" North Basin coal at Leigh

Creek evidently arose from the characteristic Hability of sub-bituminous coal

to spontaneous ignition under certain conditious. The avidity of this type of

coal to take up oxygen from the atmosphere is well known. The exothermic

nature of such a process led to increased temperatures in the coal and ulti-

mately the onset of combustion.

The outcrop coal had evidently reached a stage suitable for such reac-

tions to develop. Its location in a sub-atid region suggests drying-out and

powdering, this yielding increased surface areas for oxygen absorption, The

presence of marcasite in the coal possibly assisted the process by itself oxi-

dizing and evolving heat, thus providing additional areas of increased tempera-

ture. These would be areas of increased oxygen absorption, thus accelerating

the exothermic process. Combustion resulted in loss of volatiles and the gen-

eration of ash.

The ash, consisting of inorganic salts and extraneous mineral matter,

contained such ingredients as quartz, clay minerals, sericité, iron and copper

sulphides, calcium, magnesium and iron carbonates and sulphates, titanium

and phosphorus in some form or other and rare detrital accessory minerals.

Soda, potash and trace elements were also present.

During combustion, ferric oxide and sulphur dioxide would be generated

irom the sulphides; lime, magnesia and ferrous oxide from the carbonates.

Sulphur dioxide and carbon dioxide were largely lost by volatilization at the

same time as most of the chlorine was driven off,

Subsequent fusibility of the coal ash ingredients depended mainly on the

chemical character of the inorganic ash and the adventitious mineral matter

left after incineration had removed the volatile materials (hydrogen, carbon

dioxide, sulphur dioxide and chlorine), Where sufficiently high temperatures

were attained, clinkering of the ash occurred, because there existed mixttires

of ingredients containing the right amounts of natural fluxes to promote and

facilitate fusion of the silica-alumina content, with the attendant formation

“of alumino-silicates containing proportions of certain elements derived

from the fluxes. Thus, in the presence of abundant lime, the ferric oxide, the

magnesia and the alkalies (more particularly soda in some parts), combined

to result in strong fluxing effects while the presence of sulphur in the iron

sulphide also contributed to the promotion of clinkering. The net tesult was

the formation of three principal types of clinket, with variable amounts of

iron oxides, magnesium aluminate and alumino-silicates, In all pieces of the

clinker examined, however, there remained complete freedom from residual

ash or unfused mineral matter. Cooling processes were sufficiently slow to

allow the bulk of the fused ash to recrystallize, leaving very little glass.

_For the formation of magnetite in the clinker, the ferric oxide produced

duting coal ash development must be assumed to have undergone reduction.

Carbon, hydrogen and sulphur can act as reducing agents to bring about the

conversion of ferric oxide to magnetite, tising temperatures increasing the

rate of reaction and pressure being without significance {Mason, 1943, p. 127).

In the Leigh Creek clinker, magnetite evidently formed from ferric oxide in

the presence of some carbon, hydrogen, sulphur and flexes at the tempera-

tures (about 1,300°C) necessary to fuse the ingredients available from coal

ash, A little magnetite also formed where native iron and pyrrhotite were

heated in the presence of oxygen,

At some stage of clinker formation, the evidence provided in polished

surfaces shows that some of the ferrosic oxide (magnetite) was converted

back to ferric oxide (hematite). Such a change presumably occurred during

cooling phases. Mason (1943, p. 128) states that when magnetite is heated in

ait to 200° C., it is slowly oxidized to hematite. This reverse process jn the re-

lationships of Fe,Q, to Fe,O, is common and widespread, oxidation com

mencing at the rims and along octahedral planes in the magnetite. This oxi-~

flizing effect on the magnetite probably took place under alkaline conditions,

for as Mason states (1943, p. 128), the pH of the medium in which the reac-

tion takes place exerts an important influence in the oxidation of divalent to

trivalent iron, alkaline solutions probably haying an oxidizing effect on mag-

netite, while neutral and acid solutions do nat. Although much of the hematite

evidently developed in this way during the end phases of cooling of the tat-

ural clinker at Leigh Creek, some was undoubtedly formed under atmospheric

conditions, especially where portions of the clinker occurred in the zone of

weathering. Some of this hematite became hydrated to limonitic minerals.

The alteration of native iron and pyrrhotite (formed at the higher temp-

eralures) to hematite, no doubt followed a similar seqtierice of events to that

af the oxidizing effects on magnetite during cooling phases and during sub-

sequent periods of weathering.

Unmixing structures between magnetite and spinel were developed in the

eatlier phages of clinker formation and at the higher temperatures, when mag-

nesium aluminate was erystallizing, This is evident in some of the magnetite-

spinel mixed crystals that have cores of spinel and rims of magnetite, because

mawy of the magnetite rims have been partially martitized, evidently during

' cooling phases when hematite was being generated from magnetite generally,

The more important chemico-mineralogieal variations between the three

main types (a, b, and c) of clinker, lic in the iron sulphide—iron oxide—mag-

nesium oxide—titanium oxide relationships, and in the marked diminution of

silica with increase in total iron in the transition from non-magnetic to magne-

tic pieces of the clinker.

The average silica content of the clinker (table IV, column V) is little

more than that of Leigh Creek coal ash (table ITI), but there is a marked fall

in silica content from the lighter-coloured clinker of types (c) and (a) to the

darker-coloured clinker of type (b). Since the silica is essentially incorpor-

ated in the silicate minerals ttan-augite, fassaite, gehlenite and felspars, any

variations in the silica content must be reflected in an increase of these

minerals in portions of the clinker higher in silica. The cause for such yarta-

tion is entirely fortuitous, depending essentially upon a sporadic distribution

of silica in the original sub-bituminous coal, with greater concentration of the

silica into some portions of the coal ash than in others. Possibly small runs of

fine quartz sand in the coal gave rise to the pieces of clinker with the higher

silica contents.

With decrease of silica content in the clinker there is a pronounced rise

in total iron content, type (a) containing two and @ half times as much as

type (c), and type (b) four to five times as much as type (c) clinker. The

greater content of iron oxides and iron sulphides in type (b) clinker is a

reflection of these variations, with type (a) a transition type ag far as total

iron is concerned. Variation in the ratio of Fe,O, to FeO in type (b) clinker

(table IV, columns III and IV} caw be traced to variahle alteration of magne-

tite to hematite. The ratio af the total iron content to silica content of the

average clinker shows a small increase compared with the ratio for the coal

ash, but the variation can be accounted for by errors of sampling, The iron

sulphide content, represented largely by pyrrhotite, is of sporadic distribution

in the various types of the clinker, attributable to an original patchy occur-

rence of pyritous matter in the sub-bituminous coal.

The alumina content remains much the same in the several types (2, b,

and c) of clinker, but is a little higher than in the North Basin coal ash

(ef. oxide ratios in table V). Toe account for this increase it might therefore

appear that sme alumina was added from the associated shale. The low

potash contents of the clinker (see table IV), however, tend to negate this

idea, especially as the ratio of potash to silica in the average clinker analysis

(table VY) is actually less than the ratio in the coal ash.

The ratio of magnesia io silica (table V) in the average clinker is mark-

edly lower than that for the coal ash, if originally present partly as MgCl,

or MgCO, in the coal ash, some of the magnesia could have been lost on

fusion, since MgCl, has @ melting point ef 708°C. and MgCO, decomposes

at 350°C., while the clinker was formed at far higher temperatures. Shortly

prior to complete fusion and recrystallization of the coal ash, the magnesium

was probably in the form of MgSO, which has a melting point of 1,124°C,

Variation of magnesia within the clinker itself is expressed by variation of

its spinel content, The highest magnesia content is found in type (a) clinker,

where spinel is most comtnon as small erystals. The magnesia in type (c)

clinker has to be assigned partly to spinel and to some extent to fassaite,

while in type (b) clinker the magnesia is partly accounted for by the spinel

lamellae in host magnetite and parily by fassaite. Variations in the final

amounts of magnesia locked up in the clinker can be due cither to variable

cancentrations of magnesium compounds in the coal ash, or to variable de-

grees of vaporization of less stable magnesium compounds on fusion, or both.

In connection with the relationship between magnetite and spinel in

artificial slags, Edwards (1949, pp. 44-45) notes narrow margins of magnetite

around spinel, The spinel commenced to crystallize prior to magnetite in the

artificial slag, though some of the magnetite may have crystallized concomit-

atitly with it. The interesting fact is that most of the spinel and magnetite

formed independently of each other, although crystallizing at tauch the same

time, Since both compounds have similar atomic structures, with constituent

ions of comparable radii and valency, solid solution would be expected, Since

none is present, Edwards concludes that the extent of possible solid solution

is presumably limited by the difference in size of the Fe3+ and the Al*+ ions

(Fe3+ = 0:67 A, AlS+— 0-57 A). In the natural clinker from Leigh Creek

there occurs three principal relationships between the spinel and the mag-

netite, these being =

(i) magnetite moulded sround spinel,

(si) ex-solution intergrowths ai spinel (as Jamellae) in magnetite

(host), and

(iii) core of magnetite in the spinel (these are of rare occurrence}.

Evidently spinel and magnetite were crystallizing at slightly different

times in different portions of the clinker and under rather different conditions,

bul wherever the relationships betweén spinel and magnetite can be estab-

lished, spinel mostly crystallized first. As in artificial slag described by

Edwards (1949), many crystals of spinel and magnetite developed indepen-

dently of one another in the Leigh Creek natural clinker. In parts of the

clinker (type (a)), magnetite continued to crystallize after the formation of

a limited number of spinel-magnetite mixed crystals, thus producing com-

poutid crystals having rims of magnetite around ex-solution intergrowths of

spinel and magnetite. In parts of this type of clinker, however, spinel often

eceitrs alone with neither rims nor intergrowths of magnetite, although it

does chow chemical zoning from the alternation of iron-rich aud iron-poor

zones.

Most spinels crystallized before magnetite in type (b) clinker, the later-

formed magnetite characteristically forming rims around spinel. In rare

places, however, spinel encloses earlier-formed magnetite.

Spinel occurs almost to the exclusion of magnetite in type (c) clinker,

because of the paucity of iron in parts of the coal ash that formed type (c)

clinker, Tke formation of magnetite (host)—spinel (lamellae) intergrowths in

only a transitional variety between the type (b) and type (c) clinker, is it

accord with Edwards’ (1949, p. 45) conclusion that the extent of possible solid

solution betweer spinel and magnetite is hmited, presumably by the difference

in size of the Fe8+ and Al* ions.

Increase in the lime content of the clinker compared to the coal ash,

as indicated by the CaO/SiO, ratios (table V), is partly accredited to the

incoming of secondary lime minerals by the agency of present-day eyclic salts

which find their way into the cavities of the vesicular to scoriaceous clinker.

Variation in lime as between the clinker and coal ash, howevet, may alsa be

attributable to differences in concenttation of lime-bearing constituents in

the stib-bituminous coal, differences that sampling for coal analysis may not

have smoothed out.

The lime content is high in the clinker, being over twice as much as fs

normally found, for example, in basaltic rocks. This ligh lime content finds

mineralogical expression in the abundance of echlenite and [assaite in types

(b) and (c) clinker and in the abundance of gehlenite and titan-augite in

type (a) clinker. Portion of the lime content, however, has to be assigned to

basic plagiaclase, perovskite, apatite and possibly the small amounts of glass

in the clinker itself, and to gypsum, calcite and thomsonite that infill some

vesicles in the clinker.

Variations in soda content of the clinker are expressed mineralogically in

terms of an increased development of albite in parts of the type (b) clinker

and yariable amounts of thomsonite in vesicular portions of the clinker as a

whole, Marked diminution in the average soda content of the clinker, cam-

pared to coal ash, evidently restilts from loss by vaporization on fusion at

the higher temperatures necessary for clinker formation, The slight decrease

in potash content may be due to the same catise.

Although the titania content shows Lttle variation from type to type in

the clinker (table TV), it finds different mineralogical expression in the differ-

ent types, It is located in the titan-augite in type (a) clinker, in the peroy-

skite in type (c) clinker and partly in the perovskite, partly in the abundant

mugnetite in type (b) clinker. Comparisons of the TiO,/SiO, ratios for

clinker and coal ash show there has been little change in titania content

during transition trom coal ash to clinker. The reasons for the generation of

different titanium-bearing minerals in the different types of clinker are ob-

scure,

The P.O, content is relatively high throughout the various types of

clinker and is of the same order in clinker as in coal ash. The marked in-

ercaseé in amount in parts af type (bh) clinker can he traced to the local devel-

opment of abundant apatite needles.

Sulphur in the clinker is largely accredited to pyrrhotite. The pronounced

variation in the sulphur content of different types of clinker (table IV), is

plainly evident from polished surfaces, which reyeal marked variations in

the amounts of pyrrhotite from piece to piece and often from place to place in

the same piece of clinker. Lesser quantities of both sulphur and chlorine in the

clinker, compared to the coal ash, result from loss of these volatiles at the

increased temperatures attained during fuston of coal ash to clinker. In type

{c) clinker, sulphides are at a minimum development for the clinker gener-

ally; the high sulphur content revealed by chemical analysis (fable TV, col-

units T), is evidenUy due to abundant gypsum in vesicles.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author is indebted to Dr. A. B. Edwards of the Mineragraphic

Section, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization,

Melbourne University and to Professor P. Ramdohr of Germany (temporarily

with the C.S.I.R.O.) for much helpful advice and criticism in connection with

the opaque mineralogy of the Leigh Creek clinker. Photographs I to 5 pl. I

were obtained by Prof, Ramdohr on a Panphot instrument kindly loaned by

the Geology Department, University of Melbourne,

REFERENCES

Barrett, E. P. 1945 The Fusion, Flow and Clinkering of Coal Ash. A Survey

.of the Chemical Background. Chapter 15 of “Chemistry of Coal Utiliza-

tion”, Wiley & Sons, New York

Bowen, N. L., and Aurousseau, M., 1923. Fusion of Sedimentary Rocks m

Drill Holes, Bull. Geol. Soc. ‘Amer,, 34, 431-448

Bravy, L. F., and Grete, J. W. 1939 Note on the Temperature attained in a

Burning Coal Seam. Amer. Jour, Sci., 237

Dickerson, 5, B, 1946 “The Search for Coal at Leigh Creek” — section on

p. 95 of booklet by G. G, Poole, 1946, (Extracted from Geol. Surv.

S. Aust., Bull. 24)

Epwagps, A. B, 1947 Textures of the Ore Minerals and their Significance.

Aust. Inst. of Min. and Met. (Inc.}, Melbourne

Evwanps, A. B., 1949 The Composition of some Lead Blast Furtiace Slags

from Port Pirie. Proc. Aust. Inst. of Min. and Met., Nos. 154-155,

41-67

Kocz, L, E. 1933 Konstitution und Kristallisationsverlauf der basischen Eisen-

hochofenschlacken und ihre Beziehungen zu silikatischen Mehrstoff-

systemen. Neues, Jahrb. — Beilage Band — Abt. A, 67, 401-427

Lonspate, J, T., and Crawrorp, D. J. 1928 Pseudo-Igneous Rock and Baked

Shale from the Burning of Lignite, Freestone County,’Texas. Univ. of

Texas Bull., 2,801

Mason, 'B. 1943 Mineralogical Aspects of the System FeO - FeO, —MnO-

Mn,O,. Geol, Fir. 1. Stockholm, Férh., 65. 97-180

Parxer, A. 1948 Examination of South Australian Coals. Mining Review,

Dept. of Mines, S. Aust,, No. 86, 43-46

Parxrn, L. OW. 1947 Leigh Creek Coalfield. Norther, Basin — Lobe “D”.

Mining Review, Dept. of Mines, S. Aust., No. 84, 106-150

Poote, G. G. 1946 The Leigh Creek Coalfield — History and Development.

Government Printer, Adelaide

Ramponr, P, 1950 Die Erzmineralien und Ihre Verwachsungen. Akademie-

Verlag, Berlin

EXPLANATIGN OF PLATE I

Fig. 1 Pyrrhotite altering to “zwischenprodukt” and -needle-iron-ore. (x 75).

Type a clinker, Leigh Creek, South Australia,

2 Enlarged portion of pyrrhotite altering to “zwischenprodukt” (area illus-

teated 1 in photo, 1), showing ex-solution bodies of chalcopyrite, (x 260). Type (a) clinker,

Leigh Creek, South Australia.

Fig. 3 Basaltic texture of type (a) clinker (ordinary light), showing gehlenite

fires and weathered), fassaite and calcite-infilled gas vesicle. Dark areas are spinel.

x60). Leigh Creek, South Australia.

Fie. 4 Plagioclase and zoned fassaite (crossed nicols), (x60). Type (c) clinker,

Leigh Creek, South Australia

Fig. 5 "Thomsonite (crossed nicols) infilline gas cavity in type (a) clinker, (2 60).

Leigh Creek, South Australia.

NEW SPECIES AND RECORDS OF MOLLUSCA FROM SOUTH

AUSTRALIA

BY BERNARD C. COTTON

Summary

In this paper a few new species of molluscs recently taken in South Australia belonging to various

families are described and notes are added.

NEW SPECIES AND RECORDS OF MOLLUSCA FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA

By Brernarp C, Corton *

[Read 17 April 1952]

594 (942)

SUMMARY

Tn this paper a few new species of molluscs recently taken in South Aus-

tralia belonging to various families are described and notes are added,

Sphaerinova. bursa sp, nov.

Shell small, oval, inflated, thin, subequilateral, a little elongate anteriorly,

umbos inclined forward, concentric striae fine, periostracum shining cream to

yellow, cardinal teeth rudimentary, one in the right valve, two in the left, lateral

teeth weak, lamilliform. Height 8 mm., diam, 9 mm.

Loc—River Torrens Lake (type); also in waterholes formed by creeks

draining the Western Mount Lofty Ranges.

Remarks—Holotype Reg, No, D.14453, S. Aust. Museum, The species is

somewhat like S. tatiarae but is a little more elongate anteriorly, larger, thinner,

and lighter coloured, Specimens from the type locality have young shells attached

to the inside of the valves. S. tatiarae occurs in the South-East of South Aus-

tralia and at various places in the Lower Murray such as Mannum, Murray

Bridge and Tailem Bend.

Austtalpera cara sp. nov.

Shell small unequilateral, oblique, subcordiform, tumid, anterior side slightly

longer than the posterior, acuminate and sharply curved, posterior broadly

rounded, ventral margin regularly curved, umbos a little prominent, forming an

apical cap in young shells; concetitric striae very fine, periostracum brownish,

teeth as fgured. Height 3 mm., diam. 4mm.

Loc—Brown Hill Creek, western slopes of the Mount Lofty Ranges (type) ;

also in the River Torrens.

Remarks—The species is rare. It is smaller and less elongate than the Vic-

torian A, etheridgit which occurs in the lower Murray and South- Haat of South

Australia. Holotype Reg. No. D.14454, S. Aust. Museum.

Neotrigonia horia sp. noy.

Shell trigonal, compressed, posterior a little clongate, postetior margin

truncate, straight, anterior margin rounded, ventral and posterior margin form-

ing almost a right angle; radial ribs about thirty sharp and narrow; spiny scales

weak almost obsolete in some specimens; colour pale yellow ; interior pure white;

hinge and teeth typical.of the genus. Length 35 mm., height 30 mm.

Lec,—South Australia: Beachport 110 fms. The species ranges from 110 to

200 fms.

Remarks—It is larger than WN. bednalli, differently shaped and coloured, the

hinge teeth are weaker and set at a wider angle, the radial ribs are finer and

more acute, while the sculpture is less developed. Both species occur in S.W.A.

Holotype Reg. No. D.14449, S. Aust. Museum. The species bears some resem-

blaiice to the Upper Miocene N. acuticostata (McCoy).

* South Australian Museum

Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 76, December, 1953

BELCHLAMYs ATKINOS (Petterd)

Pecten atkinos Petterd 1886, Proc, Roy Soc. Tas., 329. The type came from

the north-west coast of Tasmania. In the South Australian Museum Collection

are the Holotype of Pecten bednalli Tate, Aldinga Bay, S.. Aust., D.14170 and

Pecten pulleineanus Tate 1886 South-East S. Aust., D.14171, both of which

appear to be synonyms of B, atkinos.

MyocHaMA ANOMIOIDES Stutchbury

Myochama dnomioides Stutchbury 1830, Zool. Journ., 5, 97, pl. xlti, fig. 14.

Two specimens of this species were taken at Port Adelaide by R. C, Chittle-

borough, Zoological Department, University of Adelaide, The shells, one dark

blue-grey with a yellow stripe and the other yellow mottled with faint blue and

white, were attached to the carapace of a crab, Paragrapsus gaimardii, G. Pattison

took a specimen at Glenelg attached to Mimachlamys asperrimus, the ribs of the

scallop being neatly reproduced on the N. anomicides which is whitish cream

coloured; also another three, dark blue-grey in colour on Exohaliotis cyclobates

with the sculpture of that specimen even to the perforations. B, J, Weeding has

two specimens attached to Mimachlamys asperrimus and Mytilus planulatus, and

F. Saunders a good example, yellow coloured, attached to Mimachlamys asperri-

mus taken at Grange, South Australia. Specimens also attached to and grew on

glass sheets suspended in the sea for experimental purpose at Port Adelaide. It

has not been noticed by South Australian collectors in past years and is a new

record for South Australia,

Notomyrrea soTanica (Hedley)

Lucina botanicad Hedley 1917. Journ, Roy, Soc. N.S.W., 51, 18. This

New South Wales species was recorded by Verco 1908 from Sonth Australia

but has not been admitted in some ister lists, It has been taken at mumeraus

localities in South Australia, where shallow water examples are smoother than

the deeper water dredged specimens, MacDonnell Bay, Moonta Bay, and dredged

St. Francis Island 6 fms., Gulf St. Vincent 5 fms., Beachport 110 fms., 150 ims.

aud 200 fms.; W. Aust: King George Sound 12-14 ims., 28 fms., 35 fims,

ANAPELLA AMYGDALA (Crosse and Fischer)

Mactra amygdala Crosse and Fischer 1864. Journ. De. Conch,, 12, 349, also

13, 426, pl, ix, fig. 3.

This species deseribed from Spencer Gulf, South Australia, appears from

the description to be similar to 4. adelaidae Angas 1865, and A, amygdala will

thus have priority. ,

JOUANNETIA CuMINGr (Sowerby) -

Triomphalia cumingi Sowerby 1850, Proc. Zool, Soc., 1849 (1850), 16l.

A small specimen of this species from the Tate Collection, said to have been

taken by Tomsett at Port MacDonnell, South Australia, is in the South Aus-

tralian Museum. The species was first described from the Philippines and is

known to occur in North Australia and in New South Wales.

TaweEra sPissa (Deshayes)

Venus spissa Deshayes 1835. An. S. Vert., Ed. 2, 6, 273. -

Hedley 1911 recorded this species, the genotype of Tawera under the name

Chione mesodesma Quoy and Gaimard 1835 from Cape Wiles, S. Aust., 100

fathoms. This was the only record of the species from South Australia until a

specimen ptobably represetiting this species was taken off Cape Donnington,

7 fathoms, by J. Veitch in April 1953. Chione mesodesma Quoy aud Gaimard

1835 is recorded by May, 1912, as “Plentiful, as dead valves, in 100 fathoms, off

Cape Pillar; wrongly identified as C. gallinula Lamarck.”

Garr KENYONTANA (Pritchard and Gatliff)

Tellina kenyoniana Pritchard and Gatliff 1904. Proc, Roy. Vict. 17, 339,

pl. xx, fig. 1+.

This species was recorded from South Australia on the basis of two valves

taken by Verco “Off Royston Head, 22 fms.” A further specimen was taken in

1938 from the same locality and depth. J. Veitch of Port Lincoln has two valves

in his collection dredged off Cape Donnington, 7 fathoms, 18 April 1953,

BASSETHULLIA PoRCINA (Ashby)

Notoplax porcint Ashby 1912, Trans Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 43, 395, pl. xii,

fig, 7, 10.

The holotype D. 12250 S. Aust, Museum, was dredged in Gulf St. Vincent

and later donated by B. J. Weeding from the Torr collection, Ashby’s disartica-

lated holotype was the only example available for study at the time. It was once

thought to he a deep water form of B. metthews; Pilsbry. Mr, A. K. Beasley

took a further living specimen at Chrtistie’s Beach in 1937, washed up after a

storm. The fength is 30 mm. and the breadth 10 mm. in the dried specimen.

An examination of this second specimen which is not from deep water

Stiggests that B. porcina is a distinct species.

Aviscutum veitchi sp. nov,

Shell oblong, straight parallel sides, thick, moderately elevated; sinus well

marked; strongly wrinkled and pitted over the major part of the dorsum,

wrinkles becoming obsolete at the margins. Diameter 40 mm, and 75 mm,

height 12 mm. ‘

Loc —S, Aust.: Point Sinclair (type), subfossil?

Remarks—A careful examination of the holotype specimen proves that the

sculpture is authentic and not due to erosion. It is placed in the genus Aviscutum

because of the wrinkled sculpture through the parallel sides and little elevated

shell are atypical features. The nearest relative appears to be Scufus corrugatus

Reeve 1870 from Japan, but the present species is bigger and the sides are

parallel. It is named after Mr. J. T. Veitch, an enthusiastic collector who

specializes on the “west coast’ beaches of South Australia and has made

a number of interesting discoveries. Holotype Reg. No. D.14428, S. Aust. Mus.

The so-called “Sctwtus ungwis Linne” belonging to Aviscutum was recorded by

Theile 1930, from Sharks Bay, West Australia.

CELLANA LATICOsTaTA (Blainville)

Patetla laticosatdta Blainville 1825. Dict. Sci. Nat,, 38, 111. This large

Western Australian limpet has been found dead on the beach at Port Lincoln

(Trigg), Point Sinclair (Weeding), one from Streaky Bay and in number on the

Middle Recent raised beach at Port Augusta by J. Veitch. It is probably not living

in South Australia and only occurs as a subfossil on the westetn heaches o

South Australia. It is recorded from Victoria in a recent systematic list.

PHASIANELLA AUSTRALIS (Gmelin)

Buccinum australis Gmelin 1788. Syst. Nat., 3,490. On the Middle Recent

stranded beach at Port Augusta, Mr. J, Veitch took a mumber of the Ark shell

Anedara trapezia and a series of the common Phasignella occurring there. The

Phasianella is obviously related to the living P, australis, having a similar

varied though characteristic colour pattern, but the shape is consistently and

markedly different, being much more elongate and narrow. At first it was thought

that the species may be more closely related to P. dennanti Crespin 1926 from

Muddy Creek, Upper Beds, Pliocene. However, it is quite distinct from the

Pliocene species, being considerably longer in the spire and having narrower

whorls. This represents a remarkable change in comparative shape during a period

of some few thousand years. The living species, which lives and feeds on

Cymodocea weed, is very consistent in shape in various localities and under vary-

ing ecological conditions. A series of recent P. australis from Geraldton, Western

Australia closely resemble the fossil. H. M. Cooper took a further specimen of

the fossil Phastanella at one mile north of Port Augusta West and this has the

characteristic colour pattern where the surface has not exfoliated. The same

collector took a fossil Hypocassis fimbriata from a similar Anadara beach at about

present high tide mark, opposite Flinders Bluff, ten miles south of Port Augusta

‘West, This specimen is a miniature, two inches in length, thick, solid, with an

exsert spire. The present day shell found on the nearby beach averages about

three and a half inches in length and is comparatively thin with little elevation

of the spire.

DaRDANULA FLAMMEA (Frauenfeld)

Subanaea flammeo Frauenfeld 1867, Novara Exped, Moll,, 12 pl, ii, fig. 18.

This has beeti recorded from various localities, New South Wales, Victoria

and Tasmania, Mr. J. T. Veitch took it at Arno Bay, South Australia.

. Rhizoconus klemae sp. nov.

Shell conical, medium size, thick, spire moderately high, apex obtuse, usually

polished, blunt, white; colour golden-brown, the body-whorl white at the anterior

extremity, with a medial white band interrupted by irregular nut-brown narrow

axials; above the median band are three narrow spirals of alternating white and

nut-brown dashes; two similar spirals below the medial band; angle of body-

whorl white and nut-brown narrowly banded, a pattern which can be seen at the

sutures on the spire; surface of shell polished, irregularly obscurely marked with

accremental striae, slightly concayely margined below the suture. Height 47 mm.,

diam. 26 mm.

Loc.—S, Aust.: Corny Point (Miss M. Klem), Eyre Is., Levens (Cotton),

Daly Head (Weeding).

Remarks—Hedley, November 1913, commenting on specimens sent to him

by Sir Joseph Verco from St, Francis Island, South Australia, writes: “The

Conns from St. Francis Island, South Australia, is C. rattus Hwass, a species

common in the tropics, but I sirppose a new record for your State, Your speci-

mens agree well with a series I collected at Fitzroy Island, Queensland.” Miss G.

Thornley recently forwarded to me in exchange for FR, klemae a series of

R. rattus and two R-_ taitensis and both prove to be quite distinct from FR. klemae.

Specimens of R. klemae are quite consistent in their shape and colouration. A

juvenile figured here has a lighter golden colour than the adult, Shells in good

condition are taken on the west coast of Yorke Peninsula, South Australia, but

I have not yet seen a living specimen nor did I take it in Western Australia.

Holotype D.14465 S. Aust. Museum.

Alaba coma sp. nov. ‘

Shell thin, smooth, white except for a few reddish-brown spaced spiral and

axial hair lines; whorls eight a little globose; sttures linear, aperture ovate

angled at the base of. the columella, outer lip thin simple, columella straight.

Height 5 mm., dian. 2°8 mm,

Loe—S. Aust.: Port Lincoln 10 ims,, MacDonnell Bay, Outer Harbour;

Tastn.: N. Coast; Vict.: W. Coast. Holotype Reg, No. D.14466, S. Aust. Museum.

Rematks—A, pulchra Adams 1862 was described from Port Adelaide and

it ig quite a common shell, The typical South Australian shells agree with the

original description in being imbricate and validly nodosoplicate. The figure given

by Hedley, Proc, Linn. Soc. N.S.W., 13, pt. 2, pl. xviii, fig. 57, does not agree

with our shell, and the one in May, IIlust. Index Tas. Shells, pl. xxv, fig. 22, is

drawn from a North Tasmanian specimen of A, coma, The present species

resembles A. pulchra in having capillary rufous spirals and axial flammules, but it

is quite distinct in shape and sculpture. This may be the species formerly known

under the name A. picta Adams, a Japanese shell. A typical specimen of the South

Australian A. pulchra is figured here, Species of Aloba and Dtala are frequently

associated with gypsum deposits in our coastal areas.

Teretriphora mepilpi sp, nov.

Shell sinistral, dark brown, rather obese, proteconch of three small whorls

only slightly deviated from the axis and not much swollen; adult whorls six, three

smooth spiral ribs, with interspaces of equal width, accremental striae fine, suture

deep and narrow, dark coloured; aperture little developed, roundly rhomboidal

pinched at the suttire into asinus.

Loc.—Henley Beach, shell sand (MeGilp).

. Remarks—The species is most closely related to Teretriphora gemmegens

Verco 1909 from Beachport, 40 fms. It differs in being much smaller, more

swollen and having the spiral ribs smoother and intetspaces wider, The specimen

is juvenile and unique. Holotype Reg. No. D.14464, S. Aust. Museum.

Glyptorhagada umberatana sp. nov.

Shell globose-conical, fairly thick, whorls stepped, body whorl with an

obsolete keel,. aperture oblique, expanded margin reflected, free except where it

is in contact with the base of the shell, umbilicus narrow, sculpture of oblique

axial ribs, Height 19 mm., diam. 27 mm, x 23 mm.

Loc-—Umberatana, Far North of South Australia (type).

Remarks—A series of specimens of this species was taken hy Mr. R. Sptigg,

Department of Mines, South Australia. It is distinguished from G. silver? Angas

in being larger, more depressed, spire more stepped and the axial sculpture is less

regular and less wavy. Holotype Reg, No. D.14450,

Excellaoma pattisonae sp. nov.

Shel] subconical, apex almost smooth, umbilicus nearly closed and hidden

by the columella reflection, axial sculpture of distant valid riblets interspaces

regularly finely axially striate; spiral lirae almost obsolete. Diam. 7 mm. x 6 mm.,

height 4 mm.

Loc.—National Park, Victoria Drive, Long Gully, June 1939, Mrs. D, M.

Pattison, also Blackwood Road, Beaumont, and near the Commissioner’s shack,

National Park, June 1951 (Cotton).

Reviarks—The species is most clearly allied to EH. nefo Iredale 1937 from

Kangaroo Island, It differs in being larger, more conical and having well marked

scopic spirals on the protoconch. Three specimens only, one from each locality have

been taken to date. The holotype, Reg, No. D.14451, S. Aust, Museum, National

Park, figured and a ventral and dorsal view of the juvenile specimen from Long

Gully is also given.

Pleuroxia ruga sp. nov.

Shell depressed, narrowly umbilicated, chalky white; sculpture of strong,

wavy axials and close minute granules, the granules present on the earlier whorls;

last whorl sharply rounded at the periphery, descending in front, wavy axial

plicate on the base, aperture rounded, peristone continuous, lip expanded and

free. Height 7 mm., diam. 17 mm. x 14 mm.

Loc.—W. Aust.: top of Cape Range, Exmouth Gulf (type).

“Remarks—The shell is possibly related to P. gascoynensis Smith 1894, but

I have not seen a specimen of that species, the type of which is in the British

Museum. According to the description and figure of the type of P. gascoynensis,

‘the present species is much larger, has a narrow umbilicus, a much coarser

sculpture and more expanded lip margin. Holotype Reg. No. D.14452, S. Aust.

Museum. Collected by Miss I. Crespin, Commonwealth Palaeontologist.

; ConcLusIon

Two new species of freshwater Pelecypods and one marine Pelecypod are

described and notes of seven others are added. Four new species of marine

Gastropod are introduced and three others are discussed. Three new species of

native land shells are described.

Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 1953

NDR WN EGG

oun

8,9

11,12

Sphaerinova bursa sp. nov.

Australpera cara sp. nov,

Neotrigonia horia sp. nov.

Excellaoma pattisonae sp, nov.

” a juveniles

Phasianella australis, variety

Glyptorhagada umberatana sp. nov.

Aviscutum veitchi sp. noy,

Pleuroxia ruga sp. nov.

Vol. 76, Plate If

‘Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 1953 Vol. 76, Plate 11

1 Rhizoconus klemae sp. nov.

ventral view, holotype

2 Rhizoconus klemae sp. nov.

juvenile

3. Rhizoconus klemae sp. nov.

dorsal view, holotype

4 Alaba coma sp. nov.

holotype

5 Alaba pulchra Adams

6 Teretriphora mcgilpi sp. nov.

holotype

NATURAL SINTERS FROM MT. REMARKABLE AND TEMPE DOWNS

BY GEORGE BAKER

Summary

Specimens of clinker-like material from Mt. Remarkable in South Australia and Tempe Downs in

Central Australia are described. Evidence is advanced to indicate that the clinker-like masses are

natural partially sintered products of surface sandy soils, possibly developed by the heating action

of lightning.

NATURAL SINTERS FROM MT. REMARKABLE AND TEMPE DOWNS

By Grorcr Barer*

Communicated by $. B. Dickinson

r 552.551 (942)

SUMMARY

Specimens of clinker-like material from Mt. Remarkable in South Aus-

tralia and Tempe Downs in Central Australia are described. Evidence is ad-

vanced to indicate that the clinker-like masses are natural partially sintered

products of surface sandy soils, possibly developed by the heating action of

lightning. |

INTRODUCTION

Specimens of naturally sintered products have been discovered at differ-

ent times in widely separated localities in Australia, The term “sinter” 1s

used broadly in the sense that sinter is a partially fused clinket-like product

devoid of fluxing materials.

Natural sinter from Mt. Remarkable (3,178 [t,) was found near the sum-

mit by Mr. R. G. Thomas in 1937. Mt. Remarkable is near Melrose, approxi-

mately 25 miles N.N.E. of Port Pirie on the eastern side of Spencer Gulf,

South Australia, The rock composing Mt. Remarkable is a quartzitic (91%

SiO,) member of the Adelaide Series (Proterozoic). The main mass of sinter,

approximately two cubic feet in volume, rested on a thin bed of soil. Smaller

fragments were scatteted over an area of several square yards and their

weathered appearance indicated they were not very recent in origin. Mr.

Thomas collected about one cubic foot of the material; several of the least

weathered fragments, totalling 218 grams, were examined by the author.

Natural sinter from Tempe Downs was found on top of a hill on the

Tempe Downs stock station in Central Australia. Tempe Downs is 120 miles

W.S.W. of Alice Springs and approximately 40 miles south of the western

end of the MacDonnell Ranges. The sinter, handed by the manager of Tempe

Downs stock station to Mr. H. Finlayson of Adelaide, was passed on to Mr.

R.,G. Thomas in 1937. It had previously been exhibited at the Royal Society

of South Atstralia as possibly being a meteorite, The sinter occurred on the

surface in an area composed of quartzites and sandstones of Larapintine

(Ordovician} age, As received by the author for examination, the Tempe

Downs sinter consisted of one piece weighing 204 grams. It evidently formed

portion of a larger mass, but was the only piece originally acquired.

DESCRIPTION OF SPECIMENS

Mr. REMARKABLE NATURAL SINTER

The sample (pi. IV A) consists of several irregular lumps of scoriaceous

sinter ranging in size from 1” x #” to 3” x 2}. Surfaces are irregular, partly

smooth and ropy, partly rough and finely cellular from honeycombing with

vesicles. The colour on external sutfaces is greyish-to yellowish-and reddish-

brown. Unweathered freshly fractured areas are dark-grey and vitreous with

occasional quartz grains atid brownish patches richer in fused iron

‘compounds.

* University of Melbourne, Victoria.

Trans, Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 76, December, 1953

Microscope sections reveal rounded quartz grains up to 06 mm. across

aud averaging 0-4 tm., embedded in a matrix of light-to dark-brown, rarely

colourless, vesicular glass, Many of the quartz grains are cracked, several

have been granulated and show strain polarisation, Apatite prisms, included

in the quartz, account for much of the P,O, content (Table I, column I).

Lechatelierite particles in the glass are rare and minute. There are no other

unfused grains besides quartz, unless some of the granulated grains represent

original fine-grained quartzite. Evidently the material was held at fusion tem-

perature long enough to fuse everything except quartz, but not long enough

to fuse all the quartz grains; the lechatelierite particles represent the last

remnants of incompletely fused crystalline silica. .

The rounded character of the quartz grains is ascribed to the effects of

fusion largely, but may have been inittally developed by weathering prior to

fusion. Several of the quartz grains are surrounded hy narrow zones of

clear completely isotropic glass (RI. = 1'525). These zones are usually

sharply demarked from the anisotropic unfused portions of the quartz grains

and the surrounding isotropic brown glass (R.I. = 1-545), but some zones

merge from colourless, through pale yellowish-brown (R.1. = 1°540), to dark.

brawn glass. Occasional opaque areas in the glass are composed of felted

masses of minute fibres, associated with nunierous stall particles of hydrous

iron oxide. The fibres have low birefringence, low refractive index and

oblique extinction up to 30°, but are too minute for accurate determination.

A polished surface of the sinter reveals skeletal crystals and small cubes

of magnetite. Sulphides are rare and largely confined to unfused quartz rem-

nants, but rare globules of pyrite also appear in the glass.

Tempe Downs NATURAL SINTER

The hand specimen (pl. 1V B) is externally very similar to the Mt.

Remarkable sinter and is an irregularly shaped lump measuring 33” x 227 x 14”

to 2”, It is scoriaceous, with parts showing tounded glassy protuberances

and a colour variation from greyish-to yellowish-and reddish-brown. Parts of

the surface are ropy, 2 fine rippled structure on some of the Tropy portions

representing finer flow structures, Fracture surfaces are vesicular, with numer-

ous pits ranging in diameter from 13 x 8 mm, to wader O-5 mm. An unusual

phenomenon encountered on breaking off portion of the specimen was the ex-

posure of 2 small complete bubble of glass in a cavity measuring 5 x 4 mm.

The glass bubble measured 1-5 mm, across and was fed by a small bubble

pit 0-5 mm, across, situated on the cavity wall. The glass in the bubble walls

1s 0-004 mm, thick and contains occasional, minute drawn-out gas bubbles.

The more glassy portions of the interior of the sinter resemble freshly

broken fragments of fuleurites, secondary mineral matter being absent from

the vesicles. Portions with visible quartz grains embedded in the glass re-

semble finely vesicular acidic lava.

Microscope sections of thesTempe Downs sinter reveal a large number

of rounded and sub-angular quartz grains embedded in vesicular glass dis-

coloured by iron oxides, The quartz grains range up to 0-5 mm. across and

average 0-2 mm., being smaller but more numerous than in the Mt. Remark-

able sinter and with less glass. The proportion of glass to unfused quartz is

25 : 75 for the Tempe Downs specimen, 70 ; 30 for the Mt. Remarkable

specimen.

The glass is colourless to pale yellowish-green in section, zones of colour-

less glass (RI. = 1:525) occurring around partially fused quartz grains as

in the Mt. Remarkable specimens, but areas of brownish coloured glass are

not as abundant, although they have the same refractive index (1545).

Minute bubbles are common in the glass. Microscopic aggregates of capillary

crystals radiate: outwards into the glass from the walls of some of the gas

cavities. They are low polarising, greyish-brown in colour, but too fine for

accurate determination; they are possibly related to mullite, The fact that

the glass is not very abundant and is frequently opaque from dense concen-

trations of minute inclusions, prevents an assessment of the distribution of

lechatelierite particles in the glass. The only other detrital grains preserved

in the glass, besides quartz, are rare grains of zircon unaffected by the heating

process.

A polished surface of the Tempe Downs sinter reveals minute rounded

globules of pyrite that are common in the glass, but rare in the unfused quartz

grains. These globules range in size from under 0-001 mm. to 0-008 mm. and

are scattered at random throughout the glass. Rate small crystals of magne-

tite average 0‘020 mm. and are seldom as large as 0-080 mm. Minute skeletal

crystals of magnetite are also present. Small globules of pyrite are occasion-

ally included in the magnetite, Where exposed on the walls of gas cavities,

some of the pyrite globules have been oxidized to form thin crusts of limonite,

The occasional darker-coloured patches in the glass prove to be flecked with

minute plates of hematite on examination under the ore microscope.

CHEMICAL AINALYSES

Chemical analyses of the Mt. Remarkable and Tempe Downs natural

sinters have been carried out in the chemical laboratory of the Mineragraphic

Investigations Section, Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research.

Organization, with the following results (Table I).

TABLE [

J. Mt, Remarkable natural sinter, South Australia (anal. G. C. Carlos).

me Tempe Downs natural sinter, Central Australia (anal, G. C. Carlos),

’ I IT I II

SiO, - ~ 63:54 76°08 H,O () - 004 0-03

A1,O, - - 1859 10-27 co, - + + nil nil

FeO, = - 1:56 1-67 TiO, - - - 061 0-78

FQ” - - 3-48 2°59 P.O, - - 161 0-31

MgO - - - 1-50 1-83 MnO - + - 0-18 0-08

Ca0 = - - 5:94 3-05 C---- nil nil

Na,Q - - Q-61 0-77 cl, -- - nil nil

KO - - - 2-20 2-34 sO, - - -. wil nil

H,O (+) - 16 0-23 ———

Total — -— 100-02 100-03

Neither nickel nor chromium was detected in either of the two analyses

set out in Table I.

The differences between analyses of the Mt. Remarkable and Tempe

Downs natural sinters reflect variations in the chemical character of the source

materials and hence variations in their original mineral content. Both types

were evidently derived largely, if not entirely, from inorganic materials. The

Tempe Downs sinter was derived from the soils produced on a quartzitic

rock richer in SiO,, but containing less felspathic material and less of a

P,O,-bearing mineral (or Jess soil phosphates) than the Mt. Remarkable

sinter, In the remaining ingredients, however, the two source materials were

chetrically and mineralogically very similar.

{i hay

COMPARISON OF THE SINTERS WITH OTHER NATURALLY

FUSED PRODUCTS

The two samples of natural clinker closely resemble one another in

appearance, but whereas the Tempe Downs sinter is essentially 4 mass of

small adhering quartz grains, bound together into a coherent mass by a mat-

rix. of glass, often with only very thin films separating adjacent grains, the

Mt. Remarkable sinter has wider areas of glassy matrix throughout, with

larger quartz grains scattered through the glass. Cristobalite, which occurs in

Libyan Glass (Spencer, 1939) and tridymite, which occurs in some fulgur-

ites (Baker and Gaskin, 1946), have not been observed in the glass of either

sinter sample.

There seems to be little in common between these two natural sinters

and other known products of natural fusion such as. clinker from the fusion

of coal ash, impactites, Libyan silica glass, etc., but the more glassy portions

of the sinters do show some resemblance to Macedon Glass and certain pieces

of Darwin Glass (Queenstownites). Inasmuch as the sinters are not as highly

fused as Macedon Glass and Darwin Glass, they were evidently subjected to

a more transient heating process.

TasBLe II

Colour of hand R.I. of Density of % Silica in

Location Specimen glass Specimen Specimen Reference

Henbury, Centra

Australia - + - - black 1-545 2-31 68-88 Spencer (1933)

Mt. Remarkable, dark - grey to 1-525

South Australia - - yellowish- and 2:57 63-54

reddish-brown 1:°545

Tempe Downs, Cen- dark - grey to 1-525

tral Australia - - ~ yellowish- and- 2:54 76°08

teddish- brown 1:545

Wabar, Arabia - - - black 1-500 2-24 87-45 Spencer (1933)

Darwin, Tasmania - - pale greenish - David;

grey 1497 - 87-00 ‘Summers and

Ampt (1927)

Macedon, Victoria - - dark - grey 1-490 2-08 - Baker and Gas-

: kin (1946)

Darwin, Tasmania- - smoky - grey 1486 2-296 86+34 David,

Summers and

: Ampt (1927)

Macedon, Victoria - - pale preenish- 1-485 1:04 ~ Baker and Gas-

grey kin (1946)

Wabar, Arabia - - - white 1-468 2:10 92-88 Spencer (1933)

Libya, North Africa - pale yellowish - 1-462 2-206 97°58 Clayton and

green Spencer (1934)

Barringer Meteor 1-458 2:10 « Rogers (1930)

and Spencer

Crater, Arizona- - - white 1-460 2-21 (1939)

In Table II, some of the properties of various described naturally fused

products are listed with those from Tempe Downs and Mt. Remarkable for

purposes of comparison. The table has been arranged in order of decreasing

refractive index values and shows that there is a general decrease in densities

and increases in ‘silica contents as the refractive index decreases in value (cf.

Spencer, 1939, p. 430). The refractive index values of the Mt. Remarkable

and Tempe Downs sinters wete determined by the immersion method and

refer to glassy portions only, while the densities and silica contents are those

of the complete samples of the sinters, representing glass and other ingredi-

ents.

The Mt. Remarkable and Tempe Downs sinters had not commenced

to fuse at 1,200°C, thus reflecting their predominantly siliceous composition.

The densities of these two samples were determined on material in the

powdered form at 20°C.

ORIGIN OF THE SINTERS

The natural sinters from Mt. Remarkable and Tempe Dawns were

evidently derived wholly from inorganic matter, The scoriaceous appearance

of the Mt. Remarkable sinter is very similar to that of the Tempe Downs

sinter and thin sections reveal similar relationships in cach sinter hetweer

unfused quartz gratns and the glass in which they are embedded, Therefore

there seems to be no doubt that the origin of both sinters was essentially the

same, formation resulting from partial fusion in the absence of fluxes, of

comparable morganic materials, presumably by means of a similar heating

agent. Fusion in each sinter was evidently due to a source of heat of high

temperature and short duration, followed by rapid cooling. Because of its

greater content of glass, the Mit. Remarkable material was presumably

heated for a slightly longer period,

In the absence of sufficient confirmatary evidence no conclusive apinion

can be reached concerning the source of heat responsible for fusing natural

materials and generating natural sinter, natural clinker, natural slag and

natural silica glass. Detailed petrological, mineralogical, chemical and

spectrochemical investigations often provide conclusive evidence of the

original nature of the source materials, but fail to reveal the true nature of

the source of heat. From the physical standpoint it is to be expected that the

fusion of terrestrial materials on the surface of the earth to form nattiral

sinter, clinker, slag and glass, requires high temperatitres and sometimes the

presence of fluxes, i

_ The known geological evidence, supported by chemical evidence and cer-

tain physical characteristics of the natural sinters, bears out the conclusion

that the Mt, Remarkable and Tempe Downs natural sinters ate non-

volcanic, non-meteoritic, not due to the burning of coal seams or tree trunks

and not due to bush or grass fires, (cf. Baker and Gaskin, 1946}, The fused

products are certainly not artificial and are in no way allied to extra-terres-

trial glasses like the tektites. In the absence of evidence of any other kind,

elimimating most of the known natural heating agents, recourse is made to

natural electrical discharges as the probable cause of fusion, However, the

conventional tubular shape of the well-known fulgurites is lacking in the

Mt. Remarkable and Tempe Downs sinters and they are neither as acidic

nor as vitrified as the “lightning tubes.” Moreover, they have a much gteater

diameter than that (5 cm.). set out by Schoriland (1932, p, 93) as the typical

diameter for fulgurites. Hence, a greater spread of the heating agent than in

the limited confines producing fulgurites, ts required far the development of

the two sinter samples under consideration. The fact that fusion of the sinters

was only partial, while that of the true fulgurites is virtually complete. indi-

cates that temperatures were generally lower than in the formation of “light-

ning tubes," and the lumpy character of the sinters compared with the narrow

tubular shape of fulgurites, suggests that the momentarily applied heat was

not quite as confined in its effect on the soil at centres of lightning strike.

It is conceivable that an agency such as ball lightning could supply the

momentarily applied heat at the lower temperatures that would suttice to

form the partially vitrified products (sinters) from sandy soils. Although the

phenomenon of ball lightning may not yet be universally accepted, it has

been shown that fireballs undoubtedly do become generated under certain

conditions, but their characteristics are not fully understood. Brand (1923),

Wolf (1943), Jensen (1933) and others record several authentic observations

of bail lightning, but note that it is rare and thus difficult to study systematic-

ally. Kuhn (1951) has recently photographed an example of ball lightning,

while Jensen (1933) illustrates several photographs of fireballs having

diameters of 28 feet and 42 feet respectively. Jensen (1933, p, 374) found that

ball lightning most frequently occurred in connection with dust-laden air, as

in a wind squall or tornado.

Since there is no conclusive evidence to prove that ball lightning was

responsible for the generation of the Mt. Remarkable and Tempe Downs

sinters, an origin due to this particular type of lightning discharge cannot he

specifically invoked. The suggestion is advanced, however, that in the absence

of evidence indicating any other agency or other type of lightning discharge,

there is a strong likelihood of bal! lightning being responsible for the sintering

of sandy soils, That the earthing of some sort of lightning was responsible for

the formation of the sinters, is somewhat strengthened by the fact that both

of the samples of sinter oceurred on hilltops. It would be of interest to know if

any other sinters of similar nature also occur preferentially on hilltops.

Summarising the evidence that indicates a possible lightning mode of origin

and eliminates other agents as the source of heat, it is found that —

(i) lightning in its known forms can supply the degree of heat required

ior the partial fusion of sandy soils,

(ii) the partially fused products are both from hilltops,

(iii) nickel and chromium are absent from the sinters, and evidence for the

local fall of meteorites is not to hand,

(iv) there is neither chemical nor mineralogical resemblance to fused coal-

ash and no coal seams occur in the neighbourhood,

(v) carbon and wood-ash are absent, there are no chemical affinities with

“straw silica glass” or allied products such as slag from charcoal, and

_ the sinters fuse in the laboratory at much greater temperatures than do

the products from wood-ash or coal~ash fusion,

(vi) there are no affinities with tektites,

(vii) the sinters are not artificial products and they are not products of

terrestrial] volcanoes.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author is indebted to Mr. R. G. Thomas for the samples and field

notes relating to the Mt. Rematkable and Tempe Downs sinters and for

critical revision of the manuscript. Thanks are also due to Dr. F. Loewe of

the Meteorology Department, University of Melbourne, for helpful discussions

on the nature and effects of lightning, and to Mr. G. C. Carlos for the photo-

graphs.

REFERENCES

Baker, G., and Gasxrn, A. J. 1946 Natural Glass from Macedon, Victoria,

and its relationships to other natural glasses, Journ, Geol., 54, 88-104

Brann, W. 1923 Der Kugelblitz, Probleme der kosmischen Physik I/II.

Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 1953 Vol. 76, Plate 1V

A. Sinter from near summit of Mt. Remarkable, South Australia (nat. size).

Fragment showing scoriaceous character.

B. Sinter from hilltop on Tempe Downs stock station, Central Australia (nat.

size), Fragment showing scoriaceous and ropy character.

Crayton, P. A., and Spencer, L. J. 1934 Silica glass from the Libyan Desert.

Min. Mag., 23, 501-508

Davin, T. W. E., Summers, H. S., and Ampr, G. A. 1927 The Tasmanian

tektite—Darwin Glass. Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict., 39, pt. 2, n.s., 167-190

Jensen, J. C. 1933 Physics, 4, 372-374

Kuun, E. 1951 Ein Kugelblitz auf einer Moment-Aufnahme? Die Natur- |

wissenschaften, No. 22, 38, 518-519

Rocers, A. F. 1930 A unique occurrence of lechatelierite or silica glass. Amer.

Journ. Sci., ser. 5, 19, 195-202

Spencer, L. J. 1933 Meteoric iron and silica glass from the meteorite craters

of Henbury (Central Australia) and Wabar (Arabia). Min. Mag.

23, 387-404;

Spencer, L. J, 1939 Tektites and silica glass. Min. Mag., 25, 425-440

ScHONLAND, B. F. J. 1932 Atmospheric Electricity. Methuen and Co., London

Wotr, F. 1943 Das Gewitter und seine Entladungsformen, II Teil: Kugelblitze

und Perlschnurblitze. Die Naturwissenschaften, 31, 215-223

SOME MARINE FREELIVING NEMATODES FROM THE AUSTRALIAN

COAST

BY PATRICIA M. MAWSON

Summary

The following nematodes have been identified from dredgings off the coast of New South Wales

(locality indicated as N.S.W.), form St. Vincent Gulf (Port Willunga and Port River), and from

Pennington Bay, Kangaroo Island (Penn. B.) : — Anticomopsis jibbonensis n. sp. (N.S.W.);

Thoracostoma australe n. sp. (N.S.W.); Enoplus meridionalis Steiner (Port Willunga);

Metoncholaimus pristiurus Z. Strassen (Pt. River); Pontonema hackingensis n. sp. (N.S.W.);

Symplocostoma longicolle Bastian (Penn. B.); Symplocostomella johnstoni n. sp. (N.S.W.);

Mesacanthion gracilisetosus Allgen (N.S.W.); Harveyjohnstonia kartanum n.g., n.sp. (Penn. B.)

SOME MARINE FREELIVING NEMATODES FROM THE

AUSTRALIAN COAST

By Patricia M. Mawson *

[Read 12 June 1952]

: 595.132 (210.5) (94)

Summary

The following nematodes have been identified from dredgings off the coast

of New South Wales (locality indicated as N.S.W.), from St. Vincent Gulf

(Port Willunga and Port River), and from Pennington Bay, Kangaroo Island

(Penn. B.) —

Anticomapsis jibbonensis n.sp. (N.S.W.); Thoracostoma australe n.sp,

(N.SW.); Enoplus meridionalis Steiner (Port Willunga); Metoncholaimus

pristivrus Z. Strassen (Pt. River); Pontonema hackingensis u.sp. (N.S.W.);

Symplocostoma longicolle Bastian (Penn. B.) ; Symplocostomella johnstoni n. ap.

(N.S.W.); Mesacanthion gracilisetosus Allgen (N.S.W.); Harveyjolnstonia

kartanum n. g..n. sp. (Penn. B.).

The work done on Australian freeliving nematodes up to the present has

been summarised by the late Professor Harvey Johnston in his Census of 1938,

The subject matter of this paper was recommended to the author by Pro-

fessor Johnsten a short time before his death. Unfortunately he was unable to

read the manuscript, so the classification used and conclusions reached are the

author’s sole responsibility, The labour of identification was greatly lightened

by the use of Professor Johnston’s personally compiled septemmatic catalogue

on nematodes as well as his catalogue of authors, It is with gratitude to Pro-

fessor Johnston and his family that we acknowledge the gift of this valuable

collection to the University of Adelaide, ’

The material examined comprised three collections

(1) from dredgings off the New South Wales coast by the CS.LR.O,

Research Vessel “Warreen”; this collection was kindly forwarded to

us by Mr, K. Sheard of the Fisheries Division;

(2) littoral forms collected in St. Vincent Gulf by Professor Johnston ; and

(3) littoral forms collected at Pennington Bay, Kangaroo Island, by my

colleague, Mr. S. J. Edmonds.These were present in surface scrapings

from the rock around a sandy pool, where there was very little vege-

tation.

Anticomopsis gibbonensis n.sp.

Fig. 1-2 ‘

Four males and one female were taken from a collection dredged fiye miles

east of Port Gibbon, New South Wales, They are long slender worms tapering

in the oesophagial region; the tail is conical, ending in a suddenly narrowed tip.

The cuticle is smooth, somatic setae few and scattered. The head bears three

well-defined lips. Six cephalic papillae surround the motith and ten cephalic setae

lie on a ring 15» behind the anterior end, the setae being to 20, long, 1.¢., tewo-

fifths of the width of the head at that level. The amphid is indistinct. Cervical

setae in two groups of four in each lie 50x from head end, Buccal capsule absent.

Oesophagus of even diameter throughout, at its posterior end its width is about

one-ninth that of bedy at same level, ;

No ripe eggs are present in the female. The ovaries are divergent and reflexed,

* University of Adelaide

Trans Roy. Soc. S. Aust, 76 December, 1955

The male tail and spicules are of the typical form in the genus.

9:L=10-3mm.a= 43, B=7+3; y=50

Cobb : —; 45; 13:6; 58-2; 98

—; 1-0; 22; 2:3; +97 _

—; 1:0; 1:8; 2:0; 1:2

This species differs from A. typicus Micol., in the position of the vulva,

the a, 8 and y proportions, and in the total length of the worms.

Fig. 1-10

Fig. 1-2, Anticomopsis gibbonensis: 1, head of male; 2, inale tail. Fig. 3-4,

Thoracostoma australe: 3, head; 4, male tail. Fig. 5, Mesacanthion gra-

cilisetosus: head. Fig. 6-7, Enoplus communis, var. meridionalis: 6, head;

7, male tail. Fig. 8-9, Pontonema hackingensts: 8, head; 9, male tail,

Fig. 10, Symplocostomella johnstoni: head, Fig. 1, 6, and 10 ta same scale;

fig. 3, 5, and 8; fig. 4, 7, 9.

Thoracostoma australe n. sp.

Fig, 3-4

This species was taken from three dredging stations off New South Wales

coast: (1) 5 miles east of Port Gibbon; (2) 4 miles off Port Hacking, at 80 M.;

(3) off Wata Muri at 75 M.

Relatively large worms, tapering in oesophageal region, rest of body almost

cylindrical; tail short and rounded, Diameter at level of short cephalic setae is

47-50, at level of ocelli 90-100p, at nerve ring -15-'17 mm., at base of oesophagus

*2--23 mm., and at widest part of body -23--27 mm.

Cephalic armature is more or less imperforate except near posterior edge

where slit-like pores appear irregularly parallel to the matgin. Just posterior to

the margin is a row of small refractive bodies as described by Ditlevsen for

T, compbelli, The ocelli are *15--2 mm., and the nerve ring -65-'7 mm. from the

head. The oesophagus widens slightly for the posterior third of its length.

Male—Spicules are +23 mm. long, gubernaculum 80» long. Tail at anus is

as wide as its length, -14--16 mm, On male tail are five pairs of adanal setae,

and six paits of subterminal, as well as irregular dorsal setae. Preanally are two

rows of numerous setae, which are more scattered as distance from anus increases ;

about ‘1 mm, in front of anus is a well-developed median preanal papillate organ

and anterior to this eight pairs of papillae, successively less well developed,

Female—Vulva is just posterior to mid-length of body, 53-58% of body

length from head. At most there are three ova to each oviduct. In 12-5 mm.

worm, Gl = 15:2% + (8°5%), G2=19-2% + (10-4%). Well-developed ova

are 700u by 200u. In the female the tail is sometimes slightly longer than the

anal width.

9: L=12517mm.; a= 543-63; B=6 -7-1;y=—63 - 69:9

V = 51'54%

@: Lm 1i-8-15-4mm.;¢—51-3-56°3; 8 = 5°9-6'3; y = 90°8-96

This species is close to T. campbelli Ditlevsen in the structure of the cephalic

helmet, It differs in the position of the vulva, the shape of the oesophagus, and

the position of the eyes.

MESACANTHION GRACILISETOSUS Allgen 1930

(Fig. 5)

Two female specimens, one very immature, referable to M esacanthion

gracileselosus Allgen, were taken from 75 M. off Wata Muri, New South Wales

coast.

L=46mm.;a = 366; 8 = 4:6; = 11-5; A-V = 54%

The measurements and general description agree with that of Allgen 1930

(p. 189-191) of male and females from Macquarie Island.

ENOPLUS COMMUNIS var. MERIDIONALTS Steiner 1921

(Fig. 6-7)

From rock scrapings in sublittoral fringe, Port Willunga, South Australia.

Material consists of two males, two females and five juveniles. The proportions

given below and appearance agree with Steiner’s account of FE. communis var-

meridionalis. They differ from E. communis Eberth in (1) body length; (2)

« and y values; (3) relation between length of spicules and distance between

cloaca and accessory organ, The body diameter is relatively greater than that given

by Steiner; a low a value, however, has been recorded by Chitwood (1956) for

the sub-species.

‘

8: L=2:3-2:5mm.;¢o=—18'5;8=—6;y— 14

@: L=2-426mm,;4=16; S=6; y= 125; Vi 57-7-58°3%

Juv.: b= 1:1-1-8 mim.

The position of this subspecies has been somewhat confused by Stekhoven,

by whom it was stated in 1933 (Coninck and Stekhoven, jp, 32) to be a synonym

of E, striatus Eberth, but in 1950 (p. 337) and 1943 (p. 49) given specific status.

In his redescription of E, meridionalis from material collected ia Villefranche,

Stekhoven describes the male accessory organ as tubular, lying “immediately”

in front of the proximal end of the spicule, Steiner describes and figures a

trumpet-shaped accessory organ which lies some distance in front of proximal

end of spicule, Measured on his figure it is one and a half time spicule length

from anus. In addition, the median ventral papilla at mid-length of the ‘tail,’

described as outstanding by Steiner, is not figured or mentioned by Stekhoven.

It is obvious that Stekhoven’s material is not E. meridionalis Steiner,

Chitwood (1936, 208) recorded the subspecies from Beaufort, U.S.A.; in

his figures, the accessory piece, somewhat enlarged at its proximal end, lies

one and a half times the spicule length in front of the anus; in addition he figures

& median ventral prominence on the tail at about its mid-length. Allgen (1947,

101) recorded the species from California; his figure shows a trumpet-shaped

accessory piece one and three-quarter times the spicule length in front of the anus,

Eberth’s work of 1863 being inaccessible, the present author is utable to

compare the Sotith Australian material with E. striatus.

METONCHOLAIMUS PRISTIURUS (Z, Strassen)

This species is apparently common in the Port River; many specimens were

taken from mud near the Jervois Bridge, and the species appears ott experimental

subtidal plates at a station nearby. Our specimens agree in morphology with the

description given by Cobb 1932, and with that of Stekhoven and Adam (1931,

23-24) (for M, denticaudatus S. and A., which Coninck and Stekhoven (1933-55)

recognise aS a synonym of M. pristiurws).

The measurements presented in formulae in the two papers differ very

slightly and those given below for the South Australian specimens are close to

them, though the oesophagus is apparently rather shorter,

According to Cobb, stagnant marine mud is a common habitat for the species.

8: L=38-65mm.;e= 61; 8— 10-9; y= 26-2

Cobb: 0°58 047 #94 M 61

—_—_- eum — = 6:03 mm.

; O-7 1-2 1-3. 16 O7

9: L=616:5mm.;¢= 63; 8—11'5;~—= 25-2; Vulva: 70-9%

Cobb: 0-6 > Qs 70-9 91:2 (dM pore) 96:0 bri

0-7 & ss 14 — 0-7

Pontonema hackingi ni. sp.

(Fig. 8-9)

Four specimens, threc females and one male, were in two collections taken

off Port Hacking. .

@: L= 8-7-11mm.;a=35-35-5;8— 6-7-8; y = 58; A-V = 56°3-57%

@: L=1lbdomm; e>364 gp=8; +»y=—664 =

Cuticle with numerous short setae, arranged roughly in six rows. Ten

caphalie setae, about one-eighth to one-ninth head width, Six small oral papillae.

Buccal capsule about half as wide as long, 60. x 120-130, heavily chitinised,

slightly wider anteriorly in dorso-ventral direction. Ventral teeth reach a point

26u from anterior end of buccal capsule, i¢,, three-quarter length of buccal capsule

from its floor. The small almost circular amphid, one-seventh diameter of head

at that level, lies at about the level of the tips of subventral teeth,

Ocesophagus cylindrical; nerve ring °5-"57 mm. from anterior end of worm.

Excretory pore just posterior to buccal capsule.

Female—Vulva just behind midbody; eggs, with their shell, 2002x250).

Male—Spicules 130, long, acicular, equal in length to anal breadth; guber-

naculum 554 long, with paired anterior projections near tip. Several pairs of

vente papillae preanally, from -15 mm, in front of anus to about *5 mun, in

ront.

The species lies close to P, papilliferus (Filipjey), differing mainly in the

length of the male tail and in the absence of a preanal cushion of setae.

Symplocostomella johnstoni n.sp.

Fig, 10

Taken in trawl at (?200M) 5 miles east of Point Gibbon on New South

Wales coast near Port Hacking. Only two females present, one ovigerous; their

lengths are 8°6 mm. and 10-1 mm. respectively. Meastiremerits given below are

of the latter, although the submedian view of head in fig, 12 is of the younger

female

L; 10-lmm.;a53:7;8=7;y—=33'6. Vulva= 585%,

Head truncated; ten large setae, all 15y long, lie 114 behind the anterior end.

Amphids lie directly behind lateral setae, their diameter one-sixth diameter of

head at that level.

Buccal capsule is 46. deep, its internal diameter varying slightly at different

levels, generally about 20». One subventral tooth, larger than the others, is stout

and poined, and arises from the base of the buccal capsule, against the wall; the

other two teeth are more slightly built, and each arises from a “cushion” projecting

from the lower part of the buccal capsule wall. These two teeth project into the

cavity as slender outgrowths terminating in widened serrated ends.

The excretory pore lies shortly behind the buccal capsule, 60% from the

anterior end. The oesophagus widens in its second half, The cuticle anteriorly

bears scattered long thin setae.

The tail is -3 mm. long, its posterior half cylindrical. Width at anus is *1 mm.

Vulva is very insignificant, just posterior to midbody, The eggs in the uteri

are probably not “ripe” as they do not appear to be enclosed in a shell,

In general appearance this species resembles S. javaensis Micol. 1930 from

the Java Sea. It differs in length, position of the excretory pore, a, 8 and y values,

and in the length of longest tooth; in view of the paucity of both collections it

ig deemed advisable to erect a new species at least until more material is available.

SYMPLOCOSTOMA LONGICOLLE Bastian

Fig. 11

Only one specimen, an immature female, was taken from among intertidal

algae, Pennington Bay, Kangaroo Island.

L=2-76 mm, ;o= 30'6; 8 = 39; y=13:1;A-V=4-7%

Width of body at head one-seventh of that at posterior end of oesophagus.

Six relatively stout setae, length of each about half width of head; amphid oyal,

lying 54 from anterior end, its breadth approximately a quarter that of head

’

width. Excrétory pore one-ninth (five times depth of buccal capsule) and nerve

ring a half length of oesophagus from head,

Buccal capsule 16, long, diameter at anterior end 8», with five thickened

rings with a circle of “rodlets” on its inner surface at level of second ring from

mouth. Dorsal teeth about seven-tenths length of buccal capsule, its tip reaching

between first and second tings. Pair of “lenticular” bodies just posterior to buccal

capsule, No accessory teeth seen,

13.

Fig. 11-14

Fig. 11, Symplocostoma longicolle; head. Fig. 12-14, Hurveyjohnstonia

kartanum: 12, head; 13, tnale tail; 14, spicules.

Ovaries teflexed, no ripe eggs. Length of tail about six times anal diameter.

This speciés agrees with S. longicolle in the characters of buccal capsule.

The a; 8 and y values vary somewhat from those given by Stekhoven (1935,

p. 59) and 1950 (90), thotigh a and £ values agree with those of Allgen 1927,

217) for a juvenile specimen from Tasmania; the chief difference from the latter

is in the position of the excretory pore, stated by Allgen to be 7*5y from head,

instead of 784 as in our specimen, It is possible that there is an Australian and

Tasmanian variety of S. longicolle, but in view of the immaturity of the speci-

mens so far noted this is by no means certain.

Harveyjohnstonia nig.

Cyatholaiminae—-Cuticle without lateral differentiation, amphid spiral, buccal

capsule with one small dorsal tooth, oesophagus without terminal bulb, ovaries

reflexed, vulva in front of midbody, spicules alate, gubernaculum paired with

spines distally, four tubular preanal organs, decreasing gradually in size ftom

the anteriormost.

The genus is close to Acanthonchus and Paracanthonchus, It differs from

both in the ahsence of lateral cuticular differentiation, and in the size of the

buccal tooth; it differs from Acaenthonchus also in-the presence of spines on the

gubernaculum (not mentioned by Cobb) and in the similarity of the preanal

tubules; it further differs from Paracanthonchus in the length of the ribs of the

buccal capsule.

Hatveyjohnstonia kartanum n. sp.

. , Fig. 12-14

Froth littoral rock scrapings, Pennington Bay, Kangaroo Island,

@: L=1-45;a=20-5;8=7°3;y=11-1;A-V=45'1%

&: L=1'6; «2=36; B=8; y=145

Cuticle marked with transverse rows of punctations, in which no lateral

differentiation occurs. Scattered setae present over body surface. Six short

cephalic setae, their length one-sixth that of head width at this level, 22.. Amphid

spiral, of three and a half circles, its centre lying 15 from anterior end of worm,

its diameter about one-third that of head.

Buccal capsule 8-94 in diameter, its base 8-94 from anterior end of head,

with about twelve ribs; tooth very small, at base of buccal capsule; diameter of

head at this level 25,.

Oecsophagus without terminal bulb; nerve ring at 1 mm. from head (at about

half length of oesophagus), at which Jevel body diameter is 384; at base of

oesophagus body diameter is 50».

Ovaries reflexed, eggs not present.

Male tail two and half to three times anal breadth, Curved alate spicules

38% long (about equal to anal breadth); gubernaculum paired, about three-

quarters length of spicules, distal end somewhat enlarged, with several “thorns”

and a posterior spine. Four tubular preanal organs, almost equidistant, anterior-

most largest, others successively smaller. A few postanal setae present,

REFERENCES

Atucen, C. 1927 Zool. Ang,, 73, 197-217

AuicEen, C., 1930 Zool, Anz., 92, 189-191

Auicen, C. 1947 Vidensk. Medd. Dansk. Naturh. Forens., 110, 100-102

Curtwoop, B, G. 1936 Trans. Amer. Micr. Soc., 55, 208-213

Coss, 1932 Contributions to a Science of Nematogy, 25, Waverley Press Inc.,

Balt., Maryland ;

Conincx, A., and Stexnoven, J. H. 1933 Mem. Musée Royal d’Hist. Nat.

de Belgique, No. 58, 1-163

DirLevsen, H. 1933 Papers from Dr. U. Mortensen’s Pacific Exped., No. 3,

1-33

Jounston, T, Harvey 1938 Trans. Roy. Soc. S, Aust., 62, (1), 149-167

Kreis, H. A. 1928 Mitt. Zool. Mus., Berlin, 14, 131-197

Krers, H. A. 1934 Capita Zoologica, 4, 1-271

Micotersxy, H. 1930 Papers from Mortensen’s Pacific Expedition 1914-16,

53. Freilebende. Nematoden von der Sunda Inseln (Kreis, H. A.),

Vidernsk. Medd. fra Dansk, Naturh. Foren,, 87, 234-339, 52 ff,

Sreres, C. 1920 Zool. Jahrbuch, 44, 1-68

SrexHoyen, J. H. 1935: Nematoda Errantia. Die Tierwelt der Nord und Ost

Sec., 51, 1-155

Srexuoyen, J. H. Sch. 1943 Zool, Jahrbuchs, 76, (4), 267-396

SrexHoven, J. H. Sch. 1950 Mem. Roy. des Sci. Nat. de Belgique, Ser, 2, 37

StexHoven, J, H., Sch, and Apam, W. 1931 Mem. Musée Royal d’Hist. Nat-

de Belg., No. 49

THE AGE OF THE GAWLER RANGE PORPHYRY

BY R. K. JOHNS AND M. SOLOMON

Summary

Recent field work has disclosed that the Gawler Range porphyry, hitherto regarded as a pre-Sturtian

extrusive, intrudes what are considered to be basal Cambrian sediments in the Corunna area on

Upper Eyre Peninsula. The intrusions of porphyry and the unstressed granites of the Middleback

Ranges area are thought to have taken place in the final stages of the orogeny following upon

deposition of Cambrain sediments on terraces of the Adelaide miogeosyncline.

THE AGE OF THE GAWLER RANGE PORPHYRY (7!

By R. K. Jouns and M. Sotomen ©)

[Read 14 August 1952}

552.322.1 (942)

SUMMARY

Recent field work has disclosed that the Gawler Range porphyry,

hitherto regarded as a pre-Sturtian extrusive, intrudes what are considered

to be basal Cambrian sediments in the Corunna area on Upper Eyre Penin-

sula, The intrusions of porphyry and the unstressed granites of the Middle-

back Ranges area are thought to have taken place in the final stages of the

orogeny following upon deposition of Cambrian sediments on terraces of the

Adelaide miogeosyncline.

INTRODUCTION AND PREVIOUS WORK

While engaged on a reconnaissance geological survey of the Iron Knob-

Port Augusta district (Corunna Military Sheet) the authors found evidence

to indicate that the Gawler Range porphyry is intrusive into sediments which

are probably of Cambrian age.

Jack (1922) first reported pebbles of Gawler Range porphyry in the-

Corunna Range conglomerate, He believed the conglomerate represented a

lower Cambrian overlap onto the Pre-Cambrian foreland of Eyre Peninsula,

He believed the porphyry to be extrusive onto a Pre-Cambrian surface

(1917). In 1947, Mawson also reported occasional porphyry pebbles in the

conglomerates and concluded that the latter and the equivalent Tent Hill

formation were younger than the porphyry. On lithological grounds he

correlated these sedimerits with basal Adelaidean of the Emeroo Range (east

of Port Augusta) and therefore dated the intrusion as pre-Adelaidean.

Segnit (1939) suggested that both the Tent Hill formation and the Corunna

conglomerate were equivalent to the Pound quartzite horizon which he placed

in the Upper Pre-Cambrian. Ward (1949) also favoured an upper pre-

Cambrian or basal Cambrian age for the conglomerate.

GENERAL, GEOLOGY

The Gawler Range porphyry extends inta the north-west corner of

the Corunna military sheet and eastwards to the longitude of Myall Creek

H.S. (see plan}. The bordering sediments in this area are well-worked

conglomerates, quartzites, sandstones and sandy shales. Highly-folded

quartzites and shales are exposed over much of the area between the

Cortinna Range and Pahdurra H.S. and these are overlain unconformably

by conglomerates, sandstones, shales and flagstones outcropping in the

Corunna Range and in the Roopena H.S.-Lincoln Gap area, They have been

squeezed into a broad synelinal fold in the Corunna Range but at Lincoln

Gap the beds are horizontal or show a gentle easterly dip. The age of these

sediments is tincertain though it is believed that they represent the terrace

or shelf facies of the lower Cambrian. The Corunna Range sediments are

thought to be a coarse facies of the sandstone outcropping near Roopena

, "The underlying contorted quartzites and shales may be basal Adelaidean

or equivalent to beds of the iron ore series in the Middleback Range, i.e.,

Middle Pre-Cambrian.

~— @} Published hy permission of Director of Mines.

(9 Department of Mines, Geological Survey of South Australia,

Trans. Roy. Soc. S, Aust., 76, December, 1953

The general succession is summarized below:

Corunna RANGE Lincotn Gar

Lincoln Gap Flagstones

Tregalana Shales

Cambrian |Corunna sandstone, Corunna sandstone

? conglomerate and

Quartzite

— Unconformity —

Adelaidean or

Middleback Group: Quartzites and Shales.

This sequence may he matched at Whyalla, Mt. Laura and in the

Moonabie Range (Miles, Bulletin 33 of Gecl. Surv. of South. Aust. un-

published).

GENERALIZED E-W GEOLOGICAL SECTION

Fig. 1

THE AGE OF THE PORPHYRY

The following are the more important facts relating to the age of the

Gawler Range porphyry and its mode of emplacement:

(1) A! small body of Gawler Range porphyry intrudes the Corunna

conglomerate three miles south of Wartaka H.S, The outcrop is

of irregular shape and cross-cuts the bedding and at its margins

shows chilling and partial digestion of the sediment,

(2) Two miles south-south-west of Roopena H.S. a plug of similar

porphyry about 20 acres in area is flanked by Corunna sandstone.

Near the contact with the igneous rock the sandstone is locally

recrystallised and a dark hornfelsic facies is developed.

(3) The Corunna Range bifurcates north of the latitude of Tassie Creek,

the two arms representing the limbs of a broad north-pitching

synclinal fold, though the eastern limb is disturbed by faulting.

The low area between the ranges, the axis of the syncline, is now

eccupied by porphyry which, judging from the steepness of the

limb of the fold and the relative elevations of the ranges and the

valley between them, apparently intruded and digested the sedi-

ments in the axis of the syncline (see horizontal section).

Two other porphyry stocks were mapped in Corunna sandstone about

four miles west of Pandurra I1.S., but no contact phenomena wete observed,

The porphyry of these small bodies is generally of finer grain than in the

main axis.

The evidence outlined above proves that the Gawler Range porphyry

in this area is intrusive into the Corutina sediments. The form of the intru-

sion is indicated in the accompanying horizontal section.

Both Jack (1922) and Mawson (1947) reported the presence of porphyry

pebbles in the Corunna conglometate and concluded that the intrusion was

older than the sediment. The authors, however, failed to find any such

pebbles anywhere in the Range.

Howchin (Trans. Roy, Soc. S.A. 1928) recorded ted and grey porphyry

pebbles in the Sturt Tillite in the Crystal Brook area, and various geologists

(Mawson, Sprigg, etc.) have suggested that they are similar to the Gawler

Range porphyry. It is possible, however, that they were derived from the

Wallaroo-Moonta or some other porphyry. Jack (1917) states that the

Wallaroo-Moonta and the Gawler Range porphyries are similar in appear-

ance.

RELATED IGNEOUS BODIES

Several other unstressed magmatic granites occur in the Middleback

Range area, the largest of which is the Charleston granite. This outcrops

near Moonabie at the southern end of the Range and is a pink, coarse-grained

porphyritic variety. It intrudes a dense grey porphyry which is itself in-

trusive into the Adelaidean grit of the Moonabie Range succession. No

pebbles of either grey porphyry or granite are to be found in the conglom-

erate which uncomformably overlies this grit. The conglomerate is thought

to be equivalent to that in the Corunna Range.

Evidence therefore indicates that the granite post-dates the Corunna

sedimentation,

A uniform-grained tor granite outcrops in the Burkett Hill area, west

of Iron Knob, and appears tq felspathise and isolate outcrops of Corunna

conglomerate. The time relationship between the granite and the Gawler

Range porphyry is not known.

The intrusion of these unstressed granites and the porphyry is thought

to have taken place in the final stages of the orogeny which followed upon

the deposition of the Cambrian sediments on terraces of the Adelaide mio-

geosyncline,

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS i

The writers are indebted to Dr, K. R. Miles and Mr. R. C. Sprigg for

much helpful guidance and criticism aad to Mr. S, B. Dickinson, Director of

Mines, for assistance in arranging drafting of the plans.

REFERENCES

Jack, R. L, 1917 The Geology of the Moonta and Wallaroo Mining District.

Geol, Surv, of S, Aust., Bull, 6

Jaex, R. L. 1922 The Iron Ore Resources of South Australia. Geol. Surv. of

S. Aust, Bull. 9

Howcain, W, 1928 The Sturtian Tillite and Associated Beds in the Western

Scarps of the Southern Flinders Ranges. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 52

Mawson, D. 1947 The Adelaide Series as developed along the Western Margin

of the Flinders Ranges. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 71 5

Sgenit, R. W. 1939 The Precambrian - Cambrian Succession in South Aus-

tralia. Geol. Surv. of S. Aust., Bull. 18

Warp, L. K. 1949 The Genesis of the Iron Ores of the Middieback Ranges,

South Australia. Aust. Inst. of Min. Met., N.S., Nos. 152-3 oe

TWO NEW CUMACEA FROM SOUTH AFRICA

BY HERBERT M. HALE

Summary

I am indebted to Dr. J. H. Day, Professor of Zoology at the University of Cape Town, for the

opportunity of examining a small collection of Cumacea secured during the course of an ecological

survey of the estuaries and shallow waters of the Union of South Africa. Cumacea were collected at

four different localities and two species are represented; both are described herein as new.

TWO NEW CUMACEA FROM SOUTH AFRICA

By Hersert M. HALE *

[Read 14 August 1952]

595,381 (68)

Fig. 14.

I am indebted to Dr. J, H. Day, Professor of Zoology at the University of

Lape Town, for the opportunity of examining a small collection of Cumacea

secured during the course of an ecological survey of the estuaries and shallow

waters of the Union of South Africa. ’

Fig 1

Iphinoe brevidactyla, type male and aaa a the side and cephalothorax from above

x 28),

Cumacea were collected at four different localities and two species are

represented; both are described herein as new.

Genus IpHINoE Bate

Iphinoe brevidactyla sp. nov.

Ovigeraus femele—Carapace with a low median carina and with dorsal edge,

as seen from the side, almost straight, slightly irregular but without serra-

tions; it is one-fourth of the total length of animal, as wide as deep and seen

from above is subtriangular in shape. Pseudorostrum about one-tenth of

length of carapace, the lobes, as scen from above, very narrowly rounded

apically and meeting towards their antetior ends. Antennal notch small,

shallow and antennal tooth subacute. Ocular lobe wider than long, darkly

pigmented and with lenses not distinct.

* Director, South Australian Museum,

Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 76, December, 1953

The first of the five exposed pedigerous somites is short, the second long,

about equal in length to the third and fourth somites together; the second to

fourth somites have a low median dorsal carina-

Pleon a little shorter than cephalothorax and pedigerous somites

gether telsonic somite slightly produced between bases of peduncles of

uropods.

First antenna with third segment two-thirds as long as first, only about

one-third as long again as secand, and more than twice as long as the two-

jointed flagellum.

Second maxillipeds with ischium, merus and carpus apically obliquely

truncate; merus and carpus subequal in length and ischium almost hali as

long again as either.

Basis of third maxilliped (including outer lobe in length) more than half

as long again as rest of limb; the outer lobe is rounded and subtruncate apic-

ally and reaches to level of middle of length of merus; the last-named is very

little produced at anterior end and is distinctly longer than the carpus, which is

broad, somewhat dilated apically, the anterior margin subtruncate and aot

forwardly produced; propodus broadly subtriangular in shape, about half as

long as. merus and little longer than the narrow dactylus. |

First peraeopod with carpus reaching a little beyond level of antennal

tooth; basis more than one-third as long again as remaining joints together;

merus and carpus equal in length, propodus a little shorter than either and

twice as long as dactylus.

Basis of second peraeopod barely longer than rest of limb; carpus dis-

tinetly longer than either merus or dactylus and twice as long as propodus;

longest dactylar spine equal in length to dactylus.

Fossorial limbs with propodus and dactylus wnusually short, together only

about one-third as long as carpus, which is subequal in length to ischium and

merus together; two of the subterminal carpal setae are as long as merus,

carpus, propodus and dactylus together and reach to level of tip of the longest

propodal seta.

Peduncle of uropod unarmed, half as long agatn as either of the rami,

which are of equal length; exopod with four strong setae on inner margin of

second segment and with two unequal terminal spines; first segment of

endppod ‘three-fourths as long again as second and with two subterminal

inner spines of about equal length; second segment of endopod with two

unequal terminal spines; remainder of inner edge of both endopodal segments

margined with hyaline serrations.

Colowr—Anterior half of carapace dark brown fading to yellowish posteriorly.

Posterior half of second pedigerous somite and greater part of remaining

somites suffused with brown. Basis of first peraeopods and posterior oosteg-

ites with dark brown markings.

Length 3-2 mm.

Adult Male—The carapace is more than one-fourth of the total length and

as seen both from above and from the side is suboval in shape; as in the

female the dorsal margin in lateral view is slightly irregular but without

serrations. Pseudorostrum shorter than in female. somewhat downbent in

front, the lobes meeting towards their rounded apices. Antennal notch wider

than in female and ocular lobe larger with the lenses more distinct.

Second pedigerous somite not differing much in length from third to

fifth somites.

Pleon longer than cephalothorax and pedigerous somites together; tel-

sonic somite rounded posteriorly,

Second antenna with flagellum reaching to just beyond end of peduncle

of uropod.

Third maxillipeds with basis more than twice as long as rest of limb;

otherwise as in female.

First peraeopod as in female except that basis is more than half as long

again as remaining joints together.

Basis of second peraeopod shorter than rest of limb; longest dactylar

spine as long as propodus, and dactylus together. Fossorial limbs as in female.

prp. 3 ¢

pra

Fig. 2

Iphinoe brevidactyla, paratype male and ovigerous female; ant. 1, first antenna;

mxp. 2-3, second and third maxillipeds; prp, 1, 2 and 3, first, second and third

peéraeopods; urop., uropods (all x 80).

Peduncle of uropod half as long again as either of rami and armed on

inner edge (for posterior three-fourths of length) with two series of setae;

exopod equal in length to endopod and with seven long setae on inner margin

and two unequal terminal spines; endopod with first segment twice as long

as second, its inner margin armed with ten spines, which successively increase in

length, the posterior one being about equal in length to the longer of the

unequal terminal spines of the second segment, which has inner hyaline

serrations as in the female.

Colour—General colouration as in female, viz., yellow ground colour largely

suffused with dark brown,

Length 3°35 mm. iJ

Locality—Union of South Africa: Langebaan Lagoon; from bottom in mid-

channel and dredging in 3-8{t. water at high tide, on fine sand with patches of

sandy mud (April 1949),

In crassipes Hansen and pellucida Hale the first segment of the endopod of

the uropod is longer than the second, as in the species described above; both

of them differ, however, in having the dactylus of the three posterior pairs

of peraeopods relatively long and slender.

I. crassipes has been recorded from South Africa (Stebbing 1910; p. 412,

pl. xlv). It differs further from brewdactyla in having the pseudorostrum

upturned, while the third maxilliped has the merus greatly produced forwards

and the carpus and propodus slender, not at all dilated.

The third maxilliped of the Australian pellucida (Hale 1944, p, 231, fig. 5-6)

is also very different from that of brevidactyla, and the setae of the fossorial’

limbs are much shorter and stouter.

Iphinoe truncata sp, nov.

Ovigerous female—Carapace with a median longitudinal keel anteriorly,

merging into a shallow groove with slightly raised edges in posterior half,

and with upper margin, when viewed from the side, almost straight, a little

Fig. 3 ;

Iphinoe iruncafa, type female; lateral view and cephalothorax from above (x 28),

irregular but without serratidns; it is somewhat wider than deep, half as

long again as broad and is one-fourth of total length of animal; seen from

above it is subtriangular in shape, the sides gently curved and natrowly

truncate anteriorly. Pseudorostrum short, the lobes truncate in front when

seen from the side as well as in dorsal view, and meeting in front of the

ocular lobe, which is as wide as long and darkly pigmented, the lenses indis-

tinct. Antennal notch small, rather narrow, and tooth subacute (fig, 4, c. pace).

Second pedigerous somite half as long again as third, fourth or fifth

somites, and first very short.

Pleon distinctly shorter than cephalothorax and pedigeraus somites to-

gether; telsonic somite rounded posteriorly and a little produced between

bases of peduncle of uropods.

First antenna with third segment about as long as first, three-fourths as

long again as second, and two gnd one-half times as long as the two-jointed flag-

ellum. Second antenna very small, two-segmentate (fig. 4, ant.).

Ischium of second maxilliped with anterior margin obliquely truncate;

carpus barely longer than either ischium or merus and fully twice as long as

propodus.

Basis of third maxilliped broad, its length (including outer Iobe) half as

long again as remaining joints together; the rounded outer lobe reaches to

level of three-fourths of length of merus, which is widened to form, an outer

lobe, distally truncate and not at all produced forwards; carpus barely longer

than merus, widened and truncate distally ; propodus only about two-thirds as

wide as and little shorter than carpus, and nearly twice as long as the slender

dactylus,

Basis of first peraeopod' stout, barely as long as rest of limb; carpus a

little longer than propodus, about half as long again as either merus or dac-

tylus and reaching to level of antennal tooth.

pro. 2

cnsce

‘Fig. 4

Iphinoe truncata, paratype ovigerous female; ant., first and second antennae; mxp. 2-3,

second and third maxillipeds; prp. 1, 2 and 3, first, sccond and third peraeopods;

urop., telsonic somite and uropod; c. pace., psctidorostral lobe (all x 80),

Second peraeopod with basis shorter than remaining joints together;

carpus little longer than cither merus or dactylus and Jess than twice as long

as propodus; longest dactylar spine equal in length to propodus and dactylus

together,

Third to fifth peraeopods with merus, propodus and dactylus subequal

in length and propodus only a little shorter; the longest carpal seta and the

propodal seta reach to level of tip of dactylus; in the third peraeopods the

basis is one-third as long again as rest of limb.

Peduncle of uropod barely longer than either of the rami (which are of

equal length) and armed with nine or ten spines not differing much in size;

exopod with five long setae on inner margin of second segment, which car-

ties three terminal spines, the longest of which is distinctly more than half

as long as exopod; endopod with first segment equal in length to second and

furnished on inner margin with four spines, the distal one subterminal and

larger than the others, second segment,of endopod with four spines on inner

margin and with two unequal terminal spines, the longer equal in length to

the segment.

Colour—Ground colour pale yellow, irregularly mottled with large dark

brown chromatophores. :

Length 3°56 mm.

Male—Only a single small example is available. In this the pseudorostrum

is more downbent than in the female, the. ocular lobe is larger and the first

pedigerous somite is very small. The pleon is longer than the cephalothorax

and pedigerous somites together. Peraeopods and uropods much as in female,

Length 2-0 mm,

Locality—Union of South Africa: The Haven, mouth of Nbanyana River};

from top 2 inches of sand, clean with some detritis, no mud (Jan., 1950):

St. Johns, Second Beach, from clean sand at mouth of estuary (type male,

January, 1950): Umkomaas, at mouth of Umzimbazi River. from muddy sand

and amongst stones (type ovigerous female January, 1950).

Ovigerous females yary in size; two of the examples taken with the type

female are only 2-7 mm. in length and several from the other localities are

under 3 mm. There is little variation in the armature of the uropods but the

first joint of the endopod may be barely shorter than the second,

Most species of the genus differ from truncata in having the segments

of the endopod of the uropod decidedly unequal in length. In those in which

nese segments are subequal the carapace has mid-dorsal serrations in at least

the iemale.

REFERENCES

Haz, Hersert M. 1944 Trans, Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 68, (2), 225-285

Sregsinc, T.R.R. 1910 Ann. S. Afr. Mus., 6, 281-594

NOTES ON SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GRASSES

BY LINDLEY D. WILLIAMS

Summary

Nomenclature of South Australian grasses is revised in the light of recent study, using Ed. 2 of J. M.

Black’s “Flora of South Australia,” Part I, as a basis. Four new species are briefly described and

keys to the South Australian representatives of the genera Pennisetum, Bromus and Lolium are

included.

NOTES ON SOUTH AUSTRALIAN GRASSES

By Linoiey D. WILtiaMs

[Read 14 August 1952]

SUMMARY

Nomenclature of South Australian grasses is revised in the light of recent

study, using Ed. 2 of J. M. Black’s “Flora of South Australia,” Part I, as a

basis. Four new species are briefly described and keys to the South Australian

representatives of the genera Pennisetum, Bromus and Loliwni ate included,

$82.542,1 (942)

Since the publication in 1943 of the second edition of Part I of the late

J. M. Black's “Flora of South Australia” a number of important changes in the

nomenclature of the grasses have appeared. This paper is an attempt to correlate

all such alterations and additions, Pur completeness the additions and corrections

in the second edition of Part II of Black’s Flora are included.

Sorgum Moench is considered to be the correct rendering of the genus pre-

viously spelt Serghwm (R. Pilger in Nat. Pflanzenfamilien, Bd. 14¢ (1940) ).

Bothriochloa decipiens (Hack.) C. E. Hubb.—Synonym B. ambiguo S, T. Blake

(1944).

Hyparrhenia hirta (L.) Stapf in Prain, Fl. Trop, Afr. 9, 315 (1918). Andro-

pogon hirtus L., Sp. Pl, 1,046 (1753).

An Old World perennial cultivated and escaping from demonstration plots

at the Waite Agricultural Research Institute. It differs from our Cymbopogon spp.,

to which it is allied, in that the pairs of racemes are borne on relatively long

flexuous peduncles and the base of the fertile spikelet is elongated into a sharp

callus.

Paspalum vaginatum Swartz, in Prodr. Veg. Ind. Occ. 21, (1788).

Native of tropical sea coasts introduced and spreading in swamps and irriga-

tion ditches near the mouth of the River Murray. It may be differentiated from

the allied P, distichum L. as follows :—

A. Leaves to 3 mm. broad, folded in bud, whole plant

glabrous except for a few long hairs on tiie ligule;

spikelets 2mm. tong a eee aes ee, PF. vaorginatum Swartz (1)

AA, Leaves. ta 5 min. broad, rolled in bud, hairy at base an ;

at orifice of leaf-sheath; spikelets 3-4 mm, awe aw PF, disti¢hwm L. (2)

Pennisetum ciliare (L.) Link (Cenchrus ciliaris L.) — J. M. Black, Fl. S. Aust.

2 (Ed, 2), 255 (1948), |

Pennisetum clandestinum Hochst. ex Chioy, Annuar. Ist Bot. Roma 8, 41 (1903),

The latter, popularly known as Kikuyu Grass, is a creeping forage grass

from Africa widely established im settled areas. The new species are incorporated

in the following key :—

A. Spikelets 2-4, temaining more or less euclosed by the

upper leaf-sheath; extensive rhizomes and stolons present P. ¢londestinum Hochst.

ex Chiov. (1)

AA. Spikelefs mumerous im an exserted spike-like panicle,

growing in dense tufts

B, Panicle 2-8 em. long; inner bristles of the inyolucre

pluimose

C.. Bristles 3 cm, long; spikelets 10-12 mm, in length P, villosum R. Br. (2)

CC. Bristles not exceeding 1 cm. in length; spikelets .

P. ciliare (L.) Link (3)

BB. Panicle exceeding 10 cm, it letigih; involucre of short

scabrous bristles —.... eg ewe wee PL aueronrwm Trin. (4)

aren: Roy, Soc. S. Aust. 76, December, 1953

Phalaris tuberosa L. var. stenoptera (Hack,) Hitehc. in Wash. Acad. Sci. Jour.

bey (1934). P. stenoptera Hack. in Repert, Sp. Nov. Fedde 5, 333,

This widely-cultivated forage plant has been regarded as typical of

P. tuberosa L., but because of the absence of swellings at the base of the culms

and the presence of short stout rhizomes the form occurring in this country is

considered distinct and has beet: accorded varietal status, It way described from

ag which appeared in the Toowoomba Botanical Gardens, Queensland, about

Amphipagon coricinus F, Muell. in Linnaea 25, 445 (1852); J. W. Vickery in

Contrib, N.S,W. Nat. Herb. 1, (5), 281 (1950),

While 4, slrictus R. Br. var. setifer Benth, of the Mount Lofty Range is

correctly named, the more widespread form previously known as 4, strictus R. Br.

should in fact be referred to the species enumerated above.

Phragmites communis Trin. instead of Ph. vulgaris (Lamk.) Crep, (J. M. Black

Fl. S, Aust., 2 (Ed, 2), 255 (1948).

Koeleria michelit Cosson — Synonym Avellinia michelit Savi.

Distichlis distichophylla (Labill.) Fassett instead of D. spicata (L.) Greene,

which is a distinct species — J. M. Black, FI. S. Aust. 2 (Ed. 2), 255

(1948).

Add Puccinellia distans (L.) Parl, (J. M. Black, Fl. S. Aust., 2 (Ed. 2), 518

(1948), — For the sake of completeness Black’s key is here reproduced :—

A. Panicle 6-12 cm. long, dense, narrow; spikelets about

10 mm, long, 6-12-flowered 2.0 0 ww. cad neds wa P. stricta (Hook. £.) Blom. (1)

AA, Panicle 8-20 cm. long, the slender btanches soon

spreading outwards; spikelets 4-5 mm. Jong, 3-6-Aowered . distans (L.) Parl. (2)

Festuca arundinacea Schreb. — Synonym F. elatior L. var. arundinacea Wim.

The following names have been applied in recent Australian literature and

ave here recorded as synonyms only (Cross and Vickery in Contrib, N.S.W. Nat.

Herb. 1, (5), 275 (1950; C. A. Gardn., Fl. W. Aust. 1, (Pt. i), 96 (1952),

Bromus arenarius Labill, — Serrafalcus arenarius ( Labill.) C. A. Gardn,, Fl.

W. Aust. 1, (Pt. i), 96 (1952).

Bromus mollis L.— Serrafalcus mollis (L.) Parl. Pl. Rar. Sic. 2, 11 (1840).

Bromus hordeaceus L.—Serrafalcus hordeaceus (L.) Green et Godr, Fl, Fr.

3, 590.

Bromus macrostachys Dest.— Serrafaleus macrostachys (Desf.) Parl. Fl. Ital. 1,

96 (1798).

Bromus catharticus Vahl— Ceratochloa cathartica (Vahl) Hert. Rev. Sudamen.

Bot, 6, 144 (1940).

The following diagnosis of the genus Bromus represented in the State of

South Australia has proved useful: —

A. Lemmas with a sharp keel, Ist glume 7-nerved, 2nd .

O-nerved, awn very short west Ps .. Bromus catharticus Vahl (1)

AA. Letras not sharply keeled.

B. ist glume I-nerved, 2nd 3-nerved.

C, Awn twice the length of the fl. ei, stem, leaves and

~ Jeaf-sheaths downy, panicle, loose tafy © asin ww 2B, vigidus Roth. (2)

CC. Awn a little longer than length of fl, gl.

D. Stem glabrous, lamina long-haired above, glabrous

or pubescent below and on sheath; panicle loose

at Jeast prior to tmaturity, awns not diverging .. B.madritensis L. (3)

DD. Stem pubescent, leaves and leaf-sheath downy;

panicle dense, awns spreading at maiurity .... wwe By vubens L. (4)

HB. 1st glame 3-nerved; 2nd 5-7 nerved, flowers divergent

after Sowering wise ates BL arreptdirtids Tabill, (34

BBB. st glume 5-nerved, 2nd 7-nerved, flowers con-

tracted at summit not diverging.

FE. Spikelet® thick, awns straight.

F. Spikelets softly pubescent via ee wom B. mollis L. (6)

FF. Spikelets glabrous ete tee, BL hordeaceus L. (7)

EE. Spikelets flat, awns finally bent and spread-

ing horizontally .. aw ee tae See -B, macrostachys Desf.

A, flower spike. B, lower portion of plant;

C, cross section of rachis of Loliwn rigidum ;

D, cross section of rachis of Lolium perenne,

Eleusine tristachya (Lam.) Lam. Tabl. Encyl., 1, 203 (1791).

Specimens of the grass referred to Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn. (J. M.

Black, Fl. S. Aust. 2, (Ed. 2), 518 (1948) ) were sent to Miss J. W. Vickery

of the New South Wales National Herbarium who writes, “The grass specimen

you enclosed is Eleusine tristachya, as I suspect is all the other material which

has been recorded in Victoria and South Australia as E. coracana, The latter is

a much heavier-headed plant with protruding large grains, which has been used

as ‘millets’ by the natives of some countries.” E. tristachya (Lam.) Lam. is a

native of South Africa introduced into both American continents, Asia and Aus-

tralasia,

Lolium loliacewm (Bory et Chatth.) Hand. - Mazz. in Ann. Nat. Hofmus., Wien,

28, 32 (1914); L. subulatum Vis. Fl. Dalm., 1, 90 (1842).

Lolium rigidum Gaud, Agrost, Helv. 1, 334 (1811).

T. J. Jenkin and P. T. Thomas, in J, Genet. 37, (2), 255 (1939), working

with material grown from Australian seed, described two distinct species which

were subsequently identified by C. E. Hubbard as Lolinm Joliaceum (Bory et

Chaub.) Hand.-Mazz. and L. rigidum Gaud. L. rigidum is a native of the

Mediterranean region and is the principal constituent of “Wimmera Ryegrass”

cultivated and widely naturalised, Plants which tally with Jenkin’s description

and illustrations of L. loliaceum have been collected on roadsides and in pasture

in settled areas. Before attempting to identify specimens it must be recognised

that hybrids between the species frequently occur—there are in fact hybrids

between L. multiforum and L. perenne commercially produced in New Zealand,

and one strain is widely grown here under the name of “H1 Ryegrass.” The

following is an attempt to clarify the position :—

A. Flowers oblong swollen in fruit, outer glume exceeding

the spikelets ss. see pas castenee was meee LE Lemmtslenturn L. (1)

B. All fl. gls., except the lowest, with an awn as long,

rhachis. narrowly grooved immediately below insertion

of the glumes ai er au DL. multifiorem Lam. (2)

BB. Fl. gl. awnless or with awns which tend to be longer

towards the tips of the spikelets and usually much

shorter than the lemma.

spikelets are attached, in mature specimens angles of

thachis smooth 0. ws sss) eves wy Le loliaceum (Bory et Chaub.)

Hand-Mazz. (3)

CC. Outer glume shorter than the spikelets; side to

which the spikelets are attached broader than the

face of the rhachis.

D. Leafy perennial tuft; nodes green; rhachis tiar-

towly grooved; spikelets awiless .., 9... . L. perenne L. (4)

DD. Siemmy annual; nodes dark tcddish-brown;

groove below insertion of glumes broad and

shallow or absent, angles of the rhachis scabrid .. L. rigid Gaud, (5)

Monerma cylindrica (Willd.) Coss & Dur, Expl. Sci. Alger. 2, 214 (1859);

Lepturus cylindricus (Willd.), Trin, Fund. Agrost., 123 (1820).

Parapholis incurva (L.) C. E. Hubb, Blumea Sup. 3, 14 (1946); Pholiurus

incurens (L.) Schinz and Thellung, Vierteljahrs, Nat. Gescll., Zurich 66,

265 (1921),

Pholiurus pannonicus (Flost.) Trin. remains the type of the monotypic genus

Pholiuyus Trin. which is characterised by its non-articulate rhachis.

Psilurus incurvus (Gouan) Schinz and Thellung Vierteljahrs. Nat, Gesell.,

Zurich 58, 40 (1913); P. aristatus (L.) Duval-Jouve in Bull. Soc. Bot. Fr.

13, 132 (1866). " '

Hordeum leporinum Link. in Linnaea 9, 133 (1835).

The above instead of H. murinum L, which is a different species of North

and Middle European origin not known to ocdéur in this country. H. leporinum

Link, is an introduced weed from the Mediterranean region.

New South Wales botanists have referred the plant formerly known there

as Hordeum marinum Huds. to another species., w2., H. hystrix Roth. I find,

however, that in the case of South Australian specimens the original determina-

tion is the correct one. Miss Vickery, however, asstires me that our species is

conspecific with material she has referred to H. hystrix. Mrs. Agnes Chase,

Research Associate, United States National Museum, who has revised Hitchcock’s

“Manual of the Grasses of the United States,” has, in addition to supplying frag-

ments from herbarium specimens, kindly listed the main differences between the

species in question.

A. Glumes of lateral spikelets dissimilar, one broad and flat

in the middle; floret of lateral spikelet awned .... «» HH, marinum Huds. (1)

AA. Glumes of lateral spikelets similar, one only slightly

thicker; floret of lateral spikelets only awn-tipped or

awnless.... ani ii at dee we £1, hystrix Roth. (2)

I am especially indebted to Miss C. M. Eardley, Systematic Botanist, Botany

School, University of Adelaide, for encouragement and helpful criticism,

ON SOME SOUTH AUSTRALIAN COSSIDAE INCLUDING THE MOTH OF

THE WITJUTI (WITCHETY) GRUB

BY NORMAN B. TINDALE

Summary

The hitherto unknown female of Xyleutes leucomochla Turner 1915 is described, also its life-

history on the roots of one of the witjuti (witchety) bushes (Acacia ligulata). Larvae have become

known as aboriginal articles of food but had never been reared to maturity.

ON SOME AUSTRALIAN COSSIDAE

INCLUDING THE MOTH OF THE WITJUTI (WITCHETY) GRUB

By Norman B. Tinpatt *

[Read 11 September 1952]

595.787 (94)

SUMMARY

The hitherto unknown female of Xvleutes leucomochla Turner 1915 is

described, also its life-history on the roots of one of the witjuti (witchety)

bushes. (Acacia ligulata), Larvae have become known as aboriginal articles of

food but had never been reared to maturity.

Brachypterous females of a new species, Xyleutes biarpilt, are described;

also its life-history on the roots of Zygophyllum fruticulosum,

The previously undescribed brachypterous females of two other Cossids,

Xyleutes amphiplecta Turner, and Catoxophylla cyanauges Turner are recorded

with some life-history details,

The value of these insects as foods for aborigines is noted and the con-

clusion stated. that they provide an almost essential element in their diet.

INTRODUCTION

Between June and September, the time when most field workers visit the

Western Desert, only immature stages of various Cossid larvae are present, Hence

several species which feed on the roots of shrubs and annuals, and which are

used as food by the aborigines, are known as larvae, but have not been bred to

maturity and identified with the moth.

In April 1951 a fortunate and, for this writer, a rare opportunity to visit

Ooldea, on the Trans-Australian Railway line, came earlier than usual in the

season. This enabled him, with the aid of aboriginal children, to find adult larvae

and pupae of two species, and to rear them to maturity, He was able to confirm

that at least three species of Cossids in arid Australia have brachypterous females,

incapable of flight. ;

XYLEUTES LEUcOoMOcHLA Turmer 1915

Female—Head dark brown with a tuft of white scales at base of antennae;

palpi black, short, terminal segments moderate, ovoid and smooth-scaled ; antennae

relatively long, tapering to a fine point, minutely bepectinate; thorax brown with

some white scales; an inverted black V-mark on thorax, tufts on tegulae white,

abdomen brown with some white scales more evident laterally; thorax below

brown, legs brown, base of abdomen white, Forewings with costa slightly

sginuate, apex not well rounded, termen rather straight, obtuse-angled at inner

margin, brown with a base of obscurely delimited white reticulate markings,

outlined with blackish-brown scales from apex to lower margin of cell; a larger

white area near apex of cell partly margined with black; towards inner margin

white scales are scattered among the brown ones. Hindwings with costal third

white, rest of wing pale brown with traces of reticulate markings near termen.

Wing length 60 mm.; expanse 135 mm.

Locality—South Australia, Ooldea Soak, 27 April 1951, N. B. Tindale (allo-

type female, I. 19094, in South Australian Museum) ; Woomera, 12 March 1950,

another female, found by a survey party.

* South Australian Museum.

Treus. Roy, Soc, S. Aust,, 76, December, 1953

The second female specimen is much larger. It is rather worn but, even

with the tips of the forewing wanting, exceeds 170 mm. in expanse. The inner

margin of the forewing is somewhat more concave than in the figured specimen.

These two females appear unquestionably to be the other sex of Xyleutes

leucomochla Turner, which was previously known only from male examples

Fig. 1

Xyleutes lewchomochla Turner. a,allotype female, Ooldea Soak, Soyth Australia;

b, Jarva; c, head and thorax of larva; d, pupa of allotype female; e, pupal mask;

f, pupa im silken pupal tunnel]; g, unopened lid af tunnel from above.

taken at Nhill in Victoria, and at Cunderdin and Lake Darlot in Western Aus-

tralia, and of which the life-history was unknown.

It is to be noted that Turner's type of X. leucomochla, so labelled by him, is

from Cunderdin, Western Australia, and is in the South Australian Museum

collection, No. I. 14331, and not in the National Museum Melbourne, as stated

seemingly in error, in the original description; it was a specimen taken by the

late Mr. R, Ilidge. There is ‘another male in the South Australian Museum

collection from Murray Bridge, South Australia.

Males ate more noticeably brown in colour than the described females but

+ the markings are similar.

Occurrence—Many empty pupal shells were found among leaf debris. They

were standing up from silk-lined vertical tunnels placed within a foot or so of

the butts of tall Acacia Ngulata shrubs. Native boys indicated that most of the

moths already had emerged. After digging near the butts they secured numbers

of larvae, ranging from 42-80 mm. in length, and one pupa almost ready to emerge.

The pupal chamber in which it was found is a curved cylinder of silk in the

sand, its lower extremity placed close againgt the butt of the shrub, The chamber

is closed at the bottom and 230 mm. in length (fig. 1£}). The lower 100 mm. is

wider (25 mm.) than the 18 mm. diameter of the upper part which at the top

appears as if it has been coated with a sealing substance, darker than the normal

silk of the tunnel. It has a sealing cap of silk coated in a similar manner. In

the pupal tunnels of emerged moths this cap has been neatly cut around and

thrust to one side, The silk lining the tunnel is smooth and grey in colour,

The Jarvae feed externally on the roots of Acacia ligulata shrubs, remaining

in a silken chamber against the coot. This chamber afterwards is remodelled to

gerye as the pupal shelter; the part of the root being eaten is incorporated into

the walls of the chamber, The bulk of wood eaten is relatively small and it would

seem that, to an extent, the larva relies om the flow of sap for food, the jaws

principally being used to keep the wounds in the root active and tresh.

A larva placed in a glass-topped box with an apple and sand quickly formed

a chamber and settled down for some weeks in its strange etvironment, so that

some of its habits could be observed. Unfortunately it succumbed without pupat-

ing after having been disturbed when renewing the food. It had eaten the apple

until this had begun to decay.

The Cossids etnerge in the early autumn. It seems probable that the insect

passes at least two years in the larval state. Partly-grown larvae of around

40 mm, as well as a full-grown larva, of 80 mm., a ready-to-emerge pupa, and

newly-vacated pupal shells were taken at the one scason.

The pupa found while the boys were digging emerged in the late evening

of the same day, just before 9 p.m., and despite the mishandling it may have

received while being unearthed, made a tolerable specimen.

Larva—An apparently adult Jarva was 80 mm, in length, cylindrical, and

15 mm. in diameter; another, measured after preservation in alcohol, was 57 mm.

in length in the contracted position and weighed 6°5 grams; two half-grown

larvae measured 46 and 42 mm, (39 and 36 mm. in alcohol), diameter 12 mm.

They weighed 3:0 and 2°6 grams. Laryae ate creamy-white in colour with the

head, prothorax, the spiracles and the appendages some shade of chestnut brown.

The brown is usually paler on the posterior half of the prothorax, The form

(fig. 1, b and c) is that generally characteristic of the family, and the larvae

are naked, save for the inconspicuous primitive hairs. The ultimate segment of

the abdomen bears two short, wp-turned spines, one on each side of the midline,

which appear to serve as anchor when the larva is thrusting itself forward in

its burrow. ,

Pupa—That of a female was 74 mm, in length, 16 mm. in diameter, smooth,

chestnut brown with darker brown chitinized extremities (fig. 1, d, ¢ and f).

The form of the facial mask is shown in the figure,

The oft-used Austral-English tertn wifjuti or witchely applied to the grubs

originally was taken from the Arabana native langtiage by the late Sir Edward

Stirling and put into print, with (the spelling witchety, in a paper before the

Royal Society of South Australia (Transactions 14, 180, 159). The occasion was

the desctiption of attempts made by a Mr. Benham, at Idracowra, to feed

§9

“witchety grubs” to the then newly discovered marsupial mole (Notoryctes

typhlops). Lydekker (Margupialia, 1894, 191) misquoted the word as “witchetty”

and this spelling was followed by Spencer aud Gillen and others writing about

the aborigines, The true name and Geographic II spelling of the Arabana tert

is mako witjuti, pronounced with stress on the initial syllables, Wityuti refers to

the shrub, not to the grub, and must be prefixed by the word make, meaning grub.

Most of the aborigines present at Ooldea during the time of the present

writer’s visit were Ngalea people from North-west of Ooldea, together with

some displaced Jangkundjara tribes-people who had migrated from the Everard

Ranges after the great drought ai 1914. Their name for the larvae of the present

species was mako wardaruka, meaning grubs of the wordaruka (Acucia ligulata)

shrubs. The pupae they term maka miring wardaruka, or simply mako miring,

while the adults are Rinfu-kinta werdarwka or moths of the wardarnka, They are

stated to appear only al the beginning of the cold season. The empty pupal shells

are said to be ilungu or “dead.”

The time of the year when pupae rise to the surface in their burtows is

important to the aborigines, since numbers can often be gathered, just before they

emerge, without the labour of digging deeply for them, Particularly at the end

of summer the Pitjardjard sing a song about this anticipated event, “Wardaruka

miring tjaret’? “Acacia trees pupae are carrying.” The song is one popular at

evening dances in which women and children are present and take part, The

Pintubi people at the northern edge of the Western Desert call the same or similar

pupae winman-mébriri or wanman-mbiring, The Ngalia (not Ngalea) people of

Yuendumu, Central Australia, sing a similar song about wanmun-mbiring, Among

the Pitjandjara, Pintabi and other tribes of the central part of the Western Desert

the grubs from Acacia ligulata and the similar ones, called wtako ilkoara by the

Pitjandjara, from Acacia kempeana (not yet reared or identified) furnish a not

inconsiderable daily part of their diet. Women and children spend much time

digging for them and a healthy bahy seems often to have one dangling from its

mouth in much the same way that one of our children would be satisfied with a

baby comforter.

The larvae may be eaten raw, and are cooked by gently rolling in warm ashes

raked from a fire. When cooked they taste like pork rind, when raw they are

like scalded cream, or butter, It is probable that, for natives, they provide that

portion of a healthy diet which civilised tnan obtains from butter. Aborigines

with access to mitjwti grubs usually are healthy and properly noutished. At

Ooldea the larvae were still present in stich abundance that it was possible, in

lesg than an hour, for half-a-dozen aboriginal boys to gather an estimated half-

pound weight of larvae of two species, all within a few hundred yards of a

soakage well where up ito 400 aborigines are artificially concentrated near a

Mission Station, [The Mission is being disbanded in favour of one further south

near the coast.] Before the days of the Station the area had been, probably for

many centuries, a stand-by water for aborigines, yet the Acacia shrubs and the

larvae have still thrived, an indication of their regenerative capacity and perma-

nent value as a food source. The present author, when in the Mann and Musgrave

Ranges in 1933, while observing nomadic Pitjandjara aborigines, in company with

Dr. C, J. Hackett, over a period of several months, noted that part of nearly

every day's diet consisted of these larvae. Even grown men did not neglect to dig

up and eat some, and afterwards might carry one or more pinched under their

headband or in their belt, as tit-bits, either for themselves or for their children,

Plate v, fig. 1, shows aboriginal children digging out such Cossid grubs from

the roots of Acacia kemptana in the Musgrave Ranges. They also find Buprestid

beetle larvae. Plate v, fig, 2, shows a Pitjandjara young man who, noticing

some evidence, of the presence of a grub, is digging in sandy ground near Aruka-

Janda in the Western Musgrave Range. On such sandy flats Salsola kali often

has Cossid grubs in its roots,

The weaning of aboriginal children is an often violently noisy and tearful

process when, as happens, it has been delayed until the infant is three or more

yeats of age; the children are pacified by being given grubs to suck and to-eat;

often they may be seen with one dangling from the mouth while they play. It

may not be too much to assume that the aborigines’ ability to rear healthy children

in the harsh environment of the Western Desert is based ito no inconsiderable

degree on the wide presence and availability of these larvae. Their time of great

hardship comes when droughts and the absence of summer monsoonal rains

hampers the emergence of the moths and the establishment locally of new genera-

tions of larvae.

Fig. 2

Xyleutes biarpiti Tindale. Ooldea Soak, South Australia. a, larva; b, pupa;

¢, holotype female.

It seems probable, from statements of natives and the observed presence of

part-grown larvae in the roots at the same time as adult larvae and pupae, that

the life cycle is spread over more than one season,

Xyleutes biarpiti sp. nov.

Female—Head uniformly dull ochreous; palpi short, only terminal segment

projecting from face; antennae short tapering simple, about one-half length of

wing; thorax with patagia and tegulae ochreous, an inverted U-shaped black

mark; abdomen brown with mixed black and ochreous scales, posterior margin

of each segment with longer ochreous rough haity scales. Forewings very short,

with costa convex, apex evenly rounded, termen rounded, ochreous with a reticu-

fate pattern of black spots; hindwings short, apex rounded, slightly concave at

inner angle, brownish-black with ochreous fringes, Wing length 14 mm.; expanse

33 mm,; total hody length 36 mm.

Loeality—South Australia: Onoldea Soak, 27 April 1951, N. B. Tindale

(Holotype 4 female, I. 19095, and paratype females in South Australian Museum) ;

Western Australia; Balladonia, a paratype female, taken by Mrs. Crocker,

The Balladonia example is slightly brighter in colour than Ooldea ones and

shows a patch of reticulate dark-orange patter. on the termen of hindwing as

well as on the costa; there is more orange scaling on the distal half of each

abdominal segment.

The females are entirely incapable of flight and progress by crawling

rapidly along the ground while vibrating their wings, Unfortunately only this

sex is available for study, since an alert native mouse pounced on and success-

fully escaped with the only reared male while it was still resting and drying its

wings. Only a casual examination of it had been made. It was very small, fully

winged, with the antennae broadly pectinate in the basal hali-

This species seems not to be very close to any olher described form. Females

differ from the equally small-winged femalés of X. amphiplecta Turner in the dull

ochreous to bright orange-yellow ground colotir against the slate-grey of that

species, The rather regular reticulate black pattern of the forewings is similar

in both forms. The larvae show differences in habit, those of X, biarpiti being

borers in the roots of Zygophyllum whereas those of X. amphiplecta are relatively

free-living earth or root-crown dwellers which are capable of shifting from one

food plant to another, |

The foodplant is Zygophyllum fruticulosum A-P de Candolle. According

to Prof. J. B. Cleland, to whom I am indehted for the identification, the plant at

Ooldea almost centainly is the variety ¢remaewm Diels, It is a four-petalled’

yellow- (sometimes white-) flowered perennial shrub with slender, rigid stems

and linear leaflets.

Native children, by digging with short sticks at the bases of the shrubs,

found plentiful supplies of the larvae and discovered also a few pupae. Seetn-

ingly they are able to detect the presence of larvae by subtle differences in the

state of growth of the plants as compared with shrubs free of infestation, In

some areas nearly every second shrub had a grub or grubs boring in its roots,

The bulk of food yielded by each larva is small, no more than 2*2 grams for a

full-grown female larva, but children spend much time gathering them. The larvae

from the roots of the Zygophyllum bushes or biarpiti are called by them mako

biarpiti, i2., mako or grubs of the biarpiti, The pupae are miring biarpiti or

simply miring.

The larvae and pupae are im chambers within the main root-stock of the

shrubs; the pupa has an escape tunnel sealed with silk extending towards the

surface of the sand, One female was just emerging at about 4 p.m, when dug

out on 27 April. It proved to be brachypterous, as wete the other subsequently

teated female examples: These also emerged at about dusk,

Life Stages—The ogg has not been examined. The larva is of normal Cossid

form (fig. 2a), rather slender, with the ridged spines on the thorax rather slight.

The head and thorax are of the palest chestnit-brown with the mouth parts and

the thoracic processes dark chestnut; the body is white, smooth, and save for the

imoopabigsions primitive setae is naked; length of an apparently full-grown larva

mm.

Pupa (fig. 2b) pale chesinut-brown with head parts, thorax, wing cases, and

posterior margin of each abdominal segment darker, the last-named giving 3

generally banded appearance to the pupa; the series of body spines are finely

and irregularly serrate, two rows to each body segment, with the anterior row

more prominent than the posterior one; there is an almost complete ring of spines

at the apex of abdomen with ventral traces of a second circle of them. Length

of pupa of a female 43 mm., of a male 23 mm,

XYLEUTES AMFHIPLECTA Turner

Male—Head grey, palpi not. projecting beyond frons; antennae strongly

bipectinate to two-thirds, then filamentous. Thorax grey with an inverted

U-shaped black mark inwardly edged with white; abdomen dark grey with

white on the posterior margins of the segments. Forewings light grey with black

markings; ground colour generally lighter in outer third, near termen, and near

inner margin. Hindwings grey with dark brown reticulate markings, generally

paler near termen. Forewing length 21 mm.; expanse 49 mm,

female Se

Fig. 3

Xyleutes amphiplecta Turner. Renmark, South Australia, L. O. Humphries.

a, allotype female; b, male.

Female—Head and thorax grey with an inverted U-shaped black mark;

thorax irom some angles displaying a purplish-blue sheen; abdomen grey with

obscure darker transverse bandings. Brachypterous; forewings greyish-ftawn with

numerous transverse black strigulae; hindwings darker, with strigulae obscurely

indicated in distal half. Forewing length 22 mm.; expanse 51 mm.

Locality—South Australia: Renmark (November to February), Mr. L. O.

Humphries (allotype female, December 1945, 1.19096 in South Australian

Museum) ; Loxton (March), Mr. and Mrs. R. George.

Presence of a purplish-blue sheen on the thorax is reminiscent of that seen

in Catoxophylla cyanauges.

The elucidation of the life-history of this interesting species with its

brachypterous female has been due to the interest of Mr. L, O. Humphries, who

has passed to us a long series of specimens taken between 1941 and 1952.

The male which was very briefly described in these Transactions (1932,

p. 195) has been taken at Dalby, Milmerran, Injune, Charleville, Goondiwindi,

Talwood and Cunnamulla in Queensland; Brewartrina in New South Wales, and

Birchip in Victoria. There are five paratypes in the South Australian Museum.

It is far smaller in bulk that the female and very active on the wing.

According to an identification made by the late Dr. A. Jefferis Turner, the

larvae in Queensland feed on Bassia. However, in South Australia the food plant

is Pachycornia triandra (samphire),

Fishermen along the Murray River use the larvae as bait. They scrape the

earth just below the level of the ground with a spade, Nearly vertical holes

suggest the presence of larvae; unbroached lids to the shelters confirm this.

Aborigines scrape the ground with digging scoops and smell the holes, thus detect-

ing the high humidity maintained in occupied burrows; a conveniently hooked

stick retrieves. the grub,

Fig. 4

Catoxophylla cyanauges Tarner: Central Australia, Capt. S, A, White. a, male;

b, male venation; c, variation in male venation; d, allotype female drawn to

larger scale than male.

Unlike many others of the family the larvae are relatively free-living iti

that they cun migrate from one shrub to another. They are usually to be found

in or near the crown of the foodplant. Between late November and February

the larvae are of large enough size for use as bait and are then taken im numbers.

The completely flightless females crawl actively over the ground, often with

their wings folded against the body, They emerge in late summer when the air

is humid or there is rain.

Mr. Humphries tells me that when digging for bait near Pachycornia roots

at Renmatk in late 1941 he found a female pupa ready to emerge, Having been

disturbed it did so while he continued digging. Almost as soon as it had freed

itself from the pupal case several males appeared fluttering about it, although

it was broad daylight.

On this or another occasion he rested a newly emerged female on his

coat lapel while taking it home; several males appeared and made futile advances

to his coat which he had left outside his house when he took the moth inside.

There were no Pachycornia plants within half 2 mile, By keeping larvae he was

able to satisfy himself that the life-history extends over two years,

Mr, and Mrs, R. George took males Aying about at night near Loxton on a

rainy night in March.

CaTOXOPHYLLA CYANAUGES Tutner

Méale—Head and thorax smoothescaled, dark fiscous, with a dark blue sheen;

thorax with collar, inner half of tegulae, and lateral paris white; antennae

strongly bipectinate with short filamentous tip, Abdomen greyish-black; posterior

margins of segments and a dorsal longitudinal band white. Forewings fuscous

with short transverse black sttigulae, ground colour paler near apex and near

termen, Hindwings dark fuscous, darkest near base and tornus; a wide white

costal streak, Forewings length 36 mm.; expanse 83 mm. .

Femole—lead small, fuscous; frons rounded, palpi just evident From above,

antennae short, cylindrical, tapering; thorax fuscous with a deep ble sheen from

some angles;’ an inverted U-shaped black mark; abdomen dark fuscous with

some white’ scales near posterior extremity. >

Brachypterous — Forewings dark fuscous with black strigulae, largest on

basal half of costa and near inner margin. Hindwings darker with obscure traces

of strigulae,

Estimated wing length 37 mm. ; estimated expanse 90 mm, ; total body length

&+ mm.

Locality—Western Australia: Toodyay, Bencubbin. (Type, a male in

Turner collection at Entomological Division, C.S.I.R-O., Canberra.) South

Australia; Blinman, 4 March 1907 (female), Miller Creek (female), Barmera,

January 1935 (female). Central Australia: locality not stated but probably near

Everard Range. (Male described above and the allotype female I. 19097 in South

Australien Museum.) New South Wales: Broken Hill.

The female of this species has ot previously been described, although speci-

mens have been held in collections for sone years. Researchers seemingly have

been reluctant to regard them as more than defective specimens in which the

wings have not expanded, With greater knowledge of their life-history it is clear

that the brachypterous condition is normal in the females of some members of

at least two Australian genera, Caforophylla and Xyleutes.

The mating pair described above as from Central Australis were taken

together by Capt. S, A. White in the general vicinity of the Eycrard Ranges.

There is great disparity in the bulk of the two sexes, although this is exaggerated

in the figure by the differences in scale of the drawings shown. The female had

newly emerged from the ground in the vicinity of an Acacia shrub, the species

of which is not indicated, Wings of the females are very brittle and tend to break

off transversely during life, so that it is exceptional to find an example with more

than the basal halves of the wings present, In the drawing (fig. 4d) one wing

is shown as often found and the other as if perfect; it must be remembered that

the latter condition is exceptional and untrue save at the time of emergence amd

it ts only by pooling data on the several available female specimens that it has

been possible to prepare the restored wing condition as shown. The males are

of powerful fiight. Their wings are not brittle, The genus has been separated

from Xyleutes on the basis of the narrow pointed wings and the relatively smooth

clothing of the thorax and abdomen. :

There is great range in size in the females, The Blinman example is much

smaller with a wing expanse of 20 mm. and total body length of 55 mm. The

broken-off wings had been retrieved and are preserved with it. The Broken Hill

female was found mating in the vicinity of 4cacia shrubs, but the male was not

preserved.

Among the Wailpi tribes people of the Northern Flinders Ranges the female

fonts are known as ange and when they appear in March and April are relished

as Food.

Traus. Ray. Soc. 8. Aust., 1953 Vol. 76, Plate V

Fig. 1 Children digging grubs from roots of a witjuti (or witchety) bush

(Acacta kempeana) in the Musgrave Ranges, South Australia,

Fig 2) Young man digging for Cossid grubs of the rolypoly bush (Salsola kali),

near Arukalanda, Western Musgrave Range, South Australia.

GENERAL DISCUSSION |

A striking fact about the life-history of each of these Cossid moths and

also of the desert-frequenting Hepialid Trictena argentala is the manner in which

they have been able to adapt themselves to a life in the desert in spite of their

relatively great inability to withstand desiccation. The larvae feed on roots well

supplied with moisture, living in tunnels of silk in which the humidity is seern-

ingly high since the exposed sap-laden layers of the root are exposed within it;

the pupae remain sealed in the silken tunnels until they emerge as moths in late

summer, either after rain has fallen or when the air is damp with dew, Only

then do they; lay eggs, renewing the cycle, Haying no mouth parts this adult life

is very brief, The duration of egg life is uncertain. In the case of Trictena the

minute eggs emerge after only four days and the larvae burrow underground

while the soil is still damp, The moths therefore are not so much desert-loving

insects as ones which have been able to find and conduct their high-moisture

requiring life-cycle, in one or other of the rare niches where constant moisture

conditions can be maintained in spite of the generally prevailing aridity, It is not

surprising therefore that the desert-dwelling Tricténa argentata, which feeds on

Eucalyptus tree roots, is equally at home where the conditions are ultra-moist, as

in the wetter parts of Tasmania. However, the brachypterous Cossids here

described are probably more discriminating in their requirements and may prove

to occur only where their food plants are at home in sandy ground and where

the annttal ramfall is less than about 15 inches. The fully winged X,, leucomochla

has been taken at Cunderdin in the wet districts of Western Australia.

‘The cause of brachyptery in the females of these desert-frequenting moths

is a matter for speculation; it is to be noted that they are very heavy-bodied and

probably lay much larger numbers of eggs than do some of the species inhabiting

more humid areas,

The presence of these brachypterous :moths even in the heart of the Great

Western Desert— for I have seen them dug out at the Warburton Range, the

Mann Range and sotith of it as well as in the Everards, the Western MacDonnell

Ranges and the Ngalia plain—may be an indication that over a long period of

time the desert has not been unduly subjected to aridity much beyond that now

prevalent,

The still undetermined Cossid larva which lives in the roots of the tumble

weed or rolypoly bush (Salsola kali), whose adult is not yet identified, bas a

similar life-history, and in‘like manner is eaten by the aborigines in the Western

Desert. When searching for the larvae they sweep a digging stick across patches

of the drying weeds, readily breaking off those in which larvae are at work, -

The larvae of this species must be rather more capable of desiccation, since

they are to be found in the roots of quite dried-up rolypoly bushes. In some

areas it is evident that the larvae of these moths are one of the causes of the

breaking off of the shrub to become a ttumble weed, When this happens the

larvae seal over the remaining part of the root-stock to form their pupal chamber.

FISH OTOLITHS FROM THE PLIOCENE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

BY F. C. STINTON (COMMUNICATED BY N. H. LUDBROOK)

Summary

Otoliths of a new fossil species Sillago pliocenica are described from Pliocene sands underlying the

Adelaide Plains. The otoliths suggest that the fish is more closely related to an Indo-Pacific species

than to the species living in South Australian waters today.

FISH OTOLITHS FROM THE PLIOCENE OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA

By F. C, Stinton *

(Communicated by N. H. Ludbrook) '

[Read 9 October 1952]

567.5 (942)

SUMMARY

Otoliths of a new fossil species Sillago pliocenica are described from Pliocene

sands underlying the Adelaide Plains, The otoliths suggest that the fish is more

closely related to an Indo-Pacific species than to the species living in South Aus-

tralian waters today.

INTRODUCTION r

In a study of Tertiary fish faunas considerable difficulty is encountered when

systematic classification of the Teleostomi is attempted owing to the almost com-

plete absence of skeletons. One is usually confronted with odd vertebrae, fin-

spines, teeth, etc., which might be assigned to widely separated genera.

This difficulty may be jargely overcome by a study of the fish otoliths which

are usually found associated with the other isolated fragments. These objects show

distinct determinative features which enable exact generic identification to be

made by comparison of the fossil with analogous living forms, Although all

teleosteans ate provided with three pairs of distinct otoliths known respectively

as the sagitta, lapillus, and astericus, the sagitta is usually the only one of use in

diagnosis. Apart from lapilli of the Ariidae, it is the only type of otolith so far

known in the fossil form. It may be mentioned that in the Ostariophysi and

Cyprinodotites the asterisctis is the predominant otolith, while the lapillus is the

principal otolith in the Siluridae,

The morphology of the inner face of a sagitta otolith is shown in fig, I,

which will elucidate its characteristic features.

The otoliths described in this paper were obtained from borings into the

Dry Creek Sands underlying the Adelaide Plains. They wete submitted to the

writer by Dr. N. H. Ludbrook, who has drawn the figures and revised the paper

for publication.

SYSTEMATIC DESCRIPTION

Phylum CHORDATA

Section CRANIATA

Subphylum PISCES

Class ACTINOPTERI (TELEOSTOMI)

Order PERCOMPRPHI

Suborder PERCOIDEA

Division PERCTFORMES

Vamily SILLAGINIDAE

Genus SILLAGO Cuvier, 1817

SmnuAco Cuvier, 1817, Regne Animal, 2, 258

Type species Siztaco acuta Cuvier

Sillago pliocenica sp. nov.

* Bournemouth, England.

Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 76, December, 1953

Description of Holotype—Adult right sagitta otolith. Shape ovate, slightly

produced posteriorly; inner face convex, outer face concave, Dotsal rim rounded

and somewhat depressed; posterior and anterior rims neatly vertical; ventral

rim rounded; all rims smooth. Inner face smooth with a horizontal sulcus run-

ning parallel with and close to the dorsal rim. The sulcus is completely enclosed,

just touching the anterior rim but, not opening on it, It is divided into an ostium

and a cauda by a lower angle and a slight. notch on the crista superior, the ostium

being approximately one-third of the length of the sulcus. The cauda is narrower

than the ostium and is somewhat bulbous at its extremity. The stilcus is nearly

a. sulcus 1 ¢ d f. front colliculum

b. cauda j Rl A te g.back colliculum

c. ostium * u M f h.rostrum

d. antirostrum J-crista superior

e. excisurd ostii k.areq

IO 1] [2

Fig, 1-12

Fig, 1, inner face of sagitta otolith, showing morphological features; fig, 2, Sillago

sihama Fprskal, inner face, X 5; fig. 3, Sillago sihama F, tskal, otolith, outer face, X 5,

fig. 4, Sillago bassensis Cuvier and Valenciennes, otolith, inner face, X2; fiz. 5,

Sillago_bassensis Cuvier and Valenciennes, otolith, outer face, X2; fig. 6, Sillago

pliocenica sp. nov., otolith, paratype 1, inner face, X10; fig. 7, Sillago pliocenica

' Sp, nov., otolith, paratype 2, outer face, X10; fig. 8, Sillago pliocenica sp. nov., atolith,

paratype 2, inner face, X 10, fig. 9, Sillage phocenica sp. noy., otolith, paratype 2, outer

face, X10; fig 10, Sillago phocenica sp.nov, otolith, paratype 3, inner face, X7;

fig. 11, Sillago pliocenica sp. nov., otolith, holotype, inner face, X7 ; fig, 12, Sillago

bhocenica sp. nov., otolith, holotype, outer face, X 7,

filled with colliculi, so that: it is almost flush with the surrounding area’ of the

otdlith, No'rostrum or antirostrum is present.

The character of the outer face changes as the otolith reaches a mature state,

and the radial ridges and central tuberosities of the juvenile are obscured by

deposition of calcium carbonate, producing an almost smooth surface marked

merely by a few indistinct vertical: ridges.

Dimensions—Length 5°41 mm,, width 4-03 mm. .

Paratypes—Juvenile right and left sagitta otoliths. In the juveniles the-rims

are denticulated, not smooth as in the adult, Outer face with well-marked radial

ridges and central tuberosities.

Dimensions—Paratype 1 (fig. 6, 7), length 2°67 mm., width 1-9 mm. Para-

type 2, length 2'88 mm., width 2°11 mim.

Material—The holotype (fig. 11, 12), Abattoirs Bore; paratypes 1 (fig. 6, 7),

2 (fig. 8, 9), Tennant’s Bore, Salisbury; 3 (fig, 10), Abattoirs Bore; eight para-

types Hindmarsh Bore 450 ft.-487 ft.; four paratypes Abattoirs Bore; four

paratypes Weymouth’s Bore 310 ft.- 330 ft.; six paratypes Tennant’s Bore; all

Dry Creek Sands, Pliocene,

Location af Types—Tate Museum Coltection, University of Adelaide, with

the exception of Hindmarsh and Weymouth’s Bore paratypes, which are in the

collection of the South Australian Department of Mines.

Observations—Comparison of these otoliths with examples from living

specimens shows conclusively that they belong to a species of Silage. They are

closely allied to the East Indian Sillago sihama Ferskal, and are less closely allied

to the indigenous 5. bassensis Cuvier and Valenciennes of South Australia, which

has relatively longer and narrower otoliths while bearing a superficial resemblance

to the fossil forms,

With a view to ascertaining the possible use of otoliths as index fossils the

writer has sorted out many thousands of otoliths from most of the British Eocene

and Oligocene beds, but has come to the conclusion that they appear to have ton

wide a stratigraphical range to serve any useful purpose, Considering the tropical

affinities of the Dry Creek Sands fauna, the relationship between the otoliths from

this Formation and the Recent Indo-Pacific species is worthy of some comunent.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT

The writer is indebted to Mr. H. M. Hale, Director, South Australian

Museum, for specimens of Sillago bassensis, and to Dr. E, Trewavas, Department

of Zoology, British Museum (Natural History) for an example of Sillago

sthama.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

The following list of papers dealing with fish otoliths is appended as addi-

tional information; the present paper is based on Frost’s work,

Frost, G. A. 1924 Otoliths of Fishes from the Tertiary Formations of New

Zealand. Trans, N.Z. Inst., 55, 605-614

Frost, G. A. 19254 A comparative study of the otoliths of the Neopterygian

Fishes. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. ser, 9, 15, 152-163

Frost, G. A. 1925b Ibid., 553-561

Frosr, G. A. 1925c Id/, 16, 433-446

Frost, G. A. 1926a Td., 17, 99-104

Frost, G. A. 1926b Jd., 18, 445482

Frost, G. A. 1926c¢ Ibid., 483-490

Frost, G. A. 1927a fa., 19, 439-445

Frost, G. A, 1927b Id., 20, 298-305

Frost, G. A. 1928a Id., ser. 10, 1, 451-456

Frost, G. A. 1928b Id., 2, 328-331

Frost, G. A. 1928c Otoliths of Fishes from the Tertiary Formations of New

Zealand and from Balcombe Bay, Victoria. Trans. N.Z. Inst., 59, 91-97

Frost, G. A. 1929a A comparative study of the otoliths of the Neopterygian

Fishes. Ann, Mag. Nat. Hist., ser. 10; 4, 120-130

Frost, G: A. 1929b Ibid., 257-264

Frost, G. A. 1930a Id., 5, 231-239

Frost, G. A. 1930b Ibid., 621-627

SHEPHERD, C. E. 1916 Fossil. Otoliths. Knowledge, 39, (ns. 13), 177-184,

203-205:

AUSTRALIAN CUMACEA NO. 18

NOTES ON DISTRIBUTION AND NIGHT COLLECTING WITH

ARTIFICIAL LIGHT

BY HERBERT M. HALE

Summary

This paper describes an experiment in collecting Cumacea at Garden Island, Western Australia. An

electric globe of low candle-power, attached in the centre of the mouth of a tow-net, was lowered to

the bottom, on the same spot, at regularly spaced time intervals, throughout one night, and remained

immersed before each haul for 15 minutes. The peak period for the congregation of Cumacea at the

lamp occurred at 2 a.m.; the results are discussed in some detail. The distribution of Australian

Cumacea is also recorded.

AUSTRALIAN CUMACEA

No, 18

By Hersert M. Hare *

NOTES ON DISTRIBUTION AND NIGHT COLLECTING WITH

ARTIFICIAL LIGHT

[Read 9 October 1952]

595.381 (94) - 579.61

Fig. 1-3

SUMMARY

The paper describes an experiment in collecting Cumacea at Garden Island,

Western Australia, An electric globe of low candle-power, attached in the centre

of the mouth of a tow-net, was lowered to the bottom, on the same spot, at

regularly spaced time intervals, throughout one night, and temained immersed

before each haul for 15 minutes, The peak period for the congregation of

Cumacea at the lamp occurred at 2.a.m.; the results are discussed in some detail.

The distribution of Australian Cumacea is also recorded.

INTRODUCTION

One hundred and sixty species of Cumacea are now recorded from shallow

waters off ithe west, south and east coasts of Australia; very little is known of

the Cumacea of the north coast.

Fig, 1 shows the specifia representation of three families; the greatest

number of species (sixty) is found in the Bodotriidae. The Leuconiidae and

Lampropidae, with three and two Australian species respectively (four from the

east coast and one from the south) are not included.

The diagram, of course, is in no way a quantitative index. It appears certain

that individually the Bodotriids are predominant and that of the three families

the Diastylidae play a relatively minor part.

In number of species the Bodotriids outstrip each of the other two families on

the Indian Oceah and southern Australian coasts, but on the Pacific side the

Diastylids are equally well represented, largely because of the numerous small

forms referred to Gynodiastylis and allied genera.

On the evidence of material collected to date, the greatest speciation in all

families has occurred on the Pacific Coast, particularly in the areas near rivers,

while the south coast has produced the fewest species; it is to be borne im mind,

however, that the large southern stretch of the Great Australian Bight has not

been investigated for Cumacea, although it seems unlikely that many additional

records will result from shallow-water collecting there.

NIGHT COLLECTING WITH UNDERWATER LIGHT

It is. known that Cumacea are attracted by artificial light at night (Fage,

1933, 1945, etc.; Foxon, 1936, p. 378; Hale, 1943, p. 337). The use of a sub-

merged light during the hours of darkness has proved a uscful method of collect-

ing these crustaceans, other matine invertebrates and fishes (age, 1927, p. 25,

1933, p. 107, ed Sheard, 1941, p. 12). It should be emphasised that in our

experience use df a lamp of low candle power (about 2°5) results in_more

effective catches of Cumacea than does employment of a brilliant light. Gilbert

* Director, South Australian Museum,

Trans. Roy. Soc. §, Aust. 76, Deceniber, 1955

C. Klingel, in his book “Inagua’” (London, 1942, p. 297), states that, working

in Chesapeake Bay, he prepared a 5,000-watt assembly, with which he hoped to

attract a vast assortment of marine life to his obsetvation post. He found that

while his installation improved visibility, little came to its beam, so he resumed

his “old method of using flashlights, which was much more satisfactory.”

Podotriidae Nannastacidae Diastylidac

PTET TTT

LETT TTT ToT)

ix]

Total] Indian Ocean Coast [=] Southern Coast[_] Pacific Coast E

Fig. 1

Distribution of Austtalian Cumacea; the columns represent

numbers of species.

Of the Australian littoral species of Cumacea, 19 per cent. have been secured

by submarine light traps and by no other method. Some time ago doubts arose

as to whether this means of obtaining material provided a true representation,

as selectivity, time of operation, tides and other factors might operate. One may

state at once, however, that 37 per cent. of the species taken by trawl and dredge

have been attracted to lights also, so that nearly half of the Australian species

collected to date are known to respond, and this notwithstanding the fact that

underwater lights have not been very long utilized for obtaining Cumacea in

Australian waters, nor have they been used in all areas investigated there,

As a result of our discussions, Dr. A, G. Nicholls, with the assistance of

some of his students in the Biology Department of the University of Western

Australia, undertook a regular series of submarine light hauls throughout a single

night, The experiment was conducted on 26-27 November, 1946+ a tow-net, with

a lamp of low candle-power hung in the mouth as described by Sheard (1941,

p. 13), at each hour from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m., was lowered to the sandy bottom

and left undisturbed for fifteen minutes, The net was operated ‘from a jetty at

Careening ‘Bay, Garden Island, Western Australia, in three fathoms of water;

the smal! tidal rise or fall on this part of the Australian coast (two to-three ‘feet)

is considerably modified by on-shore and off-shore winds. “The nei -was placed

in exactly the same spot for each haul, as far as was practicable under working

conditions,

On the night of the experiment the moon was in its first quarter—the new

moon occurring on 24 November at 1.24 atn., and first quarter on 2 December

at 5.47 am., Western Australian standard time. Sunset occurred at ‘7.5 p.m, on

26 November and stnrise at 5.6 a.m. on the following day. There was a clear sky

until the early hours of the morning of 27 November, when light clouds appeared,

The night commenced with a strong easterly breeze, which died down later, and

Dr, Nicholls noted that so much detritus was raised from the bottom by violent

wave action that the range of the light was materially affected; on the other hand

this factor may have been responsible for disturbing a greater number of burrow-

ing animals than would have obtained dtherwise.

High tide slack occurred between 6 p.m. and 7 p.m., but this period was

increased by the easterly breeze which tended to bank up the water in the bay.

The tidal run-off was retarded and the tide was not ebbing strongly until about

8 pm. The first period of ebb was completed by 10 p.m, and then ‘followed a

long period of slack mid-water until’ about 3.a.m,, when the ebb was completed,

Low tide was at about 5.6 a.m. and the tidal range was two feet nine ‘inches,

No Cumacea were present in the net after fifteen minutes immersion during

sunset and again three-quarters of an hour later, and were absent also in two

nettings made during suntise and an hour after. In so far as Cumacea are

concerned effective catches occurred only between 8 p.m. and 4.15 am., when

nine hauls produced more than five thousand Cumaceans, representing twelve

genera of three families—as well, of course, as a great many other Crustacea

and other invertebrates.

The writer is greatly indebted to Dr, Nicholls, who later separated all

Cumacea from the mass of material in each catch. The writer then sorted out

the variotis species; several new forms were represented and have been described

(Hale, 1948, 1949 and 1951). The twenty-seven species secured are as follows:

Family BODOTRIIDAE

Cyclaspis pura Hale Cyclaspis fulgida Tale

Cyclaspis juxta Hale Eocwma agrion Zimtnet

Cyelaspis nitida Hale Vaunthompsonia nana Hale

Cyclaspis sheardi Hale Leptocuma. nichollsi Hale

Cyclaspis mollis Hale Glyphocuma serventyi Hale

Cyclospis mjobergi Zimmer Gephyrocuma repanda Hale

Family NANNASTACIDAE

Namnastacus inflatus Hale Cumella similis Fage

Nannastacus subinflutus Hale Cumelle cana Hale

Nannastacus incanstans Hale Schizotrema aculeata Hale

Nannastacus clavatus Hale Schisotreme leoparding Hale

Nannastacus nichollsi Hale Schizatrema resima Hale

Nannastacus vietus Hale

Family DIASTYLIDAE .

Dimorphostylis cottoni (Hale) ‘Gynodiastylis turgida Hale

Anehistylis waitei (Hale) Gynodtastylis inepia Hale

Dimorphostylis vieta Hale is the only species not listed above which has

been taken in other collections made at Garden Island, and this is represented by

a single female (G, P. Whitley, submarine light, 19 July 1945).

‘Ghe hourly catches of Cumacea secured during this night collecting -experi-

ment are shawn in fig. 2. Only about one hundred individual Diastylids were

itaken.;-this.number is too small to be of much significance, ‘but nevertheless -the

incidence of members of the family shows a gradual increase from 10 p.m. until

the 2.a.m. haul, at which approximately half the total specimens of Diastylidae

Jwere .secured.

(4 -—_ Total Cumacea :

13 xe=-=% Bodotrildae

+— —+ Nannastacidoe

vireee Diastyiidae i 7

a] I i] J

Numbers (Hundreds)

Sunrise 5.6a.m

Fig. 2

Periodic variation in abundance of Cumacea attracted to

underwater light at night.

The most productive nettings occurred between 11 pm. and 3.15 am. The

Proportions of the most abundant species are:—

Cyclaspis pura Hale - - 69°7 per cent.

‘

Other Bodotriids - - - STE ay A

Nennastacus subinflatus Hale - - e -873: 3 Sy

Nannastacus inconstans Hale - - = BB -y- 5)

Schizotrema leopardina Hale - - 2 71 ws »

Other Nannastacids - - - + OR ay te

Diastylids ~ 4 - 7 - 21 ay ”

Cyclaspis pura, represented mainly by adult males, is dominant in all hauls

made before 3 a.m., atid as 97-5 per cent. of the Bodotriids are referable to this

species the remaining members of the family made no appreciable difference to

the graph for the family.

‘Lhe Nannastacids, almost all of which are males, became prominent in the

takings much later than Cyclaspis, The three species noted above, each represented

by not Jess than 270 examples, together constitute 80-5 per cent, of the total for

e family. At midnight Nannastacids were plentiful (fig. 2), but by 1 am. the

two most abundant species of Nannastacus showed a marked decrease (fig. 3).

The Cyclaspis pura males were then increasing and coincident with the sudden

falling off of this species at 2 am. and 3 a.m. the Nannastacids increased in

number, reaching their peak occurrence at 3 a.m. (at which time they slightly

outstripped the Bodotriids), declining in the next haul, one hour before sunrise,

almost ito vanishing point ‘(cf. Fage, 1945, p. 174). The considerably increased

ation of this family at 2 p.m, resulted in the peak Cumacean catch at

represent

that hour, when 945 Bodotriids and 380 Nannastacids were netted.

——: Nannostacus sublinflatus

x-=--x Nannastacus |nconstans

werene Schizotrema leopardina."_ :

= J

oy x

2 ay

= voy

3 2 4

z a

‘

1 ‘

, 1

’ ‘

i ’

: H

t '

i ron

‘ ' *

re Vat

H \f: 5

Sunset 7.5 p.m, : He 4) Sunrise

‘ 1 ‘ 4) 5-6a,m.

enna Barbet ON

7pm 8 9 1o 12 5

Time

Fig. 3

Periodic variation in abundance of Nannastacids attracted to underwater light.

DISCUSSION

At the moment one has no means of judging whether or not the results of

this fishing on the bottom furnish a real indication of the nocturnal activity of

the Cumacea concerned; the following criticisms may be considered :—

(1) The possibility that all Cumacea found in {the net had been stimulated

by the light and that normally all would have remained quiescent.

Against this we have the well-known fact that shallow water Cumacea

migrate to the surface during hours of darkness.

(2) It might be suggested that the catches consist partly of Cumacea which

at the time of taking were normally active (viz., in the initial stages of their

’

76, Plate VI

ol.

]

. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 1953

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Snasippapd snjauac, $-¢ “BA

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nocturnal vertical migration) and partly of individuals stimulated to activity by

the light.

This theory could be employed to account for the marked preponderance of

some forms throughout the series. Bodotriids predominate in the Garden Island

collections; this family, however, is much more richly represented in the Indian

and Pacific Oceans than it is in the Atlantic, and in Australian waters Cyclaspis

in particular occurs almost everywhere where there is a sandy bottom, On the

other hand Anchistylis and Dimorphostylis, spatsely represented at Garden Island

on the night of collecting, have come to bottom lights in other Australian localities

in abundance, and then may have been attracted during periods of normal night

titigrations.

(3) One must consider the possibility that an underwater light is a selective

factor in that (a) some of the species more sparsely represented in the collec-

tions may be those which do not readily respond io light, or which may not be

stich active swimmers as the others; (b) males respond to the stimulus of light

more readily than females.

For and against (a) is the fact that Cumacea which are relatively poor

swimmers and are not normally active in great miumbers (adult females of

Cyclaspis, Hale, 1944, pp. 122 and 124), may be attracted on some nights to an

underwater light of low candle-power in myriads, and that Gynodiastylis and

allied genera have not been taken in quantity by any method—tow-net, Agassiz

traw] or submarine light.

(b} As already noted, adult males far outnumber females and sub-adults

in the material now under discussion and comprise about 90 per cent. of the

individuals taken, Fage states that in the material examined by him the number

of females collected at night without aid of a light is greater in proportion to

that of males jthan when a hght was employed. He suggests that the sexes may

unite either below or to the side of the zone illuminated by the light. On the

other hand one may mention Cyelospis sheardi, a species widely distributed in

southern Australia, ranging from lat. 34:0S on the east coast to lat. 21-05 on

the west coast; the various methods of collecting used have, with one exception,

resulted in the capture of adult males—many hundreds of them. One ovigerous

female provided the exception and this was taken by underwater light. Again,

as previously noted, there are indications that in at least one species of Cyclaspis

the adult female, with soft exoskeleton, becomes active in considerable numbers

at night and then may be attracted to artificial light near the bottom (Hale, 1944,

p. 124). In Nownastacus, Sehizotrema, and Cumella, males are much more com-

monly taken than are females in tow-net or dredge. Males usually predominate

in submarine light collections of some Australian Diastylids, notably Anchisivlis

and Dimworphostylis cottoni (Hale), but on occasion recently moulted adult

females are very much more abundant than males (Hale, 1945, p, 208), Fernales

with ova in tthe marsupium far outnumbered males in a large number of specimens

of Anchistylis waitei Hale which came to a submerged light at West Wallabi

Island, Houtman. Abrolhos group, Western Austrafia (G. P. Whitley, 9-40-

10-40 p.m., 2 fath,, Dec, 1945),

-(4) One final criticism presents itself, namely, that at Garden Island the

stimulus of the artificial light may have had a cumulative effect, and that the

peak takings represent the maximum concentration of Cumacea which had slowly

made their way from the periphery of the area influenced by the light (see

Foxon 1936, and Hale 1943), In other words, that the sudden decrease tn num-

bers in the early hours of the morning means merely that the area had been

“fished out” as far as Cumacea ate concerned,

This would seem to be supported by the fact that the Nannastacids appeared

in quantity later than the male Bodotriids, and began to decrease in mismber later

than was the case in.the last-named. Another factor surely operates -here, haw-

ever, because one hour before sunrise when the sky began to lighten all ,Cumacea

showed a sudden sharp falling off, Other facts against this depletion theory are:

(a) the light. was employed for only 15 minutes after each-hour; (b) after apply-

ing this method of collecting for some years, Mr. K. Sheard is inclined :to the

belief that the best collections of Cumacea are secured during periods of slack

and fairly quiet water. It must be-borne in mind, however, that in the experiment

with underwater light here detailed, data concerning the prevailing conditions are

recorded for the first time.

REMARKS

It is certain that at leadt same of the 27 species of Cumacea taken at Garden

Island during one night are represented by individuals which had interrupted

their vertical migration to congregate round the light at the bottom, either near

the beginning of their ascent; or even later, as Foxen (1936, p. 378) has shown

that Cumacea have been made to swim downwards in response to the stimulus

of light, In their case the submarine light has served to concentrate a cross

section of normally active specimens and may provide more uniform results than

“tow-netting at night, although insofar as quatititative data are concerned the

method is of doubtful value. On the other hand, some of the specimens attracted

to the light might have remained inactive without its stimulus.

The experiment demonstrates that the employment of a bottom light, at

intervals throughout a favourable night, and on the same spot, furnishes a quick

and possibly fairly complete census of the littoral species of Cumacea prese#t

in a small area.

The details of the takings include much of interest and the above notes are

presetited in the hope that students with more leisure time for field work than

the writer will carry out further investigations an Jocal populations and nocturnal

activities of Australian Cumacea.

REFERENCES CITED

Face, Lovrs 1933 Péches planctoniques a la lumiere, effectuées & Banvuls-sur-

Mer et & Conarneay, III Crustaces. Arch. Zool. Exp. et Gen., 76,

161-184, fig. 5-8

Face, Louis 1945 Les Cumacés de Plancton nocturne des cotes D’Annam.

Arch. Zool. Exp. et Gen., 84, 165-223, fig, 1-42

Foxon, G. E. H. 1936 Notes on the Natural History of Certain Sand-dwelling

Cumacea. Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (10), 17, 377-393, fig. 1-7

Hate, Hersest M. 1943 Notes on two -‘Sand-dwelling -Cumacea. Rec.

‘S, Aust. Mus., 7, 337-342, fig. 1-9

Hacs, Hersert M. 1944 The Genus Cyclaspis. Rec, S. Aust. Mus.,.8, 63-142,

fig. 1-60

Hare, Herpert M. 1945 The Family Diastylidae, Pt. I. Trans, Roy, Soc.

S. Aust., 69, (2), 173-211, fig. 1-26

Hare, Hersert M. 1948 Further Notes on the Genus Cyclospis, Rec.

S. Aust: Mus,, 9, 142, fig 1-21

Hare, Hersert, M. 1949 The Family Bodotriidae. Rec, S. Aust. Mus,, 9,

107-125, fig. 1-9

Hace, Hergert, M. 1949 The Family Nannastacidae. Rec, 5, Aust. Mus.

9, 225-245, fig. 1-12

Hare, Hersert M. 1951 Fhe Family Diastylidae, Ree. S. Aust. Mus., 9,

353-370, fig 1-10

SHeanp, K. 1941 Improved Methods of Collecting Marine Organisms. Rec,

$S. Aust. -Mus., 7, 11-14, fig. 1

ON A NEW SPECIES OF OENETUS (LEPIDOPTERA, FAMILY

HEPIALIDAE) DAMAGING EUCALYPTUS SAPLINGS IN TASMANIA

BY NORMAN B. TINDALE

Summary

A new moth of the family Hepialidae, Oenetus paradiseus Tindale, is described from Tasmania,

where it has been found causing some damage to Eucalyptus saplings. The harm is accentuated by

the injuries caused by black cockatoos (Calyptorhynchus funereus), when they are feeding on the

larvae and pupae of the moth.

ON A NEW SPECIES OF OENETUS (LEPIDOPTERA, FAMILY

EPIALIDAE) DAMAGING EUCALYPTUS SAPLINGS IN TASMANIA

By Norwan B. Tinpate *

SUMMARY

A new -moth of the family Hepialidae, Oenetus paradtsens Tindale,

described from Tasmania, where it has been found causing some damage to

Eucalyptus saplings. The harm is accentuated by the injuries caused by black

cockatoos -( Calypiorhynchus funereus), when they are feeding on the larvae and

pupae of ‘the;moth.

Interaction of moth and cockatoo evidently plays an important patt.in the

natural culling of sapling eucalypts.

A:second race af the same species, Oenctus p. niontanus Tindale, is recorded

from stow gums. (Eucalyptus niphophila) on Mt, Gingera in the Federal Capital

Territory.

595.787 (946)

INTRODUCTION

In September, 1952, Mr. L, W. Miller, Chief Entomologist of 'the Depart-.

ment of Agriculture, Hobart, submitted to me for identification a male and two

females of a Hepialid moth which had been bred from Ewcalyptis seedlings at

Taranna, Tasmania. Researchers of the Commonwealth Forestry Bureau t

have been making growth studies of Eucalypts under forest conditions, They

have been employing plots carrying different population densities of trees.

To obtain the initial desired densities naturally regenerating saplings were

thinned out, down to defimte numbers per acre.

The Ocnetus grubs were found to ‘be present in numbers of the trees, and

although the insects themselves did not seem to do enough damage seriously to

affect tree growth, they were noticed to be particularly attractive to black

cockatoos, Calyptorkynchus funereus Shaw, which are very common in the area,

In getting the grubs out of the wood the cockatoos gonge out very large holes,

often damaging the saplings so that they weakened and broke off during heavy

winds, These injuries reduced the planned numbers of ttees in the artificial

thinning experiment, thereby incidentally drawing attention to the natural culling

of Aucalyptus saplings effected by the interaction of the Hepialid grubs and the

black cockatoos.

Oenetus paradiseus sp. nov,

Ph. vi, fig. 3-4

Male—Head small, eyes normal; antennae short, slender, tapering, smooth,

brown; head and thorax smooth, clothed in dull green hairs, abdomen -purplish-

brown, fore- and mid-legs green, hind-legs purplish-brown with a tuft of yellow

sex hairs. Forewings purplish-brown with traces of darker brown markings and

some scattered tufts of not very noticeable dull green scales usually forming a

series of patches in the central portion of the wing; cilia very short, concolorous

with rest of wing. Hindwings with basal two-thirds brilliant red, apex and termen

broadly, and area at hinder angle and fringes less conspicuously, dull black;

hairs at base of wing’ and ‘base of abdomen red. Wings beneath bright red on

basal half, distally dull black, Forewing length 24 mm., expanse 54 mm.

. Female—Antennae sinilar to those of male, but shorter; head and thorax

bright green; abdomen towards apex bright blutsh-green, changing to a dull fawn

*S.A Museum,

Trans. Roy. Soc. S: Aust:, 76, December, 1953

near hase, with basal hairs almost pink. Forewings bluish-green with a marginal

band of pale pink from apex to inner margin, also two transverse rows of pink

spots from just below apex to inner margin at one-half, Hindwings salmon pial

lighter towards termen, with a matginal band of dull fawn at inner angie. Fore-

wing length 35 moi; expanse 77 mm.

Loc—Tasmania: Ridgeway (Holotype, a male, dated 4 October 1948 and

allotype female 12 October 1948, taken by J, R. Cunningham, in the Tasmanian

Museum, Hobart; a paratype pair taken 4 October 1948, numbered I. 19099

in South Australian Museum; paratypes, from same locality, in collections of

Messrs, J. R. Cunningham, F. E. Wilson).; also from Taramna (a para~

type male and two females, emerged 28 August 1952, reared by L. W,

Miller from larvae found boring in Eucalyptus saplings on 24 April 1952). Other

examined specimens were a pair from Tasmania submitted by the late Mr: G.

Lyelt and two paratype females, labelled “Tasmania” formerly in the J. A.

Kershaw collection and now passed to the National Museum, Melbourne; there

ig one male, without locality label, in the Queen Victoria. Museum, Launceston.

There are four tnales and a female from Ridgeway, Tasmania, in the F. M.

Angel collection, including 2 pair bred out on 15 September 1950; one taken

16 September 1950 by 5. Angel, and two males dated 7 September 1949 taken by

Mis: M. Tags.

‘Thirteen males, 11 females examined.

In the Taranna tale, as also in one of the Ridgeway examples, the brown

of the forewings is in certain lights tinged dull green. The Taranna fernales have

the faded-scarlet markings of forewing rather larger than in some Ridgeway

examples,

For colour contrasts this pair of moths is not equalled in the genus Oenetus

and the colours themselves are most brilliant, Hence there is little need to apola-

gise for O. paradiseus as the chosen maine.

The male is distinctive by reason of its fiery red hindwings with broad black

outer margins. The female is equally distinctive with its bluish-green forewings

and pink or faded scarlet margins and spots.

The species falls into that section of the genus Oenetus in which the eyes

of the males are not hypertrophied, but are of normal form and proportions, as

in the female. In this character the species is most nearly related to O. scott

Scott, particularly resembling that species in the general shape of the wings;

the colours and markings of course bear little resemblance.

A pair of O, seotts Scott, from Brisbane, Queensland are figured (pl. vi,

fig. 1-2) for comparison with the new species. In O, scotti the head, thorax and

extremity of abdomen are bright green, the forewings also are green with brown

markings; the hindwings are yellow at tips, and pink towards base; the base of

abdomen also is clothed in pink hairs and scales,

I am indebted to Mr. L, W. Miller for sending the material of O. paradiseus

which stimulated the writing of this paper in its present form, and to Mr, J, R.

Cunningham for the gift of the pair in the South Australian Museum collection.

In Octeber 1948 Mr, J. R, Cunningham bred out both sexes of this species

from pupae he found in Eucalyptus saplings at Ridgeway, Tasmania. The late

Mr, George Lyell of Gisborne, at about the same time, sought my opinion as to

the identification of specimens sent to him also from Tasmania.

The species was already known to me, for some years previously the late

Mr. J. A. Kershaw had submitted examples of the species; his sertes consisted

of two faded females, labelled merely as from “Tasmania”, An example of the

male, without locality label, was in the Queen Victoria Museum, Launceston,

The species appeared then to be new, and a preliminary description was

drafted but put aside pending a general revision of the genus, At this time there

were several described species, of which the types are preserved im overseas

Museums and of which authentically identified material was not locatly available.

In the intervening time much of the data for stich a revisiom has been brought

to hand and the study is well advanced,

The present paper anticipates the Revision in order to provide a name for

the species, which thus suddenly has become of interest to the forester and of

ossible minor economic importance because of its association with cultivated

orest Encalypts.

The interplay of cockatoos and Hepialid grubs may be of importance to,

the forester elsewhere. Only a few days alter the above paragraph was drafted

Mr. |. F. B. Common, of the Divistun of Entomology, C.S.1-R.O,, Canberra,

wrote to me under date of 20 October 1952:—‘About a fortnight ago I was

intrigued to find that black cockatoos bad been biting large pieces out of snow

gum saplings near Mt, Gingera to obtain larvae and pupae of a Hepialid, A

search revealed that pupae of the moth were quite common, and I have brought

back a number of sticks to rear the adults... .. 1 was wondering if you have

any records of a species from snow gums at about 5,500 fect.”

While this paper was' going through the press, Mr, I, F, B, Common sent me

for examination four males and four females of the Mt, Gingera torm, These

prove to be the same species but distinguishable, in the male, by the somewhat

less fiery red colour of hindwings, This colour extends almost to the margins

on the middle thitd of the wing instead of being separated from it by a rather

wide black marginal band. The females usually tend to have a more noticeable

greenish suffusion on the outer third of hindwing. This racially distinct form may

be known as O. p. momtanus subsp. nov, The specimens were reared from pupae

gathered on Mt. Gingera, F.C.T., at 5,500 ft.; they emerged on 25 and 26 October

1952. The holotype male and allotype female have been returned, together with

a paratype pair, to the CS.LR_O. Division of Entomology, Canberra, a paratype

pair being retained for the South Australian Museum collection (I, 19100) and

another pair for the British Museum.

Mr. Common writes:—‘Although the moths emerged in late October in

the laboratory, genctal observations in the ficld suggest that they probably emerge

a week or two later at ctitdoor temperattres at that altitude. ‘The damage to the

tree trunks Gi the snow gums has been noticed at several localities along the

Brindabella Range (of which Mt. Gingera is a part) above about 4,500 feet.

Saplings with trunks from about 3 inch to 3 or 4 inches are attacked and, again

from general observations, I would say the larvae have at least a two-year (or

perhaps even a three-year) life cycle. At the time the pupae were collected in

mid-October, there were also quite immature larvae.

The exit hole is usually quite inconspicuous and is often at the base of

and on the upper side of an upwardly oblique branch. Beneath the bark and around

the exit hole a hollow of variable size is usually found. This is apparently eaten

out by the larva, While the larva is still feeding, the exit hole is covered by a

small amount of firm webbing into which is woven particles of wood”. Mr.

Common suggests that the amount of webbing is less than in species stich as

O, daphnandrae Lucas and QO, extmia Scott and that in contrast with these species

the plug forsted when the larva is ahout to pupate is not a thin horizontal mem-

brane of silk scarcely visible fram outside the hole, but is a “plug clearly visible

from without as a vertical or slightly oblique whitish silken membrane.”

NOTE ON A TRIASSIC FISH FOSSIL FROM LEIGH CREEK, SOUTH

AUSTRALIA

BY R. T. WADE (COMMUNICATED BY S. B. DICKINSON)

Summary

A fragment of a fossil fish of undetermined affinities for which a new genus and species, Leighiscus

hillsi, are created is described from the Trias of Leigh Creek. It is the first Triassic fish to be

recorded from South Australia.

NOTE.ON. A. TRIASSIC. FISH FOSSIL FROM LEIGH CREEK,

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

By R. T. Wave

(Communicated by S. B; Dickinson)

[Read 13 Noyember 1952}

SUMMARY

A fragment of a fossil fish of undetermined affinities for which.a new: genus

and species, Leightscus hilist, are created is described from the Trias of Leigh

Creek, It is the first Triassic fish to be recorded from South Australia.

567 (942-17)

Order indet.

Family indet.

Genus Leighiscus gen. nov,

Generic characters determinable from the caudal region only. Tail abbreviate-

eterocercal, advancing’ towards homocercy, with upper fleshy lobe greatly

reduceds neurat and haemal spines slender rods with slightly expanded proximal

heads, Lower part of tail with strap-like haemal elements, Vertebral centra

unossified; fin rays having long proximal unjointed segments, distally- divided

and jointed; scales very thin.

‘Type species Leighiscus hillsi-sp. nov.

Leighiscus hillsi gen. et sp. nov.

Holotype—Tate Collection, University of Adelaide, caudal fragment in

counterpart. Reg. No,. P2070.

Remarks—The specimen in counterpart is preserved in fine mudstone

as a laterally compressed caudal region which is stained by oxide of iron.

Except that it is clearly not a Palaeoniscid, or Teleost, its systematic

position cannot he determined. Because, however, it is the first Triassic fish

reported from S, Australia it is necessary to record its occurence, Its state

of preservation and the nature of the matrix suggest that deposits at Leigh

Creek might be worked hopefully and profitably,

' Description—The fragment preserved is the caudal region which extends

from behind distal fragments of the last dorsal fin and the last few rays

of the anal fin, Length to the base of the upper produced lobe is 90 mm.,

depth at the origin of the caudal fin is 40 mm. and at the preserved part of

the anal fin 45 mm., so that a fairly slender fish is suggested.

The tail is abbreviate-heterocercal, with the upper fleshy lobe greatly

reduced and probably quite short although its tip is not on the specimen.

Of the endoskeleton, the neural and haemal spines are preserved as casts

filled with oxide of iron. Eight of the neural spines are easily observed as

slender rods with slightly expanded proximal heads, and are on average

about 12:mm. long. About eight or ten anterior haemal spines are similar

im appearance to the neurals but a little longer and set more obliquely in

the body. These are succeeded by about twelve haemal elements which are

considerably flattened perhaps or expanded greatly distally, There are

obscure indications of supports beneath the preserved dorsal and anal rays.

The fms are incompletely and imperfectly preserved. Of the dorsal fin,

which seems to have been in advance of the anal, there are three fragments

Trans: Roy, Soc, S. Aust,, 76, December, 1988

Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust, 1954 Vol. 76, Plate VII

of rays of the hindmost part of the fin and obscure impressions’ of two or

three ray supports. Five rays of the hindmost end of the anal fin are pre-

served and they show no trace of jointing or branching.

The caudal fin, too, is incomplete, Ventrally at the origin of the fin

there are two or three short sharp-pointed rays of increasing length, then

in succession proximal segments of about eighteen well-spaced rays, which

show division into joints only in the most posterior five, Very imperfect

remains of more distal parts of the rays were almost certainly branched

and divided into very small joints.

oe Henne

orercern

Fig. 1

Letghiscus hillsi sp. nov., Holotype, approximately natural size

Sketch, with very trifling reconstruction to act as key to photograph

af. Parts of several rays of the hindinost rays of the anal fin, cf, Part of the

very incomplete caudal fin (jointing and dividing omitted). df, Two fragments

of hindmost dorsal finrays. As. Haemal spines. Aw. Haemal elements, obscure

proximally. ns. Neural spines. L.sc. Scales of lateral line (7). dfs. Dorsal fin spines.

On the tipper margin of the upper lobe there is the origin of the dotsal

section of the fin—five slender sharply pointed rays.

The scales if present must have been very thin—the vertebral spines’

show so clearly—but here and there, there are small oval markings, bearing

concentric ridges or hollows, which stiggest scales; whilst in a line towards

the head from the base of the upper lobe there is a line of about nine trag-

cieniney scute-like impressions which represent scales along the lateral line

canals, 5

Note. The name Leighiscus hillsi is intended to record the locality where

the specimen was found, and the interest of Professor E, Sherbon Hills,

Melbourne University.

Tt is unfortunate that the complete fish was not collected. To the

extent to which it is known it has little resemblance to any of the described

Triassic fishes, The advance towards homocercy shown in the rounded ex-

tremity of the lower part of the tail with its strap-like haemal elements,

seeiis. to go beyond that of Macroaeths' (Mid Trias) or Belonorhynchus

(L. Trias) and to bear comparison with the Jurassic Callopterus. —~

A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF SPELEOGNATHIDAE (ACARINA)

FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA

BY H. WOMERSLEY

Summary

A new genus Boydaia (Acarina, Speleognathidae) is erected for certain species of mites hitherto

placed in the Speleognathus Womersley, and a new species of Boydaia, (B. angelae) from the

mucus of a frog’s mouth is described from South Australia.

A NEW GENUS AND SPECIES OF SPELEOGNATHIDAE (ACARINA)

FROM SOUTH AUSTRALIA

By H, Womersiey *

[Read 13 November 1952}

$95.42 (942)

SUMMARY

A new genus Boydata (Acarina, Speleognathidae) is erected for certain

species of mites hitherto placed in Speleoguathus Womersley, and a new species

of Boydaia, (B. angelae) from the mticus of a frog’s mouth is described frota

South Australia,

In 1936 (Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist., (10), 18, 312), the author erected the family

Speleognathidae for a very interesting new species of mite, Speleagnalhus

australts Wom., found in moss and also on the surface of water in horse troughs

at Glen Osmond in 1934 and, 1935, by Dr. R. V. Southcott.

As all the specimens were females and from the habitat on horse troughs

it was thought that in the early stages they may have been parasites in the nasal

cayities of birds or cattle drinking at the troughs.

The swabbing of cattle and the examination of birds, however, failed to

show any evidence of this, Further, in recent years the mites haye not again

been met with.

In 1948 (Proc. Ent. Soc. Washington, 50, (1), 9) Miss Elizabeth M. Boyd

described another species, S. sturni from North America, found inhabiting the

respiratory passages, but more frequently the turbinals than the trachea, of the

startling, Sturmts wulgaris L. She also recorded it from a boat-tailed grackle

Cossidix mesxicanus. Both larvae and adults wete found.

In her remarks Miss Boyd points out the close relationship of the

Speleognathidae to the Ereynetidae (slug-mites), which differ in the absence

of genital suckers and the posterior pair of sensory setae. Particularly

did she stress the interesting fact that S. sturni inhabited warm, well-aerated

mucous environments similar to the slimy secretions of slugs inhabited by species

of Riccardoella of the Ereynetidae, Differences between S. australis and (5. sturni

were given as the presence in sfurni of a 3-segmented palp instead of a single

segment, and the absence of eyes.

The first of these characters warrants more than specific valuation, and I

therefore now propose the new genus Boydate, after Miss Boyd.

Genus Boydaia nov,

As in Speleognathus but with 3-segmented palpi. Mouthparts visible from

above. Type Speleognathus sturni Boyd 1948

Recently I haye received a single specimen of a Speleognathid collected

from the mucus under the tongue of a frog, Limnodynastes tasmaniensis

Gunther vat. by Miss M. Angel of the Zoology Department, University of

Adelaide, while searching for internal parasites.

Upon examination this specimen was found to have the mouthparts visible

from above, a 3-segmented palp, and to lack eyes, thus agreeing generically with

the species described by Miss Boyd. As, however, it differs specifically from

Boydaia sturni (Boyd) it is described as follows as a new species,

*South Australian Museum, ———_—

Trans: Roy, Soc. S. Aust., 76, December, 1953

Boydaia angelae sp. n.

Description—Female, Colour whitish. Soft-bodied, without dorsal or ventral

shields, cuticle with fine punctate striations. Egg-shaped, widest just in front of

coxae ITT, length of idiosoma 580 », width 410», Anus subterminal, Mouthparts

protruding, visible from above, conical; mandibles relatively large basally, but

chelicerae minute and hook-like; palpi apparently 3-segmented, but the first two

segments internally ankylosed to rest of gnathosoma, terminal segment free

Boydaia angelae sp. n.

A, idiosoma in dorsal view; B, entire ventral view showing sclerotization of

left legs; C, mandibles; D, gnathosoma from below; E, anterior sensory seta;

BP, tarsus I, dorsal; G, tarsus I ventral; H, leg seta; I, palp from below:

furnished with a terminal short ciliated seta, a similar but shorter seta ventrally

and subapical and a ventral subapical plain sensory rod; no two pairs of minute

setae on labial portion as shown for B. sturni have been seen, Legs short and

stout, with six segments, longitudinally striated but under the cuticle with a

strongly sclerotized network especially on the coxae: coxae in four pairs, legs I

and II directed forwards, III and IV directed backwards, with few short ciliated

setac; tarsi all apically bilobed, with paired claws, a median pad from which a

short ciliated empodium arises ventrally, with a dorsal and a ventral ciliated seta

apically on each lobe, and a subapical pair of setae both dorsally and ventrally.

Dorsally the idigsoma with an anterior pair of Jong, 42., fine filamentous sensillae

and nine pairs of very short ciliated setae. Ventrally with a pair of setae between

coxae I, between coxae III, and between coxae iV, four on each side of genital

slit and two on each side of anus, All the setae on legs, palpi and body are straight

with short ciliations, and not oval and ciliated as in B. sturnt or Speleognathus

australis Wom.

Remarks

Differs from B. sturnt (Boyd) in the sensillae being filamentous and not

slightly clavate, in the partially ankylosed palpi, and the very differently formed

leg and dorsal setae. .

Tt is named in honour of Miss Madeline Angel who found the specimen.

A third species of Boydaia has recently been described (J. Parasitol. 38, (5),

1952) by Dr. D, A. Crossley, Jr., under the name of Speleognathus striatus. In

the stricture and form of the palpi, it will be better placed in the new genus

proposed in the present paper. In addition, Crossley points out the presence of a

pair of attenuate setae anterior to the genital opening in .S. australis, which aré

absent in B. striatus, as they are also in sfurnt and angelae. These setae can be

regarded as a secondary generic character of Speleognathus. The three species

of Boydaia now known may be keyed as follows.

1 Eyes present, 1 + 1. Body both dorsally and ventrally con-

spicuously striated, as also are the legs and palpt «a. B. striatus (Crossley)

Eyes absent, Body and appendages without corispicuous

striations. :

2 All palpal segments free. Sensillae lightly clavate, All setae

on palpi, legs and body short and clavate ibe a. B, sturni (Boyd)

Palpi with first two segments internally ankylosed with rest

of gnathosoma, All setae on palpi legs and body straight

with short ciliations .... ens S836 is es B. angelae. sp.n.

The hosts of 5S. australis are unknown but B. sturni has been found in the

nasal passages of starlings (Boyd) and sparrows (Porter and Strandtmann) in

Ametica; B. striatus is recorded from the nasa) passages of two species of doves

from Texas and Georgia, U.S.A. (Crossley), while the new species herein

described was from a frog.

REFERENCES

Born, Evizaners M. 1948 A new mite from the respiratory tract of the

Starling. Proc. Ent. Soc. Wash., 50, 9-14

Crosstey, D. A., Jr, 1952 Two new Nasal Mites from Columbiform birds.

J. Parasitol., 38, (5), 385 .

Porter, J, C., and StRaANprMANN, R. N. 1952 Nasal mites of the English

Sparrow, Texas J, Sci. No. 3, 393

Womerstey, H. 1906 On a new family of Acarina, with a description of a

new genus and species. An. Mag, Nat. Hist., (10), 18, 312-315

THE GENESIS OF SOME GRANITIC AND ASSOCIATED ROCKS IN THE

NORTH-EASTERN FLINDERS RANGES, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

BY D. R. BOWES

Summary

The country rocks of the area, which are tillites, slates, quartzites and marbles of the Sturtian Series

of the Adelaide System (Upper Precambrian) were involved in an early Palaeozoic orogeny. Some

of the rocks were greatly changed and migmatite complexes consisting mainly of rocks of granitic

composition were produced. Rocks with compositions more basic than that of any of the country

rock were also formed. A period of dislocation metamorphism followed the migmatization and then

a magmatic granite was intruded. Metasomatic activity associated with the late phases of cooling of

this granite altered a dolomitic marble to tale in favourable structures. A long period of quietude

and erosion followed until (?) early Tertiary times when some lacustrine beds were deposited. Later

there was some isostatic adjustment with differential uplift of blocks of the crust and the deposition

of outwash alluvium.

THE GENESIS OF SOME GRANITIC AND ASSOCIATED ROCKS IN

THE NORTH-EASTERN FLINDERS RANGES, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

D. R. Bowes *

551,72 (942~191)

SUMMARY

The country rocks of the area, which are tillites, slates, quartzites and

marbles of the Sturtian Series of the Adelaide System (Upper Precambrian)

were involved in an early Palaeozoic orogeny. Some of the rocks were greatly

changed and migmatite complexes consisting mainly of rocks of granitic

composition were produced. Rocks with compositions more basic than that of

any of the country rock were also formed. A period of dislocation meta-

morphism followed the migmatization and then a magmatic granite was

intruded. Metasomatic activity associated with the late phases of cooling’ of

this granite altered a dolomitic marble to talc in favourable structures. A long

period of quietude and erosion followed until (?) early Tertiary times when

some lacustrine beds were deposited. Later there was some isostatic adjust-

ment with differential uplift of blocks of the crust and the deposition of

ottwash alluvium.

Page

I Intropuctiow = “ . . w= - as . 85

TI GworosrcaL Serrinc, STRATIGRAPHY AND STRUCTURE - - - B7

Il Tse Country Rocrs = - - ee . 3 - &9

IV Counrry Rock — MicMarrre TRANSFORMATIONS - - - - 02

V Tse Micwatite: ComPiexes - = = mi ni ~ 95

VI Post-mMicmamizaTION Movements anv DrstocaTion MrTAMORPHIgM ~- 8

VII Inrevsion of THE MupNAWATANA GRANITE - - = ~ 101

VITI Corretation ann Ace = ~ = - s - - 104

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS - - - - - bs a - 105

Brsriocraryy - - - - - . - - 105

I. INTRODUCTION

(a) Location anp Access

The area described in this paper is the north-eastern extremity of the

Flinders Ranges (Fig. 1). To the north it is bounded by the alluvium of the

Lake Eyre Plain (beneath which is the Great Artesian Basin), to the east by

the Paralana fault and the alluvium of the Lake Frome Plain, while the south-

ern and western margins are drawn so as to include the boundary of the

Terrapinna Migmatite Complex and the tale deposits tespectively,

Mount Fitton, which is centrally placed, is situated approximately 350

mules N.N.E. of Adelaide, its position being that of latitude 29°55’ S and

longitude 138° 25’ E (approx.), It is 85 miles by road in an easterly direction

from Lyndhurst railway siding which is 392 miles north of Adelaide (by rail),

(b) PrysiocrarHy

At the north-eastern extremity of the tanges the country flattens out

towards the plains to the north and the east, and although hilly, with the

highest points more than 1,000 feet above sea level, it lacks the steep slopes

and rugged relief of the country around Freeling [eights and Mount Painter

to the south. Many of the watercourses flow in broad valleys (Plate VIII Fig.

1) in contrast to the steep courses through rugged gorges of many of the

creeks in the central part of the ranges.

~ * Department of Geology, University of Adelaide, ; ="

Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust, 76, December, 1953

In and adjacent to the ranges the drainage lines are well defined. The

main water-courses, the Hamilton, Mudnawatana, and Billy Springs Creeks,

have their sources in the high ground to the south, and have cut deep gorges

through the hills of the migmatite complexes. Extensive plains stretch both

north and east of these ranges.

LOCALITY PLAN : LAKE EYRE PLAIN

NORTH EASTERN FLINDERS RANGES:

SCALE

ay Se skh

2 exe weed of mien

WISTAKEN HILL” S

~ aN a ree sr?

h t usgd Met LYNDHURST %

igus on™ MBER ATAN A

7 ey

A TERMINATION HILiW

v2 Ne crwomunesr

BAN ICANINGA

_ BENBONAYTHE HILL A tans

OL Bancavcona

Fig. 1 Locality plan of north-eastern Flinders Ranges.

The earliest report of any geological investigation in this part of South

Australia was given by Woodward in 1885 in which he recorded the occur-

rence of glacial till and its gradual change to gneiss and granite. No further

examination of these changes was made until 1946 when Sprigg (1951) con-

ducted @ reconnaissance survey of the area in connection with the talc deposits

discovered west of Mount Fitton, but as early as 1887 the geological map of

South Australia showed “Plutonic” rocks in the area, During the intervening

years there had been some mining activity west and south of Mount Fitton,

but there was no geological survey of the area round these mines.

Howchin (1924) correlated Woodward’s boulder clay with the Sturtian

Tillite () and later Howchin (1929) grouped it in the Adelaide Series™

(Upper Precambrian) and grouped the gneisses and granites with the older

Precambrian, Previously Woolnough and Dayid (1926) had classed the

gneisses and schists in the area as being part of the Willyama Series

(Archean).

Since the discovery of talc in 1944, the area has become a focus of geo-

logical activity. Sprigg (1945 (a)) and Broadhurst (1946, 1947), made

preliminary investigations, The detailed structure and ore reserves, regional

structure, and petrology of the tale deposits were studied by Dickinson

(1949), Sprigg (1949) and Stillwell and Edwards (1951), respectively, and

Sprigg (1951) gave a brief account of the regional geology of the north-

-eastern Flinders Ranges.

i) Now the Sturt Tillite of the Adelaide System (Mawson and Sprigg 1930).

(d) Present INVESTIGATIONS

The desirability of a detailed petrological inyestigation firstly of the

granite terrain in close proximity to the tale deposits and secondly of the

changes from tillite to gneiss and granite was suggested by Sprigg who made

available a photo-geology map (on which Fig. Z is based) and information

obtained during a brief reconnaissance survey of the area. The field investi-

gations were carried out during 1947 mainly under the auspices of the South

Australian Department of Mines and the laboratory work was done in the

laboratories of the Department of Geology, Imperial College, London, in

1948-9 duting the tenure of an 1851 Science Research Scholatship. Further

field and laboratory investigations performed during 1950-2 confirmed and

amplified the original conclusions. ‘

This paper gives an account of the metamorphic and igneous history of

the area with particular reference to the genesis of the granitic rocks. Detailed

accounts of the mineralogical and chentical changes involved in the migma-

titic transformation of the various types of country rock are published sepa-

rately (Bowes 1952 and 1953).

The specimen numbers referred to in the text are those of the Rock

Catalogue, Department of Geology, University of Adelaide.

II], GEOLOGICAL SETTING, STRATIGRAPHY AND STRUCTURE

(a) GroLocicat Serzinc

Investigations in the Mount Lofty and Flinders Ranges have demon-

strated the existence, in late Precambrian and early Palaeozoic times, of a

geosynclinal depression which stretched from south to north for several

hundreds of miles and in which a vast thickness of sediments accamulated

(Mawson 1947, Sprigg 1952). The late Precambrfan sedimentary accumula-

tion is known as the “Adelaide System" (David 1922, Mawson & Sprige 1950}

and the rocks composing most of the Flinders Ranges are the equivalents of

these sediments. In the vicinity of Mount Fitton and Mount Painter these

rocks were migmatized and also intruded by granite.

During late Mesozoic and early Tertiary times much of north-eastern

South Australia was a basin of deposition and relics of the Eyrian Series

(Woolnough and David 1926) are found as outliers at the north-eastern

extremity of the Flinders Ranges where this basin overlapped the oldet rocks,

(b) SrratickaPHy

(i) Adelaide System, Tillite, which Howchin (1924) considered the equiva-

lent of the Sturt Tillite, makes up part of the country rock of the Mount

Fitton area. Support for this correlation is given by the continuous outcrop

of the tillite into areas further south where it is considered to be Sturtian by

Sprigg (1945(b)) and Mawson (1949).

ea The stratigraphic sequence, commencing with the older sediments is as

oHows :-—

Tillite series—tillite, laminated slate, metamorphosed siltstone and

quartzite; some of the slates and siltstones contain erratics.

Tremolite Marble lens—a dolomitic marble,

Laminated Slate series—laminated and calcareous slates and metamor-

phosed siltstones with some tillite bands im the lower horizons; also

minor dolomitic marbles.

Details of this succession are given by Sprigg (1951).

Apart from the presence of the marble lens, this stratigraphical sequence

is similar to that of part of the Sturtian series of the Adelaide System near

Adelaide (Mawson & Sprigg 1950) and in the Mount Painter area (Sprigg

soras nya E34

‘eyessny yinos ‘uo}y Juno ‘deur pearBojoad sauessreuuorsay =z “ZL

UT caureve LW

BUAPAOIN “39VEaVa LNTON 5,

A A A KAA A ~ q J) o 8 © @ & & oS

SITeaS SVR 49 ROMO HLM WOATITY. : ed MOINAS aS

1945(b)), Hence the Tillite series is correlated with the Sturt Tillite (as pre-

viously suggested) and the Laminated Slate series correlated with the Tapley

Hill laminated slates.

(ii) Eyrian Series. This series was named and described by Woolnough

atid David (1926) and David & Browne (1950) tentatively gave its age as

Eocene. It consists of gently slippidy. sabsletolices and quartzites with under-

lying shales and sandy shales (Plate X Fig. 1),

(iii) Post-Tertiary, David (1932) indicated that the lacustrine beds found

near Lake Callabona (wide Fig. 1) are of Pleistocene age. Deposition of

allustus has continued to the present day. (vide David & Browne 1950, Fig.

(i) Early Palagozoic Movements, The beds of the Adelaide System are

folded with major fold axes directed east-west which is in sympathy with the

major fold pattern of the north-eastern Flinders Ranges. There are also some

weakly developed, widely spaced cross folds. In the eastern part of the area

the folds are tight with steeply dipping or vertical limbs and the fold axes

até parallel, These axes pitch from 5° to 15° towards the west, in which direc-

tion the folds become more open, the axes fan out and the dips are moderate

to small. A prominent east-west regional cleavage developed. The major

structural pattern continues through the migmatite complexes which are, in

general, located in the anticlines of the tightest folds. The marble lens acted

as an incompetent bed and rock flowage took place during folding. Hence

the lens has thickened considerably along the axes of major folds, Some of

the boundaries are intimately drag-folded and the focalization of tale deposits

4 sheared drag-folded parts of the marble lens has been discussed by Sprigg

949). ‘

Faulting and shearing took place after the folding and migmatization, but

before the intrusion of the magmatic Mudnawatana Granite, Much of the

migmatite complexes are traversed by closely spaced east-west shears and

faulting took place along the boundaries of the migmatite complexes at the

eastern end of the area. In parts there is siliceous crush breccia along the

fault zone (Plate X Fig, 1), Movement took place along the Paralana Fault

at the same time as in the Mount Painter area where it post-dates the forma-

tion of the red migmatitic granite but pre-dates the white magmatic eranite.

(ii) Post Palaeozoic Movements, Following the early Palaeozoic moveé-

ments, this part of the crust remained stable until after the deposition of the

Eyrian Series when faults developed and isostatic adjustment took place as

evidenced by the varying levels at which the Eyrian Series crops out (Plate

X Fig. 1). Movement took place mainly along early Palaeozoic fault lines

suck as the Paralana Fault and along the boundaries of the migmatite com-

plexes.

Ill. THE COUNTRY ROCKS

(a) Tee Tire Sess

This ¢eries of metamorphosed glacial and fluviogiacial sediments js essen-

tially composed of unsorted, unstratified glacial debris together with banded,

stratified slates and siltstones and minor thin quartzite bands. Their extent

and distribution and the nature of their outcrop are shown in Fig. 2 and Plate

% Fig. 1 respectively,

(i) The Tillite. The tillite is usually a dark-grey, metamorphosed, unstta-

tified, gritty mudstone carrying numerous erratics of various shapes and sizes

which are promiscaously distributed throughout a fine-grained matrix. Strati-

fication iz sometimes shown and the tillite may pass into a banded slate. A

great variety of lithological types are found as erratics, the most common

being fine-grained quartzite and granite. The proportion of etratics to rock

flaur matrix varies considerably from place to place as does the proportion of

each lithological type of erratic, but the erratics are always subordinate in

amount. The matrix shows that metamorphism reached the biotite grade.

Variations in texture, grain size and angularity of the fragments are

infinite, but throughout the area of the country rocks the matrix is always

semipelitic being composed essentially of quartz and biotite together with

some dolomite and minor amounts of felspar, The chemical composition of

the matrix is comparable to that of subgreywacke or greywacke (Table 1).

Tarte I

SiO, - - = 70-25 H;O- (120°C) =- 0-05

TiO; - - - O-f2 co: - - = 41-57

ALOs - - - 10°78 PO; - - - O88

FeO, - - - 1-35 BaQ - - - §-0S

FeQ - - - 3:54 ZrO, - - - O04

MnO - - = 0:05 Ss - = = O22

MeO - - - 366 ——

CaQ = = ~ 3-43 100-16

NaQ - ~ - 117 Less O for S =~ 0°09

KO = «= = 297 —

H,0+ - -.- 0-48 100-07

TTT

Average of three analyses of the matrix of the tillite,

Mount Fitton (vide Bowes 1953, Table I).

Classification on minetalogical composition indicates that the matrix varies

from psammitic subgreywacke to pelitic subgreywacke (vide Pettijohn 1949,

p. 227) but has features which are distinctive of glacial debris. The tillite

matrix differs from subgreywacke and greywacke in that K,O is greatly in

excess of Na,O. This reflects the abundance of biotite and the paucity of

felspar, Also MgO is in excess of CaOt due ‘to the carbonate fraction being

dolomitic.

Detailed petrographic descriptions of the tillite together with an account

of its chemical composition and metamorphism and a comparison with Sturt

Tillite from other parts of South Australia have been published (Bowes, 1953).

(ii) The Interbedded Slates and Siltstones. The rocks of this group are

usually semipelitic being composed essentially of a recrystallized mosaic of

quartz and biotite and showing variations in composition similar to those

shown by the tillite. Some of the rocks contain a variable percentage of

carbonate, which, during metamorphism, was the starting point for the forma-

tion of actinolitic hornblende. Banded and laminated rocks make up the major

part of the group and the stratification of these was used greatly in mapping

the structure of the Tillite series. Some contain a few sparsely distributed

erratics and transitions from these rocks to true tillite with a structureless

matrix are seen.

Some of the country rock relics in the migmatites near Terrapinna are of

this group. They are now highly sheared. The more pelitic rocks (9322-3)

are composed of recrystallized quartz grains which vary in size from 0°5

mmm, to 0°05 mm. together with flakes of brown bictite oriented parallel ta

the shear planes. Some sericitic mica and calcite are also present. The more

sammitic racks suffered severely during the dislocation metamorphism

(9324-5), All the recrystallized quartz shows cracking and strain shadows

and sericitic mica is aligned parallel to the planes of shearing. Some hiatite,

(showing breakdown to chlorite}, calcite, tourmaline and magnetite are

resent.

: Quartz amphibole rocks make up part of the series and are representa-

tive of siliceous types containing more than the usual amount of carbonate.

‘They are banded greyish-green, dense, compact rocks, the handing pene due

to variations in grain size and in the proportion of amphibule present (9326).

Quartz, the most abundant mineral, is preset as angular to subangular frag-

ments which vary from 0:2 mm, to 0:02 mm. The ratio of coarser-gramed to

finer-grained fragments varies from band to band. Actinolitic hornblende is

present as light-green crystals, some of which show sieve texture {the in-

clusions being the quartz of the matrix), but most are well-formed prismatic

crystals which are often radially arranged. Biotite and calcite are absent,

but the presence of zircons surrounded by pleochroic haloes and the growth

of amphibole at the expense of biotite in other rocks in this area suggest that

the reaction of calcite and biotite produced the actinolitic hornblende. Sphene

and ilmenite are accessory.

Some of the banded rocks are made up of alternate bands of quartz and

biotite and coatser-grained quartz and amphibole (9327), The bands are not

always continuous and sometimes the band boundaries are indefinite because

of recrystallization and mineral reconstitution. The finer-grained quattz bio-

tite bands are similar to the fine-grained base of the tillites, being composed of

a few angular fragments of quartz and microcline (O'S mm.)}, together with

recrystallized quartz grains (0°04 mm.) and small flakes of biotite oriented

parallel! {o the handing. The amphibole-rich bands are mainly formed of

poeciloblastic masses of Jight-green actinolitic hornblende, up to 1 mm. in

length, which show sieve texture, the inclusions being small recrystallized

quartz individuals. Some of the amphibole pushed aside biotite flakea during

its development. Sphene, apatite, ilmenite and zircon are accessory. It would

appear that the banded’ mineral assemblage is duc to variations in the. percen-

tage of the carbonate {raction, some bands being similar to the semipelitic

slates and siltstones and other bands similar to the quartz amphibole rocks.

The amount of felspar present in the rocks of this group ts very small;

most of it is potash felspar, Basic plagioclase has not been recoguized and the

‘amount of black iron ore is similar to that found in the tillites. Actinolitic

hornblende is relatively abundant in some, but the majority of the rocks are

composed of quartz and biotite,

(iii) The Interbedded Quarisites, The tocks of this group are mainly white,

fine-grained and glassy. They consist almost entirely of reerystallized quartz

individuals with sutured interlocking borders, and no relics of their original

detrital nature remain except for same accessory minerals. The average grain

size ig usually between 0-3 mm, and 1 mm, Details of the nature and compo-

sition of these rocks have been published (Bowes 1952).

(b) Tae Tsemortrs Maree Lens

The tremolite marble (9328) is contposed of anhedral crystals of dolomite

(average grain size 0-25 mm.) together with long thin blades of tremolite up

to 3 inches in length. The tremolite is colourless with Z A C = 17° and D.R.

is 0-025, A micrometric analysis showed the tock to be composed of 86%

carbonate and 14% tremolite. The chemical composition of the rock has been

calculated (Table 2) using the formula (OH),Ca,Mg,Si,O,, for tremolite,

Tastz 2

Si, ~ + &3 SiQ, - + 59-06 NuO - = Nil

CaO - Ss BD ALO, - = 1-8 KO - - Nit

MgO - ~+ 213 FuO, - - O16 HyO+ - S17

COs - = 41-0 FeQ - - O45 H.0- (100°C) 0-10

HO - = 03 MgO = - 33-12 TiO, - - O21

Cad 2 E' Nit P.Or = < 0-08

Total - - 9 Total - - 100-16

Na a a ee he ee eed ne

A. Calculated compésition (from mode) of tremolite marble (9328). Two miles south-

_ west of Union Trix.

B. Best quality off-white tale. Flindérs Talc No, 5 Deposit. Analyst, T. W. Dalwood

(Stillwell and Edwards 1951).

The production of tremolite by metamorphism of a siliceous dolomite repre-

sents a low grade of metamorphism and did not require a great elevation of

temperature (Bowen 1940). This is consistent with the attainment of the

biotite grade of metamorphism in the surrounding tillites and slates.

This group of rocks is made up of laminated slates, siliceous slates and

metamorphosed siltstones together with minor white, buff and blue marbles

and minor tillite bands in the lower horizons. All have been recrystallized

and reached the biotite grade of metamorphism but none have been migma-

tized, There has been a little lead-zine mineralization in a few localized areas

and some of the rocks have been altered by contact metamorphism,

The laminated slates and siltstones (9329-30) which make up the major

part of this series show well developed banding. This may, in parts, reflect

seasonal changes. The features of these rocks are similar to the features of the

corresponding rocks of the Tillite series, Siliceous slates and siltstones, which

do not break along any direction are a distinctive part of the series. They are

dark-grey and composed essentially of quartz and biotite,

In parts membets of this series show decussate texture and are horn-

felses. Such a rock (9331) forms the matrix of the lead-zinc mineralized zone

of the Billy Springs Mine, half a mile west of Flinders Talc No. 5, It is essen-

sially composed of quartz and randomly oriented flakes of brown biotite and

larger flakes of muscovite. The grain size of the quartz varies from 0:02 mm.

to 0°05 mm. Dolomite, ilmenite, zircon, and sphene are accessory, These

hotnfelses are considered to be within the metamorphic aureole of a concealed

extension of the Mudnawatana Granite (vide p. 101),

IV COUNTRY ROCK—MIGMATITE TRANSFORMATIONS

A detailed investigation of the gradations from tillite to granite and

gneiss described by Woodward (1885) has shown that these transformations

involved migration of material into the country rock and migration of other

matcriai out of it. The resultant rock types are “mixed rocks” and hence are

called “migmatites” (zide Read 1944, p, 63). Large masses of country rack

were transformed into migmatites. Tillites, slates, siltstones, and quartzites

were all altered by granitization and show gradations to migmatitic aigen

granite. Basification also altered sonte of the tillites, slates, and siltstones

to labradorite, amphibole, ilmenite tocks, and the quartaites to amphibole,

clinezotsite, quattz rocks,

(a) Tue TRANSFORMATION oF TILLITE

(3) By Granitisation, The transformation of tillite into migmatitic augen

granite (Table 3), which sometimes contains relic tillite erratics, can be

TABLE 3

SiQ, = - = 72-34 H,0+ - — O54

TiO, - - - O30 H:O-(110' C.) + 0-09

ALO: = <= + 13-32 PO, - - - 0-08

FeOs - + - 1°37 BaO - - - O02

FeO - ~ - 1-90 ZrO, - - - 0-20

MnQ - - - Tr 5 - - = abs

MeO - = - O41 CnO. - - - abs

CaO - - > 1°33

NaQ - - - 2-73 Total - — + 99-93

KO + - - 5-48 SG ~ = - 2-60

Migmatitic augen granite (9299). Five miles north-west of Mount Fitton

Analyst, D. R.. Bowes.

demonstrated in many places along the boundaries of the migmatite com-

plexes. Subsequent shearing movements have destroyed the clear evidence

of transformation in parts, but in other areas the rocks are unsheared and the

transition can be clearly seen. Many unaltered and little altered erratics

remain in the granitic migmatites in the border zones of the complexes. Grant-

tization involved an increase in K and Na and, in most cases Si, and a decrease

in Fe, Mg, Ca, Ti, P, and Mn. In general each part of the rock was altered to

the same extent as the adjacent part but in some of the rocks permeation took

place preferentially and the process was one of agmatization,

| (ii) By Basification. Rocks which show many of the characteristic fea-

tures of tillite, but which are epidiorite-like and are composed of labradorite,

actinolitic hornblende and ilmenite with a relic quartz mosaic, are found in

the Mount Babbage Migmatite Complex and also in the Tillite series. The

available evidence suggests that the unusual composition of these epidiorite-

like rocks is not an original sedimentary composition but is due to the trans-

formation of tillite by basification : Fe, Ca, Mg, Ti, Mn, and Cr were intro-

duced and Si and K were expelled. ——

Detailed petrographic, descriptions, analyses and microphotographs illus-

trating the stages of alteration of tillite by granitization to migmatitic augen

granite both by direct replacement and by agmatization and its alteration by

basification to epidiorite-like rocks is published separately (Bowes 1953).

(b) Tue TRANSFORMATION OF SLATES AND SILTSTONES.

’ (i) By Granitization. The granitization of the interbedded, banded slates

and siltstones, which contain no erratics, and the resultant production of

migmatitic granite is iustrated at many points along the boundaries of the

migmatite complexes (especially along the southern boundary of the Mount

Babbage Migmatite Complex) and also around the edges of the country rock

relics within the complexes, Fine-grained rocks rich in potash felspar were

produced at an early stage and transitions from country rock to a light-

coloured, fine-grained quartz, microcline, biotite, migmatite (9332) can he seen.

Some of the associated rocks show the development of medium-grained quartz

individuals with ragged edges in a finer-grained quartz microcline mosaic

(9333). These fine-grained migmatitic granites pass quickly into coarse

migmatitic augen granite similar to that produced by the granitization of

tillite although in parts the felspars are rectangular and lath-like (9334). The

chemical changes involved in these transformations ate similar to those in the

transformation of tillite to migmatitic augen granite.

(ii) By Basifcation, Dark greenish coloured rocks similar in appearance and

composition to those considered to be formed by the basification of tillite are

found in a few places in the Mount Babbage Migmatite Complex. Although

it is not possible to trace a complete sequence of transformations from unal-

tered country rock to a patchy labradorite amphibole rock, these rocks show

similar textures, mineralogical associations and composition to those shown

by the basified ttllites. On these grounds, and because of the absence of

labradorite, the paucity of ilmenite and the smaller amount of amphibole in

the slates and siltstones, these epidiorite-like rocks are considered to be

altered sediments, which originally contained no erratics.

In the early stages of transformation the rocks are fine-grained (9335-6)

and made up of small prismatic and larger poecilablastic crystals of actino-

litic hornblende and small caleic plagioclase laths (AB,,), Both these minerals

grew at the expense of a fine-grained quartzose mosaic, relics of which remain

in both amphibole and plagioclase, Golden-brown biotite, apparently replac-

ing amphibule, is seen as clusters. At an advanced stage of transformation,

patchy green and white rocks were formed (9337-8) in which the grain size

is considerably greater. Skeletal patterns of ilmenite and large crystals of

apatite are a notable feature. ‘The mineralogical yariations shown by these

rocks are similar to those described m connection with the basification of

the tillite,

(ec) Tre TRANSFORMATION OF QUARTZITE

(i) By Granitization, The quartzites withstand transformation by migma-

tization. to a much greater extent than the associated slates, siltstones and

tillite matrixes and because of this it is possible to trace bands, which were

originally quartzite, in the migmatite complexes, when all the associated

rocks have been transformed beyond recognition. It is in these bands that the

transformation of quartzite by granitization can be seen. The final product is

@ migmatitic augen granite indistinguishable from that produced by the

granitization of the tillites, slates and siltstones (Table 3). This involved a

considerable decrease in quattz and an increase in potash felspar, biotite,

anid acid plagioclase; Si decreased and Ti, Al, Fe, Mg, Ca, Na, K, and H

increased, K. Al, and Na particularly.

(ii) By Basification, Quartzites which contain clinozoisite and actinolitic

hornblende in variable amounts are found as small irregular patches amongst

the Tillite series. The presence and relative abtindance of this suite of minerals

bears no obyious relation to any bed or sedimentary feature and it would

appear as if any concentration of these minerals indicates the introduction of

calemic constituents into the quartzite in localized patches, Basification in-

Volyed a decrease in the amount of quartz and an increase in actinolitic

hornblende, clinozoisite, sphene and ilmenite; Si and K decreased and Ti, Al,

Fe, Mg, Ca, and H increased.

Detailed petrographic descriptions, micro-drawings and discussion of the

Stages of the alteration of quartzite by granitization and basification have

been published, (Bowes 1952).

(d) InrerRELATION OF TRANSFORMING PROCESSES

The constituents driven out of the tillites, slates and siltstones during

their pranitization were those introduced into these rocks during their basi-.

hieation and vice versa, The processes of gramitization end basification were

thus complementary in the Mount Fitton area. In the case of the quartzites

both graritization and basification involved a considerable desilication and

addition of hases. Silica was thus provided for the granitization of the asseci-

ated tillites, slates and siltstones and the bases expelled from {hese rocks were,

in part, fixed in the quartzites. Hence the presence of quartzites in the Tillite

series prevented the extensive development of basic, epidiorite-like rocks

during migmatization and the alterations by grafitization and basification of

the tillites, slates, siltstones, and quartzites are al] part of a regional migma-

tization atid are intimately connected.

V. THE MIGMATITE COMPLEXES

Large masses of country rock were transformed by migmatization in the

Mount Fitton area and these altered rocks crop out as two large complexes

named by Sprigg (1951) the Mount Babbage and Terrapinna Granite Com-

plexes. As these rocks are migmatitic in character and genesis and are not en-

tirely granitic, it is considered best to refer to them as the Mount Babbage

and Terrapinna Migmatite Complexes (Fig. 2). They are situated at the

northern and eastern parts of the area where the folds are tightest and in

each case they appear to be localized in the core of an anticline, (shost sedi-

mentary structures may he recognised in them and these have the same

major pattern ag the country rock structures, No migmatites are exposed at

the present level of erosion in the central and western parts of the region

where the folds are more open.

The rocks found within the boundaries of the migmatite complexes can

be divided into the following groups: (1) migmatitic granites, including the

marginal granitized country rock—this is the main group in eath complex;

(i7) sheared migmatitic granites; (iii) migmatitic schists and gneisses; (tv)

sheated migmatitic schists and gneisses; (v) epidioritelike migmatites in-

cluding marginal basified rocks; (vi) country rock relics; (vii) Mudnawatana

Granite (which is considered to be mebilized migmatite) and its associated

aphtes, pegmatites, quartz veins and chloritized, saussuritized rocks, Groups

(ai) and (iv) are the sheared equivalents of (i) and (iii) and are described in

the following section; group (vi) has been described and proup (vii) will be

described Jater.

(a)- Tue Treratinna Miematire ComPLex

This complex covers an area of more than 20 square miles in the area

mapped and consists of an outer rim of sheared migmatilic granite (Plate XI

Fig. 1) with a main centra! core of migmatitic augen granite which weathers

giving tor structure (Plate X, Fig. 2). Transitions from country rock into

migmatitic granite are shown in some places along the boundaries, agmatized

tillite ts seen in the banks of the Hamilton Creek on its southern boundaty

and some country rock relics remain. Many of the rocks show evidence of

post-migmatization shearing and aplites, dolerite and chloritized and saussuri-

tized rocks are also found. An extension of the complex is seen in the southern

part of the area and continues in the direction of the Frecling Heights and

Mount Painter. 4

Migmatitic augen granites make up the main part of the complex. Large

oyoids of microcline microperthite, up to 5 x 3 cm. in cross section

are associated with irregular masses uf quartz, which often have a

bluish opalescent tint and are up to 3 x 3 cm,, and clots of brown biotite

(9339). Quartz is often included in the potash felspar and in parts fine worm-

like intergrowths of potash felspar are seen in the quartz. Some of these rocks

also show a finer-grained sutured quartz iclspar mosaic. The relative amounts

of these two minerals yary [ram place to place and in some parts the large

felspars merge into a mosaic of finet-grained felspar, Myrmekitic intergrowths

are sometimes seen (9340) The amount of acid plagioclase (Ab,,-Ab,,)

varies, Some rocks contain equal amounts of potash felspar and plagioclase

(9341) while in a few acid plagioclase (Ab,,) is the dominant felspar present

and forms the augen (9342). These rocks are migmuatitic adamelites and

granodiorites respectively. In all these rocks biotite is the only mafic mineral

present, It is seen as nests and irregular patches of flakes and contains inclu-

sions of quartz, zircon, apatite and iron ore. Some of the biotite shows a break-

down to chlorite and muscovite is present in yariable amounts.

Although the migmatites are generally a coarse augen type, some

ever-grained migmatitic granites of medium to coarse grain size are present,

These rocks are essentially made up of quartz, microcline, microcline micro-

perthite and biotite as well as some muscovite (9343-4), Finer-grained grani-

tic migmiatites, sore containing large poeciloblasts of potash felspar repre-

sent original quartzite and quartz-rich bands (Bowes 1952).

The similarity in beth macroscopic and microscope characters and

appearance between these migmatitic augen granites and the “augen granite”

of Herma Ness, Unst, Shetland Islands (Fernando 1941) is worthy of note.

Si AN

RAN

as “ie ray

Fig. iJ Migrmatitic gneisses, two miles north of Mount Babbage.

(a) Cordlerite (showing sieve texture with Inclusions of quartz), sillimanite,

quartz, tourmaline gneiss (9347). X16,

(b) Mierocline, quartz, biotite, muscovite, garnet gnuetss (9349). Zircons, sur-

rounded by haloes, and apatite Jaths are included in the biotite. X14,

(b) Tae Mount Barpace Micmatire ComPLex

This complex covers approximately 40 square miles in the arca mapped.

Only its southern boundary with the country rocks is shown as the migmatites

ate unconformably overlain by alluvium to the north, The rocks of this cOm-

plex have suffered more general shearing than those of the other complex and

sheared miginatitic granite is as common as its un-sheared parent, Small

areas of eptdiorite-like migmatite are seen, migmatitic gneisses and schists

ctop out in two areas in the notthern parts and country rock relics remain,

especially near the southern boundary. The Mudnawatana Granite crops out

in the depressed central area and aplites, pegmatites and quartz veins also

occur, especially in the eastern part.

Migmatitie augen granites, together with their sheared equivalents, make up

the main mass of this complex. They are similar to the rocks found in the

Terrapinna Migmatite Complex, being composed of large felspar augen

(usually potash felspar), irregular masses of quartz which sometimes has a

biyish opalescent tint and nests of biotite flakes: (9299) (Plate X Figs 3 &

4). The composition of the plagioclase felspar varies from Ab,, (9345) toAbg,

(9346) although the general composition is Ab,,. In some of the more fels-

pathic rocks biotite is scarce. Evén-yrained tigmatitic granites with medium-

coarse grain size are also present and these often represent granitized quart-

zites or siliceous bands.

Migmaittic gneisses and schists crop out north of Mount Babbage, Quartz-

rich rocks, in which cordierite developed at the expense of the quartz mosaic,

relics of which remain givitig sieve texture, are seen. Sillimanite is associated

with the cordierite and tourmaline, muscovite, clinozoisite, apatite, magnetite,

sphene and zircon are accessory (934/7-Fig. 3a). Patchy pink rocks containing

garnet as well as labradorite (Ab,.), green amphibole, cordierite, clinozoisite

and sphene are also present (9348). The cordierite again shows sieve texture

and contains numerous relics of the original quartz mosaic, The presence of

sillimanite and cordierite in these rocks is not necessarily indicative of a high

grade of reerystallization metamorphism as the formation of these minerals

by metasomatism has been described (Watson 1948; Bowes 1948).

Granitic gneisses, essentially composed of quartz, felspar and biatite also

crop out. Porphyroblasts of both microcline and oligotlase developed; some

contain numerous micaceous inclusions while others have abundant quartz

inclusions and show sieve texture. Biotitc, together with minor amounts of

muscovite developed and clusters of garnets formed (9349-Fig, 3b). In some

of the rocks little or no felspar is present and quartz, biotite and garnet are

the essential constituents. (9350).

Biotite-rich rocks were also developed, Biotite, quariz and garnet together

with accessory muscovite, zircon, apatite, rutile and tourmaline constitute

some of the rocks (9351-2—Fig. 3c) while in others plagioclase (Ab,.) devel-

oped but not garnet (9353). All show distinct foliation due io the parallel

alignment of the biottte. Permeation of quartz felspar stringers along the

foliation is seen in some of these rocks.

Miqmatitic gneisses also crop out north-east of Mount Babbage, Permeated

psammitic rocks are now quartz, felspar, biotite rocks with quartz by far the

most abundant mineral (9354). Both microcline and plagioclase (Ab,,,) grew

at the expense of the quartz mosaic, relics of which are dotted throughout

these minera]s giving them sieve texture in parts. The hiotite flakes show

parallel alignment and muscovite, garnet and magnetite are accessory, Per-

meated semipelitic rocks are seen as vaguely banded gneisses made up of

orange-pink streaks of quartz. micracline and acid plagioclase (Ab,,) with

some garnet and parallel bands of biotite with some muscovite (9355). Other

gneisses are coarse-grained and granitic in composition (9356) while others of

the same composition are fine-grained or composed of alternate coarse and

fine-grained bands. A few large poeciloblasts of potash felspar containing

fiumerfous quartz inclusions have developed in medium-coarse grained migma-

titic grattitie gneisses (9357-8) which pass out into the migmatitic granites

and migmatitic augen granites of the Mount Babbege Migmatite Camplex.

{c) Hosocentzation

The homogeneous nature of the migmatitic augen granite (Plate X

Figs. 2, 3, 4, and Table 3), which makes up the major part of the migmatite

complexes, stands out in contrast tm the yaried nature of the country rocks—

heterogeneous tillite, banded slate and siltstone, and quartzite—which were

altered by migmatization to this granite. The granitization of the tillites and

slates involved, in each case, the addition of K and Na and the removal of

Fe, Mg, Ca, and Ti, and in many cases the addition of Si and removal of Ai.

During the granitization of the quartzites K and Na were added as well as

Fe, Mg, Ca, Ti, and Al, and Si was removed. Hence, apart from a percentage

of the alkalies which had to be introduced inté the area, those materials

driven out of the semipelitic rocks during granitization were those introduced

into the psammitic rocks and vice versa. This reconstitution of the diverse

types of country rock, together with some addition of alkalies and perhaps

silica, produced the migmatitic augen granite which is essentially homogene-

ous throughout the complexes. Small yariations do occur, but in many cases

these represent stages of development of the migmatitic granite,

. Associated with and related to the homogenization was extreme meta-

morphic differentation, The cafemic constituents which were driven out of

the semipelitic rocks during their transformation to migmatitic granite and

which were in excess of that needed to granitize the psammitic rocks. were

fixed in the now basified rocks. The localization of some of these basified

patches may have been due ta an originally more calcareous rock type in the

particular area,

VI. POST-MIGMATIZATION MOVEMENTS AND DISLOCATION

METAMORPHISM

Many of the rocks of the Mount Fitton area have been sheared and

altered by dislocation metamorphism. Along localized fault planes and shear

belts the effects of these movements were extreme, but for the most part the

sheared rocks show slighter crushing and granulation accompanied occasion-

ally by mineralogical changes. Both country rocks and. migmatite complexes

have been affected in this manner although shearing in the migmatites was

generally more intense,

FELOBPAR

AND QUARTE

Fig. ¢ Sheared migmatitic granites.

(a) Composite quartz, felspar augen together with, biotite aligned along shear

planes (9362),

(b) Sheated migmatitic augen granite (9373).

(¢) Irregular lobes of quartz showing a sutured mosaic together with a fine-

grained, granulated quartz and felspar mosaic and biotite aligned along

shear planes (9377). X 5.

(a) DistocaTion METAMORPHISM IN SHEAR ZONES

In the shear zones in which the movements were concentrated (vide Fig.

2) dislocation metamorphism was intense, crushed and brecciated rocks being

the result. The homogeneous quartzites were broken and the fragments were

cemented by siliceous or ferruginous material. In the felspathized quartzites

the quartz was drawn out into lenses and streaks around which are wound

lines of biotite flakes (9359). Some of the biotite was retrograded to chlorite

and the potash felspars are scen te he greatly sericitized. In the tillites the

Jarger quartz individuals have shattered and ragged edges and these and the

more quartzose areas of the matrix form small augen around which wind

closely-spaced foliation planes formed by the parallel orientation of green-

brown biotite and muscovite (9360), The more argillaceous rocks are now

phyllitic and are composed of large chlorite fakes and small biotite flakes

together with small strained and cracked quartz individuals with granulated

edges, (9361).

Migmatitic augen granites were altered to achistése granulated rocks

composed of cracked and grantilated quartz masses around which twist

elongated, sheared masses of hiotite and sericite, Some of the augen are com-

posite patches of quartz and felspar (9362-Fig. 4a) while relic tillite erratics

also form augen (9363). Between some of the augen therc is a fine-grained

grantilated groundmass made up of strained quartz, broken sericitized felspar

individuals together with clusters of biotite flakes, Accessory zircon, black

iron Ore, apatite and garnet are also seen.

(b) DrsocaTion METAMORPHISM oF THE Country Rooks

Outside the shear zones the country rocks show few effects of this dis-

location metamorphism. There is an E-W regional shearing in parts which

usually coincides with the axial plane cleavage. In the minor folds near the

boundaries of the Tremolite Marble lens some of the marble js intensely

sheared giving rise to a cleaved schistose dolomite (9364-6). This shearing,

which is very localized, took place during the folding and provided the struc-

tural traps for the metasomatic fluids which altered the tmatble to tale in

many places.

Much of the quartz of the tillites and quartzites shows strain shadows,

undulose extinction and in some parts cracking, but in general there has

been no granulation, There have been no mineralogical breakdawns due to

dislocation metamorphism.

The migmatite complexes suffered more than the country rocks as a

result of this episode, and the country rock relics in the migmatite complexes

have been altered more than the country racks themselves. Quartz-rich rocks

were altered to quartz chlorite schists (9367) and slates were altered to green

phyllitic schists and quartz, hiatite, sericite schists in which the micas are

oriented in the shear plunes and the quartz has been cracked and, in parts,

granulated.

The effects of dislocation metamorphism are considerable in parts.

Sheared augen gneisses are common ag ig mortar structure. Only the pen-

pheral zones of the Terrapinna Migmatite Complex were affected (Plate XI

Hig. 1), but much of the Mount Babbage Migmatite Complex was greatly

sheared.

Effect on felspathized quartzites, Quastzose crush rocks in. which large

cracked and broken knobs of quartz and granulated, partly sericitized potash

felspars are set in a fine-grained granulated quattz-felspar groundmass were

produced, Roth sericite and biotite are scattered throughout the groundmass —

as well as being concentrated in patehes and drawn out streaks along shear

planes (9368-9).

Effect on even-groined migmatitic granites. The dislocation metamorphism

produced similar results in these rocks. ‘The quartzes show undulose extinc-

tion, cracking and granulation and the felspars have also been ground and

broken, especially on the edges, and sericitized in parts. Streaks and strings

100

of both biotite and sericitic muscovite wind around eyes oi quartz and felspar

and there is a granulated quartz-felapar mosaic in parts (9370-2).

Effect on coarse migmatitic augen granites. These rocks have been broken

down to granitic augen gneisses. The large lelspar augen remain (9373-Fig.

4b) and although cracked with many parts broken away, they are still the

dominating feature in these rocks. Quartz, medium-grained felspar and bio-

tite make up a granulated matrix between the augen. Microcline or microcline

perthite individuals make up the augen in most of the rocks (9374), although

acid plagioclase forms the augen in some rocks (9375-6), and in some there are

augen of both potash and plagioclase felspar. All these large felspars are

granulated around the edges, show fracturing and often have these fractures

filled with fine-grained qtiartz and felspar. Lobes and irregular lenses of clear

quartz crystals are common, These all show strain shadows, undulose extine-

tion and cracking to give a sutured quartz mosaic (9377-Vig. 4c) and in parts

ate surrounded by a fine-grained granulated felspar-quartz mosaic, Long

strings of biotite are usually present along shear planes; some of this biotite

has been retrograded to chlorite. Sericite is common in parts; sometimes it

shows a habit similar to biotite although much of it is altered potash felspar.

Magnetite, apatite and zireon are common accessories and sphene is some-

times present. In parts the plagioclase felspars are saussuritized, giving a

fine-grained mass of zoistte and albite.

The distinctive character of these granitic augen gneisses makes it pos-

sible to correlate xenoliths in the Mudnawatana Granite with rocks from the

migmatite complex (9378).

Effect ov migmaotitic gneisses. Many of the migmatitic gneisses on the

northern boundary of the Mount Babbage Migmatite Complex, two miles

notth of Mount Babbage, were little affected during this episode. In some of

the racks the quartz shows some straining and biotite shows some alignment

in others, but this may have no relation to the shearing.

The migmatitic gneisses cropping out in the north-eastern part of the

Mount Babbage Migmatite Complex have been much sheared in parts.

Quartzes have been strained and cracked and the banded nature of the rocks

accentuated by shearing.

(d) Sicnipicance oF THE EPISODE

‘This period of shearing indicates that rocks which had been mig-

matized became more rigid and in such a state that they could be affected by

dislocation metamorphism. It seems likely that these rocks were migmatized

in the deeper levels of the crust and later clevated to the higher levels, In

this instance the period represents a stage where geosynclinal sediments

which had been depressed, folded and metamorphosed were later raised to

levels of the crust where the rocks were hard and brittle and both cracking

and granulation were possible. The retreat of the migmatite front may have

been another factor leading to the rigidity of the rocks.

The change in depth of burial, or in position relative to the zone of

inigmatization, must represent a considerable period af time between meta-

morphism and migmatization and the shearing movements, Migmatization

may still have been active during the period of shearing but at a much greater

depth.

101

VIL INTRUSION OF THE MUDNAWATANA GRANITE

The next major event tm the tectonic history of the area was thé intrusion

of a white, non-stressed grantte which crops out in the central part of the

Mount Babbage Migmatite Complex. As the Mudnawatana Creek flows across

the area of its onterop and the intrusive relations of (he granite are well shown

in the bed and banks of the creek, the granite has becn named the Mudna-

watana Granite (Plate XI Fig. 2). Immediately following its intrusion and

associated with its crystallization history was a period of injection of aplite

dykes, pegmatite and quartz veins and of metasomatic activity (Plate XI

Fig. 4).

(a) THe MopnawatTana GRANITE

{i) Criteria for Intrusion, (i) A sharp transgressive contact is shown

between the granite and the associated migmatites and sheared migmatites.

In parts this contact ctits directly across the foliation of the sheared migma-

tites. (ii) The injection of tongues and stringers of granite into the surround-

ing rocks is a common contact phenomenon. Preference was shown for injec-

tion along the foliation planes of the sheared migmatite. (iii) Disoriented

xenoliths of sheared migmatite are scen in the well-expased rock faces in the

bed of the Mudnawatana Creek at the northern contact, suggesting intrusion

by piecemeal stoping of bldcks at the roof of the chamber. (iv) Textural

evidence alone is not conclusive but the allotriomorphic-hypidiomorphic tex-

ture shown by the granite is usually considered as of magmatic origin. A

comparison of this texture (Plate XI Fig. 3) with that of the texture of the

migmatitic granite (Plate X Fig. 4) suggests a significant difference in their

genesis. (v) Zoning of plagioclase felspars is shown in the granite (Plate IX

Fig. 3) and this zoning corresponds with that of the ideal plagioclase cuoling

cue given by Bowen (1928), None of the migmatites contain zoned plagio-

clase,

(ii) Pelrography, The granite (9379-80) is practically constant in nature

and composition being medium-prained, equigranular with average grain size

15 mm. showing allotriomorphic-hypidiomorphic texture and consisting es-

sentially of acid plagioclase, quartz, microcline and biotite (Plate XI Fig. 3).

Acid plagioclase is the most abundant mineral, being present as large laths

showing concentric zoning with the composition of the outside zones Ab,,.

Smaller subhedral laths of the same composition are alsa present, The cares

of the zoned crystals ate more basic and are often altered to a [elted mass of

calcite and zoisite. Quartz is nearly as abundant as acid plagioclase being

present as clear anhedral masses. Potash felspar is also of major importance,

but is only half as abundant as acid plagioclase or quartz. It is mainly

represented by anhedral microcline although a little microperthite and

micrupegmatite are present. Biatite is the only mafic mineral of im-

portance. Unoriented flakes, showing pleochroism x = light golden,

y = golden brown,z — dark brown are scattered {hroughout and

often include sircons surrounded by pleochroic haloes. Some of the biotite

has heen altered to light-greenish chlorite with the liberation of black iron

ore, Mxscowite is found associated with the biotite; it also occurs as small

flakes in the cores of the zoned plagioclase crystals.

Magnetite is accessory, A micrometric analysis (Table 4) indicates that

the rock should be classified as an adamellite on the border of (his group close

to granodtorite,

(in) Space Relations and Genesis. All field evidence points ta this granite

being a high-level intrusion with only the topmost part of the mass visible at

the present level of erosion. Round knoh-shaped outcrops are cupola-like in

102

appearance and the presence of isolated masses of migmatite within the area

of granite outcrop suggests that they are remnants of the roof of the intrusion.

The presence of small xenoliths in the granite, near its contact, is indicative of

high-level stoping at the roof of the chamber, and their lack of metasomatic

alteration, even though they were immersed in the magma, shows that the

‘petted of time between the stoping and immersion of the xenoliths and the

nal crystallization of the magma was comparatively short,

‘TABLE 4

Quartz - = «+ 354 Muscovite - - - 2-0

Plagioclase (Abu) ~ 375 Zoisite = = - } 0-8

Microcline - = ~ 16-6 Calcite - = -

Perthite - = - 4 Chiorile - = -

Micropegmatite - - O09 Iron ore - = + O-A

Biotite - - - - 5&0 Zircon = a

Total - - - 100-0

aS eee

Mode of Mudnawatara Granite (9380), Mount Fitton.

It is only possible to suggest the underground extension of the granite

mass. Thick quartz veins are of common occurrence in the area of the Mount

Babbage Migmatite Complex and pegmatite veins are common in the eastern

part of this complex. These were injected after the post-migmatization shear-

ing movements and are correlated with the last stages of fhe cooling history

of the Mudnawatana Granite. It appears likely that the underground lateral

extent of the granite is greater than that of the present exposures of the

Mount Babbage Migmatite Complex. Quartz veins were injected into the

racks of the Tillite series and aplite dykes crop out in the central part of the

Terrapirna Migmatite Complex. Metasomatic activity associated with the

granite is considered to be responsible for the production of tale at numerous

points in the Tremolite Marble lens and also the chloritization and saussuri-

tization of some of the rocks of the Terrapinna Migmatite Complex, The

presence of hornfels in the Laminated Slate series west of Flinders Tale No.

5 workings (vide Dickinson 1949) and at the Billy Springs Mine is also indica-

tive of a further underground extension of the granite, Hence it would appear

that the granite underlies much of the Mount Fitton aréa, cropping out in

the central part of the Mount Babbage Migmatite Complex and being close

éo the surface in the central part of the Terrapinna Migmatite Complex and

just west of Flinders Tale No. 5 workings.

The intrusion of the Mudnawatana Granite after the post-migmatization

shearing is indicative of the lapse of a considerable period of time between

the formation of the migmatitic granite and the intrusion of this magmatic

granite, This suggests that the magmatic granite was not responsible for the

tigmatization but that the production of a granite magma was the culmina-

tion of the migmatization and was due to the mobilization of part of the

crust which had previously been made over by migmatization to a rock having

a granitic composition. The post-migmatization shearing movements may be

an expression of readjustment following changes of volume and density which

took place during the formation of the migmatites and their subsequent mobi-

lization (at lower levels of the crust). The shear planes in the tocks facilitated

the diapiric intrusion and piecemeal stoping of the magma.

103

(b) Avcrre DyKes

Dykes of granite aplite are found south of the outcrop of the Mudnawatana

Granite and in the banks of the Hamilton Creek, one and a half miles south of

Terrapinna Waterhole. The dykes cut both migmatitie granite and sheared

migmatitic granite, They often follow the cast-west shear direction but in

many parts cut across this direction and some of the dykes bifurcate (Plate XI

Fig, 4}, They show an allotriomorphic texture, have an average ‘grain size of

lmm., and consist essentially of anhedral crystals of microcline and quartz to-

gether with minor amounts of perthite, micropegmatite, brown biotite, acid

plagioclase and accessory zircon (9381). In parts little biotite is present, the

grain size is greater and some muscovite is seen (9382). ;

The occurrence of pegmatite and quartz veins, which show cross-ctitting

relations to the sheared migmatites, gives evidence of late-stage hydrothermal

activity associated with the Mudnawatana Granite. The pegmatites, which

are always coarse-grained and composed of quartz, potash felspar and white

mica, are found cutting the Mount Babbage Migmatite Complex, especially

just east of Mount Babbage. The quartz veins are always massive and made

up of white, barren quartz. They are known to cut the country rocks, migma-

tites and sheared migmatites, and are most commonly found injected into the

Mount Babbage Migmatite Complex. In parts the veins are up to six feet in

width and may be followed intermittently up to one hundred yards.

The massive form, constancy of width and direction, and cross-cutting

relations with the sheared migmatites rule out any possibility of associating

these pegmatite and quartz veins with the migmatization.

(4d) Merasomatie Activity

As well as the injection of pegmatite and quartz veins, metasomatic

activity due to the circulation of hydrous siliceous fluids is associated with

the final phase of cooling of the Mudnawatana Granite. The tale lenses and a

mass of chloritized and saussuritized country rocks and migmatites in the

eeepc Migmatite Complex are considered due to the action of these

vids.

(i) Tke Formation of Talc. The petrology of the tale deposits has been

discussed by Stillwell & Edwards (1951) who conclude that the “metamor-

phosed character of the hornfels and the dolomite marble, coupled with the

presence of granite in the vicinity, suggests that the talc deposits were formed

by a localized metasomatic replacement of the dolomite marble succeeding the

‘contact metamorphism of the area”. The present investigations in the sur-

rounding area have confirmed these views, but have indicated that the meta-

somatic activity was associated with the Mudnawatana Granite.

The chemical changes involved in the transformation of tremolite marble

ta talc can be seen by a comparison of their respective compositions in

Table 2,

(ii) Chloritizetion and Saxssuritization. Some rocks of the central part of

the Terrapinna Migmatite Complex have been altered by the chloritization of

the biotite and saussuritization of the plagioclase felspars. Many show the

effects of shearing but the production of the chlorite and saussurite appeats

to be due to late metasomatic activity of the Mudnawatana Granite in rocks

which had been sheared and made accessible to circulating solutions. This

is supported hy the presence of granite apltte dykes and yeins half a mile

north of these outcrops, which indicates that the raof of the granite mass ts

not far below the present level of erosion in this part. The altered rocks are

1st

characteristically much darker than the surrounding rocks due to the dark

colour of the felted chlorite and the staining cffects of the iron liberated by

the change of biotite to chlorite.

Effect on country rock relics, Country rock of uneven grain-size and show

ing the characteristic features of the matrix of a tillite has suffered ehloritiza-

tion (9383). Angular and subangular fragments of quartz, up to 4 mm. across,

are common, there are some sericitized potash felspar fragments and the

groundmass of grain size 01 ta 0-5 mm. consists of a felted interlocking mass

of chlorite flakes and recrystallized quartz. Black iron ore is associated with

the chlorite and haematite and limonite give rise to localized heavy staining:

There has also been introduction of fresh, uncracked crystals of amythestine

quartz. The associated slates have been similarly altered (9384),

Effect on granitic migmotites, The saussuritization of the plagioclase and

chloritization of the biotite has resulted in the formation of rocks with a

peculiar but characteristic spoited appearance. Large orange-pink oyoids

{up to 4x 3 cm. in cross section) of cracked and sheared microcline and

smaller knobs of bluish opalescent quartz are set in a dark greemish-black

groundmass of saussuritized plagioclase (Ab,,), in which a felted intergrowth

of zoisite has developed, and chloritized biotite (9385), The chlorite is mainly

present as large fiakes which are pseudomorphs of biotite, although small

brown biotite relics remain, The iron ore liberated during this alteration is

abundantly dotted throughout the chlorite flakes and there are haematite

stains along some of the cracks in the rocks.

(e) Uratitizep Doverire Dyke

A dolerite dyke which cross-cuts the shear planes in sheared migmatitic

eranite and has not been affected by the shearing cuts across the Hamuton

Creek south of Terrapinna Waterhole. The relation of this dyke to the Mud-

nawatana Granite cannot be ditectly observed but it is possible that it has

similar relations to the dolerite dykes at Rosetta Head, South Australia,

which cut the granite but are cut by pegmatitic and quartz veins (Bowes

1948). Uralitization has altered the dyke and the rock consists essentially of

laths of saussuritized basic plagioclase (Ab,,) and prismatic crystals of urali-

tic hornblende showing pleochroism x — light green, y = grass green, z

= olive green. Some sub-ophitic texture still remains. Sphene is seen in

parts and some of it was formed at the expense of ilmenite, as a rim of sphene

aay some of the ilmenite crystals, A little brown biotite is also present

VILI. CORRELATION AND AGE

Numerous occurrences of granites of early Palaezoic age have been des-

cribed from the southern and sotith-eastern parts of South Australia. Stressed,

syn-tectonic, migmatitic granites from the Palmer district haye been described

{Rattigan & Wegener 1951) and unstressed, post-tectonic, intrusive, magmatic

granites from many areas have been described (Tilley 1919; Browne 1920;

Kleeman 1934: Mawson & Parkin 1943; Mawson & Dallwitz 1944; Mawson

& Segnit 1945, and others).

Granitic rocks of similar age also crop out in the vicinity of Mount

Painter, 20 miles S.S.W. of Mount Fitton (Sprigg 1945 (b)). Two main types

have been recognised, a stressed syn-tectonic migmatitic granite and an un-

stressed, post-tectonic, magmatic granite which intrudes the sediments af

the Adelaide System and the migmatitic pranite (vide Miles 1947, Plate 1).

These granites have been referred to as the “red granite” and “white granite”

105

respectively = (Sprigg 1945 (b)). Cupola-like masses of leiicocratic granite

which intrude Adelaide System sediments also crop out near Umberatana, 15

miles west of Mount Painter (Mawson & Dallwitz 1945),

The presence of both migmatitic and magmatic granites has been

demonstrated in the Mount Titton area. Hence in the Mount Painter area,

and in southern and south-eastern South Australia, there wete two periods

of granite formation during the orogenic cycle which followed the collapse of

the geosynelinal area in which the Proterozoic and Cambrian beds wete

deposited. Firstly there was the syn-tectonic formation of migmatitic granites

followed by shearing movements, and secondly, the intrusion of younger post-

tectonic unstressed granites. Although considered separately for the sake of

convenience and showing definite limits at the present level of erosion, the

episodes of migmatization, shearing and granite intrusion should not he

thought of as separate episodes. They are intimately connected both in time

and place,

It would appear as if the granitic rocks of southern and south-eastern

South Australia were formed following the collapse of the engeosyncline

which extended to the east and south-east of the miogeosyncline in which

the sediments of the Adelaide System were deposited. On the other hand,

the granites of the north-eastern Flinders Ranges represent a tmigmatized

and mobilized section of the beds deposited in the miogeosyncline.

The date of the final phase of the orogeny in the north-eastern Flinders

Ranges has been fixed by an age determination of 400450 million years ona

samarskite (Kleeman 1946) which occurs in late-phase off-shoots of the

_Freeling Granite which are found in shatter zones in the migmatitic granite

of the Mount Painter Complex. This gives the age as mid-Ordovician

(Holmes 1946).

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I wish to record my thanks to the Royal Commissioners for the Exhibi-

tion of 1851 for the award of a Science Research Scholarship which enabled

me to carry out this research and to Professor H. H. Read for his guidance

and helpful criticism. Mr. R. C. Sprigg brought the problem to my notice and

made available data he had collected; Mr. S. B. Dickinson, Director of South

Australian Department of Mines, provided facilities for field work: Professor

Sir Douglas Mawson made available a University of Adelaide research prant

which made a re-examination of the area possible; Mr. A. W. Kleeman kindly

read the manuscript, and Messrs. J. Barlow, I. V. Hansen, R- B. Leslie, and

A. E. Tynan rendered valuable assistance during field work. To these I

extend my thanks.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

Bowen, N. L. 1928 The Evolution of the Igneous Rocks, Princetown

Bowen, N, L. 1940 Progressive Metamorphism of Siliceous Limestone and

Dolomite. Jour. Geol., 48, No, 3, 225

Bowes, D. R. 1948 The Geology of Rosetta Head, South Australia, Thesis,

University of Adelaide

Bowes, D. R. 1952 The Transformation of Quartzite by Migmiatization at

Mount Fitton, South Australia. Sir Douglas Mawson Anniversary

Volume. University of Adelaide, 7

ee ee 8 ee eee eee

~ Ie is suggested that these granites should be called, respectively, the migmatitic

anite of the Mount Painter Migmatite Complex because of the demonstrable trans-

ormation of Adelaide System sediments into migmatitic gratite hetween Mount Pitts

atid Mount Painter, and the Freelingt Granite because of its intrusive nature and

abundance of outcrops on the Freeling Heights.

106

Bowes, D. R. 1953 The Transformation of Tillite by Migmatization at Mount

Fitton, South Australia, Quart. Jour, Geol, Soc. (in print)

Broapuusst, E. 1946 Tale Deposit west of Mount Fitton, 5, Aust. Dept.

Mines Mining Review, No, 82, 76

Broapnurst, E, 1947 Tale Deposit west of Mount Fitton. 5. Aust. Dept.

Mines Mining Review, No. 84, 104

Browne, W. R. 1920 The Igneous Rocks of Encounter Bay, South Australia,

Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 44, 1

Davi, T. W. E. “1922 The Occurrence of small Crustacea in the Protero-

zoic (?) or Lower Cambrian (7) Rocks of Reynella, near Adelaide.

Trans. Roy, Soc. S$. Aust., 46, 7

Dav, T. W. E. 1932 Explanatory Notes to accompany a New Geological

Map of the Commonwealth of Australia, Sydney .

Davm, T. W. E., and Browne, W. R. 1950 The Geology of the Common-

wealth of Australia, London

Dicxinson, 5. B. 1949 Flinders No. 5 Tale Deposit—Mount Fitton. S. Aust.

Dept. Mines Mining Review, No. 87, 97

Fernanpo, L. J.D, 1941 Petrology of certain Felspathized Rocks from Herms

Ness, Unst, Shetland Islands, Proc. Geol. Assoc., 52, (2), 110

Homes, A. 1946 The Construction of a Geological Time-scale. Trans. Geol.

Soc., Glasgow, 21, (1), 117. |

Howcurn, W. 1924 The Sturtian Tillite in the Willouran Ranges, near

Marree (Hergott), and in the north-eastern portion of the Flinders

Ranges. Aust. Assoc. Ad. Sci., 17, 67

Howcrin, W. 1929 The Geology of South Australia. Adelaide

Kieeman, A. W. 1934 The Murray Bridge Granite. Trans. Roy. Soc.

S. Aust., 58, 237 ’

Kueeman, A, W. 1946 An Age Determination on Samarskite from Mount

Painter, South Australia. Trans. Roy, Soc. S. Aust., 70, (2), 175

Mawson, D. 1947 The Adelaide Series as developed along the Western

Margin of the Flinders Ranges. Trans. Roy Soc. S. Aust,, 71, (2), 259

Mawson, D. 1949 The Sturtian Tillite of Mount Jacob and Mount Warren

Hastings, North Flinders Ranges. Trans, Roy. Soc. S, Aust., 72, (2),

244

Mawson, D., and Dantwrrz, W. B. 1944 Palaeozoic Igneous Rocks - of

ree South-eastern South Australia. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 68,

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S, Aust., 71, (1), 54

Pertiyoun, F. J. 1949 Sedimentary Rocks. New York F

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Vol. 76, Plate X

Aust

. Roy. Soc. S.

Trans

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SYNE VY] Ul ajruRdt) BURJEMPUPNTY ayi JO sdossjng Z ‘Sy Aq d}UBIG Wasne IWRUsIU parvays jo sdoiajnQ | ‘sy

107

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Spaicc, R, C, 1945(b) Reconnaissance Geological Survey of the Mount Painter

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Spricc, R. C. 1949 Regional Mappings using aerial photos as an aid to Ore

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Kangaroo Island. Part I. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 43, 316

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Geol. Mag., 85, (3), 149

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No.

Wootnoucn, W. G., and Davin, T. W. E, 1926 Cretaceous Glaciation in Cen-

tral Australia. Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc., 82, 332

THE WILLUNGA BASIN INTRODUCTORY AND HISTORICAL NOTES

BY DOUGLAS MAWSON

Summary

This contribution is in the nature of a general introduction to the paper in this volume by M.A.

Reynolds: The Cainozoic Succession of Maslin and Aldinga Bays, South Australia, wherein he

deals with the detailed mapping of sediments exposed in the coastal cliffs in the neighbourhood of

Port Willunga. Attention is drawn to the nature of the Basin and to its importance in establishing the

age and sequence of the Cainozoic sediments of South Australia. Reference is made to the author’s

early discoveries of fossil plant remains in the terrestrial arenaceous basal formation, the age of

which is not younger than Eocene.

108

THE WILLUNGA BASIN

INTRODUCTORY AND HISTORICAL NOTES

By Dovuctas Mawson *

[Read 13 Novetnber 1952]

551.77 (942)

SUMMARY

This contribution is in the nature of a general introduction to the paper in this

volume by M. A, Reynolds: The Cainozoic Succession of Maslin and Aldinga Bays,

South Australia, wherein he deals with the detailed mapping of sediments expased

in the coastal cliffs in the neighbourhood of Port Willunga. Attention is drawn to

the nature of the Basin and to its importance in establishing the age and sequence

of the Cainozoic sediments of South Australia, Reference is made to the author's

early discoveries of fossil plant remains in the terrestrial arenaceous basal forma-

tion, the age of which is not younger than Eocene,

INTRODUCTION

Recently M. A. Reynolds, under direction of Dr. M, F, Glaessner, has com-

pleted a detailed map of the coastline cliffs of Maslin Beach and Port Willinga,

part of the east coast of St. Vincent Gulf some 25 to 30 miles south of Adelaide,

In this clitt face is exposed a rising succession of newer strata almost exclusively

Tertiary and post-Tertiary in age resting with violent unconformity upon an

undermass of highly folded Proterozoic and Cambrian sediments, These newer

deposits occupy a basin-shaped depression extending from the coast of St. Vincent

Gulf inland in a gradually narrowing area, to the vicinity of Mt, Bold.

The richly fossiliferous nature of much of these beds attracted the attention

of geologists at an early date. In the first years of the University of Adelarde,

Professor Ralph Tate in recording molluscan and other fossils of the Port

Willunga area made it a type locality for Australian marine Tertiary strata.

STRUCTURE OF THE WILLUNGA BASIN

The Willunga basin, like the Eden-Moana fault bloci situated to the north

of it, has long been regarded as mainly conditioned by faulting, which would

appear to have proceeded by stages during the Tertiary era, resulting in the older

sediments dipping more steeply than those of later date, W. N. Benson and

Walter Howchin were the first to draw attention to the fault-block system of

the Mt. Lofty Ranges. Later Dr. Charles Fenner dealt comprehensively and

authoritatively with the structural features of the region.

In the past the main displacements have been regarded as about middle

Pliocene in age. More recently, since marine Tertiary sediments overlying Permian

tillite in the “Upper Hindmarsh Valley have been recognised as depositions in a

re-excavated glacial valley, the history of the Willunga Basin may well be more

complicated than was formerly realised. Dr. Glaessner’s detailed study of the

Tertiary sediments of the basin now under way should go far to clear up this

problem,

Some years ago R, W, Segnit (1940) advanced the view that the Willunga

Scarp is a geomorphological feature resulting from glacial erosion, which he

attributed to Cretaceous glaciation. In support of this claim he accepted as tillite

a coarse shingle-type sediment Which overlies the undermass rocks on the Sellick

* University of Adelaide.

Trans, Roy. Sor, S Aust., 76, December, 1953

109

Hitl road at a shoulder of the scarp in the neighbourhood of the hotel. As no out-

crop that we have observed in that locality has the characters of true tillite, and

as no glaciated rock surface has ever been located along any part of the face of

the Willunga Scarp, and as along the adjacettt coast to the north there is a general

dip of the Tertiary sediments towards the scarp, and as a fault line in the under-

mass is clearly defined at the foot of Sellick Hill near the south end of Sellick

Beach we regard the Willunga Basin as mainly determined by faulting. In all

probability Tertiary movements along the Willunga Scarp have been in the nature

of periodic adjustments on a fault line initially established in the early Palaeozoic.

— WILLUNGA BASIN —

SCALE

a i 2 3 4 Mies

As, however, there is good evidence that erosion (generally accepted as Per-

mian) contributed to the excavation of the adjacent Myponga, Upper Hindmarsh

and Meadows valleys, it is probable that the Tertiary seas in the Willunga area

transgressed a region already depressed and partly occupied by remnants of Per-

mian glacial and glaciofluvial debris. That some of the Tertiary sediments of the

area were derived in part from the re-working of Permian glacial deposits is

suspected since the Maslin Beach brown sands are notable for heavy mineral

residues similar to those derived from the weathering of the Permian glacials

of Encounter Bay and Inman Valley.

110

At about 80 yards in from the-shore along the main creek entering the sea

(Hd. Myponga, Sect. 278) at the south end of Sellick Beach, there is exposed

to view a good cross-section of what may be the main fault line along the foot

of the Willunga Scarp, Here the creek is deeply incised in steeply-dipping Cam-

brian sediments. The creek cuts across the line of fault. Differential movement

associated with the faulting has shattered the Cambrian rocks on each side of the

fault line, The creek has cut its bed at beach level through the fault shatter zone

back to the solid. rock on the eastern side of the break. There the greater resistance

of the unshattered rock has determined the existence of a small waterfall.

The exposure here is a good one. It presents an excellent example of the

shattering effect of fault movement on the opposed rock faces. The shatter

belt is about 50 yards wide, The central zone has, in the main, been reduced to

the state of a pseudo-conglomerate ; along the margin of the shear line the crushed

rock is in the nature of a fault breccia,

YOUNGER SEDIMENTS OF THE WILLUNGA BASIN

The younger sediments occupyitig the Willunga Basin dip at low angles in

a general south to south-east direction. Their contact with the older basement

rocks is te be seen at the north end of Maslin Beach, but is best observed in the

cutting on the Clarendon to Kangarilla Road, pl. viii, fig. 2, at about half a mile

from the Onkaparinga crossing. The accordance of summit level of the uplifted

block (Willunga Range) defining the eastern margin of the Willunga Basin is

well illustrated in pl, vill, fig. 1.

The basal beds of the oyermass sediments are almost everywhere terrestrial

sandy types, often with a foot or two at the very bottom of a coarser pebbly

nature. One such patch located due north of McLaren Vale township on the ridge

overlooking the Onkaparinga River, though not well exposed is evidently of the

nature of tillite and is. taken to be a remnant of Permian glaciation. The pebble

beds at the hase of the white sands at the north end of Maslin Beach exhibit

some features suggestive of re-worked glacigene deposits,

Professor Ralph Tate as early as 1876 worked on the Cainozoic sediments

of Port Willunga, at that time more particularly referred to as the Aldinga area.

He then (1878) summarised the succession in downward sequence as follows:—

1, “Lacustrine (?) clays, with no fossils; about 48 it. thick.”

In more recent times this division has been referred to as Pleistocene

mottled clay.

2, “Upper Series of calciferous sandstones and impure limestones with oyster

bands; 22 feet in thickness.”

3, “Lower Series of beds of a most diversified character: clays, limestone and

sands rapidly replacing one another in horizontal and vertical extension; not

less than 80 feet.”

Later, in 1879, in attempting a correlation of the fossiliferous sediments of

the Aldinga area with the Murravian (River Murray) beds, he divided his second

and third series of the Aldinga succession as follows :—

Upper Murravian: the Upper Aldingan Series. Regarded at the time as of

Upper Miocene age.

Middle Murravian: Polyzoal sarid-rock, marls, etc., being the upper part of

his earlier Lower Aldingan Series. Regarded as of Miocene age.

Lower Murraviatn: Earthy and glauconitic limestones, regarded as probably

oi Eocene age.

ill

In 1896, Tate and Dennant when dealing in greater detail with the beds

exposed in the cliffs of Port Willunga, relegated the beds to two divisions only:

the lower “Eocene,” and the upper “Miocene”; the latter lying with slight angular

unconformity above the lower “Eocene” beds,

In his last paper’ Tate (1889) subdivided the beds of the Aidinga area mto

Miocene, Upper Eocene {upper part of the Lower Aldingan), Middle Eocene

(Middle section of the Lower Aldingan), and Lower Eocene (lower part of

the Lower Aldingan Series).

In these age determinations Tate followed the Lyellian method based on

the percentages of recent forms found im the respective beds. In adopting this

method he was, however, greatly handicapped for, in his day, the record even

of the existing forms of mollusca along Australian coasts was very imperfect.

At about the time of Tate’s death Frederick Chapman, then an accepted

authority on the foraminifera, arrived in Australia to become palaeontologist to

the National Museum, Melbourne. He immediately engaged upon an exhanstive

study of the foraminiferal contents of Victorian Cainozoic sediments, He was

interested in establishing with greater reliability the age of Australian marine

Tertiary formations to be based on their foraminiferal content, the chronological

yalue of which had, even at that time, received gencral acceptance,

Chapman soon tut'ned his atlention to the Port Willunga beds of South

Australia, He then (19]4aandb) correlated Tate’s “Lower Aldingan Series”

with his Victorian Miocene {Janjukian) focalities and included Tate's Upper

Aldingan Series with the Kalimnian (Lower Pliocene), Thereafter, for many

years, Chapman's age grouping for the marine Tertiaries of South Australia was

generally adopted, On this basis, in the area now under discussion, the upper

fossiliferous series was accepted as Lower Pliocene (Kalimnian). The Lower

Caleareons Series, separated irom the former by a slight unconformity, was

regarded as Miocene (Janjukian),

Howchin, in 1923, referring to arenaceous beds underlying Chapman’s

Miocere Series, showed that the brown sands above passed down into white

sands immediately overlying the older “quartzite bedrock,” He indicated the possi-

bility of the brown sands being of Oligocene age,

About this time, during one of our annual student excursions to Maslin

Beach when there happened to be an exceptionally low tide, and when the usual

superficial veneer of beach sand had been removed by storm waves, we, had an

exceptional opportunity of examining the brown sand formation. The richness in

gisuconite in some of the area exposed and vague fossil forms appearing as

glauconitic replacements suggested the possibility of a Cretaceous age, Accord-

ingly supplies were sent to Chapman for examination, but he failed to find any

forms specifically Cretaceous. ;

In 1925 the author examined the white sand formation at the base of the

sequence at the north end of Maslin Beach, with a view to the employmert of

the sand in building construction. Subsequently the Noarlunga Sand Quarries

came into operation, The existence of about 50 feet of useful sand of terrestrial

fluvatile origin was established and its relation to the overlying brown sand

checked, The latter was accepted as deposited under marine conditions in a shallow

transgressing sea. Current bedding, a marked feature of the white sand formation,

was interpreted to indicate the flow of water ut the time of deposition to have

been in a general west to east direction.

By the year 1930 the white sand formation was well exposed by quarrying.

At the base was exposed a pebble band containing many highly polished (glazed)

quartzite pebbies, some of which are faceted, suggesting erratics, On one of these

facets, striae, probably glacial in origin, are still discernible, The quartzite of the

pebbles corresponds in character to that of very later Precambrian or lower-

Cambrian age outcropping on the coast at the northern limit of Maslin Beach,

Tt was thus concluded, even as carly as 1930, that the basal pebble band met with

in the sand quarry may have been derived in part from the erosion and redistribu-

tion of Permian tillite.

Intercalated in these sands are occasional thin lenses of white pipeclay.

None are of any considerable lateral extent and none exceeded 6 inches in

thickness, tisually much less. In these we discovered plant leaf impressions. These

plant fossils are mainly in the nature of impressions on the white pipeclay,

retaining some indication of venation, Less [requently there remaimed some

brownish to blackish carbonaceous residue. The author in 1932 despatched this

material to Chapman for identification. In due course he (Chapman 1935) identi-

fied seven distinct plant species. .

At this same time further specimens, some containing poorly preserved

fossils of the overlying glauconitic brown sands were submitted to Chapman. He

reported that these sands recalled the Upper Oligocene of borings at Lakes

Entrance, Gippsland, and could be regarded as of that age. The underlying white

sands with fossil leaves he then relegated to the Lower Oligocene.

About this time the University received through Dr. Charles Fenner, a

splendid example of a leaf impression embedded in ferruginous sandstone

obtained a little way above the base of the basa] sandstones of the Willunga Basin

close to their unconformable contact observable on the Kangarilla road (Sect. 758,

Hd, Kuitpo). This fossil he referred to (Fenner, 1935) as Magnolia browwni,

stating that this fossil form “was formerly regarded as Cretaceous but now known

to be Miocetie,”

At about this time also the auther located abundance of detrital silicified

plant remains (wood) in the Bakers Creek gravel pits. In these gravels the fossil

wood is detrital, but we traced it to its original setting, a definite horizon in the

sandy beds in Sections 826 and 827, Hundred of Kuitpo. There a number of

pieces of silicified wood wete obtained in situ, The material collected includes

large root masses and stems. It has not yet been dealt with by a, palaebotanist, One

of the commonest forms appears to be the silicified stems of Banksia, while others

stiggest the underground developments of a yatiety of yacca. Field reconnaissance

appeared to indicate that the terrestrial sandy beds with fossil wood and leaves

at the base of the Willunga Basin sediments near Clarendon are equivaicnts of

the yet unconsolidated sands of the sand quarries at the northern end of Maslin

Beach. We have, therefore, in the past, correlated them with Chapman's Lower

Oligocene division,

At a date subsequent to the submission to him of fossil leaf remains

front the White Maslin Sands a series of specinens from typical fassili-

ferous horizons of the Port Willunga marine beds were again submitted

to Chapman. He, in association with Miss Irene Crespin, was not able to vary to

any gteat extent his earlier age determinations; they were clearly decided, how-

ever, that the base of Tate’s original Aldingam Series was of Oligocene sge.

In the carly 1940's Miss Irene Crespin made a hasty visit to the area but

found nothing in the material collected to suggest notable modification of the

earlier findings of herself and Chapman.

More recently, in co-operation with the Mines Department of South Atis-

tralia, she has made further investigations, the result of which has not yet

appeared,

Tken came the discovery by Victorian geologists of marine Eocene fossils

at the base of their Cainozoic sediments. Mt, Walter J. Parr was the first to find

the Eocene foraminifer Hantkenina ulabamensis in the Victorian beds. In Decem-

Trans. Roy Suc. S. Aust.

ete,

Vol. 76, Plate VIII

Fig. 1

Fig. 1. The very obvious

unconformity on the Kan-

garilla Road almost one

mile beyond Clarendon,

Here the curved, steeply

dipping slates of late Pro-

terozoic age are capped

with early Cainozoic sand-

stone. A thin pebble bed

forms the base of the

latter. View looking south-

easterly.

Fig. 2

Fig. 2. Part of the splen-

did cross-section exposure

on the major fault line

flanking the Willunga

Range. This is located 80

yards in from the shore,

along a creek at the south-

ern end of Sellick Beach.

The rock traversed by the

fault is Cambrian - slate.

To the left is a marginal

belt of crush-breccia. To

the right is the central

crush-conglomerate.

Trans. Roy. Soe. 5. Aust.

Vol. 76, Plate IX

Fig. 1. View looking

south across the Willunga

Basin from the higher

slopes on its north side.

The elevated peneplain

(about 1,200 ft.) of the

Willunga Range forms the

distant skyline, The over-

mass rocks occupying the

basin reach elevations up

to 500 feet above sea-level.

Fig, 2. Cross - section

through the lower mem-

bers of the Willunga Basin

sediments at the north end

of Maslin Beach, View

(taken in 1925) looking up

the steep gully, where later

Noarlunga Sand Quarries

Ltd. operated. At the base

is a thin formation of

pebble bearing sands in

which some of the pebbles

are faceted. In one case

faint, almost obliterated,

glacial striae are discern-

ible, suggesting a Permian

glacio-Auvial origin or re-

distribution of earlier gla-

cial debris in late Mesozoic

or early Cainozoic time.

The lower and main thick-

ness exposed is not younger

than Lower Eocene. ‘The

sand beds continue up-

wards to the Pliestocene

mottled clay capping,

which in the photograph

appears as a uniform dark

bed,

413

her 1948 he visited South Australia with a view to re-examining the Port Willunga

beds. With the author he collected a close succession of samples of the marine

limestones. A few weeks subsequently he reported the finding of Hantkenina

alabamensis in one of the samples taken from near the base of the calcareous

fossiliferous beds overlying the brown sands to the north of Blanche Point.

Unfortunately, Parr did not live long enough to complete the examination of

all the samples that he had collected at Port Willunga. He had, however, appar-

ently indicated the existence there of an Eocene horizon. ;

At this stage Dr. Martin F. Glaessner joined the University of Adelaide

atid has brought to bear on the problem of the age of these beds his wide know-

iedge of palaentelogy and stratigraphy.

So much of this State is occupied by these Cainozoic fossiliferous marine

beds that their detailed elucidation is of great significance to South Australian

geology. Thus it is gratifying to note that the problem is now well in hand.

REFERENCES

Crespin, I. 1946 Foraminifera and other Micro-Fossils from some of the

Tertiary Deposits in the vicinity of Aldinga Bay. Trans. Roy. Soc.

S. Aust,, 70, 297-301 '

CuapMan, F. 1914a Australian Cainozoic System. Brit, Ass, Adv. Sci. 84th

Meeting. Federal Handbook on Australia, 297-302

CuapMan, F, 1914b On the Succession and Homotaxial Relationships of the

Australian Cainozoic System. Mem. Nat. Mus., Melb., 5, 5-52

Cuapman, F. 1935 Plant Remains of Lower Oligocene Age from near

Blancas Point, Aldinga, South Australia. Proc. Roy, Soc. S. Aust., 59,

237-240

Fenner, C. 1931 Exhibit, Proc, Roy, Soc. S, Aust., 55, 171

Howcurn, W. 1923 A Geological Sketch-section of the Sea-cliffs on the

eastern side of Gulf St. Vincent, from Brighton to Sellick Hill, with

descriptions, Trans. Roy. Soc. S, Aust., 47; 301-307

Seenit, R. W. 1940 Geology of Hallett Cove and District with special refer-

ence to the Distribution and Age of the younger Glacial Till. Trans.

Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 64, 3

Tare, R. 1878 Notes on the Correlation of the Coral-bearing Strata of South

Australia, with a list of the Fossil Corals occurring in the Colony.

Trans. Phil. Soc. Adelaide for 1877-78, 100-123

Tats, R. 1879 The Anniversary Address of the President. Trans. Phil, Soc.

Adelaide for 1877-78, 51-58

Tate, R., and Dennanrt,.J. 1896 Correlation of the Marine Tertiarics of

Australia, Part III, South Australia and Tasmania. Trans. Roy. Soc.

S. Aust., 20, 118-148

THE CAINOZOIC SUCCESSION OF MASLIN AND ALDINGA BAYS,

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

BY M. A. REYNOLDS

Summary

After a general description which includes the Pre-Tertiary Basement, the succession, its structure

as shown by dip measurements, and the physiography of the area are discussed. The main part of

the paper deals with the division of the succession into 8 units with appropriate sub-divisions, and

these are discussed in detail, with descriptions of exposure, lithology, fauna, contacts and

thickedness of each unit. These lithological units are listed in Table I. Some consideration is given

to the faunal assemblages which they contain and restricted larger fossils are listed in Table II. The

conditions of deposition are then considered and the stratigraphic relations are briefly reviewed.

114

THE CAINOZOIC SUCCESSION OF MASLIN AND ALDINGA BAYS,

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

By M. A. Reynotps *

551.77 (942)

CONTENTS

Page

SUMMARY sea Pr re FY fu on 114

I Intropucrion ais cut shee piv 114

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS iad ete was oats 115

Ii Generar Descrieri0n ;

1 Pre-Tertiary Basement °.... ise ua ts me 115

2 Cainozoic ‘Succession ves atts site voi ~ 115

43 Structure rane Sie Sis bisa wun wid 116

4 Physiography ..., sat dite ine wiih ab 116

III Srratickaraic Opservations:

1 North Maslin Sands acy jose suas dius a 119

2 South Maslin Sands- tts wits gies seve ont 121

3 Tortachilla Limestones .... tine sini pene pete 123

4 Blanche Point Marls ou ine = on ess 125

5 Chinaman’s Gully Beds... —_ sick sete wnst 128

’ 6 Port Willunga Beds ons aed Ay, suas one 128

7 Pliocene Limestones ated cone Sen ion aint 131

8 ? Pleistocene and Recent Deposits on See ai 134

IV Conorrions or Deposrrion .... ata er oie eee 135

Vs StRatTicRAPHIC RELATIONS!

1 Some Palaeontological Observations ates — _ 138

2 Lithological Considerations say wes tn _ 138

VI Rerrrences sii _ Jos oath sins mii 140

SUMMARY

After a general description which includes the Pre-Tertiary Basement,

the succession, its structure as shown by dip measurements, and the physio-

graphy of the area are discussed. The main part of the paper deals with

the division of the succession into 8 units with appropriate sub-divisions,

and these are discussed in detail, with descriptions of exposure, lithology,

fauna, contacts and thicknesses of cach unit. These lithological units are

listed in Table I. Some consideration is given to the faunal assemblages

which they contain and restricted larger fossils are listed in Table II. The

conditions of deposition are then considered and the stratigraphic relations

are briefly reviewed.

I INTRODUCTION

Detailed stratigraphic investigations in the coastal areas south of

Adelaide were carried out by the writer in 1951 in the course of his studies

for the Honours Degree of Bachelor of Science in the University of Adelaide.

This area had attracted attention of palacontologists and stratigraphers since

it was described by Tate (1878, 1879, 1899; see also papers by Tate and

Dennant, Howchin, Chapman and others). The work was based on a plane-

table survey, A structural profile section was constructed and the main strati-

graphic observations presented in the form of columnar sections. Many

fossils, larger as well as microscopic, were collected but not all of them could

* University of Adelaide.

Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 76, December, 1953

115

be identified in the time available for this research, Tts main objective was

the establishment of the sequence of strata, their straligraphic relations,

lithological characters and thicknesses.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

T am indebted to Dr. M. F. Glaessner, University of Adelaide, for the

help he has given me in every aspect of this investigation and with the

presentation of its resiilts. My thanks are also due to Professor Sir Douglas

Mawson, Mr. B. C. Cotton, of the South Australian Museum, Mr. Brian

Forbes, Misses M. Wade, N. Dolling and J. Richards for their assistance in

various aspects of the preparatory work, and to Mr. and Mrs. E. Wheaton.

Mr. and Mrs. V. How, of Port Willunga, my wife, my parents and others

who have helped me in this work.

Il GENERAT, DESCRIPTION

1 = Pre-Tertrary BASEMENT

To the north of the sand quarry at Ochre Point there are steeply dipping

Pre-cambrian chocolate shales overiain by a greyish-green grt with limonitic

bands, a hard grey to reddish quartzite and consolidated to friable sand-

stones, the latter being somewhat obscured by recent deposits. They have

a dip of approximately 50° in a direction 12i° (true). From observations

made immediately to the north of the sand quarry, it is suggested that the

sandstones are probably the source of some, at least, of the quarry sands,

These beds, tentatively called Pre-cambrian, are not, however, regarded as

directly underlying the white sands. A clayey bed, locally known as pipe-

clay, which does not show bedding, is exposed in the pit used as @ loading

ramp adjacent to the elevator and loading construction, and in a small drain

running westerly from the quarry, below the bridge west of the building.

A measurement of the height of the base of the sands was made in

a pit east of the elevator and loader, but this pit has since been cemented

in, The bed has a purplish stained appearance and shows Liesegang rings,

Polished quartz pebbles and cobbles are occasionally found within this hed

and small lenses of sandy material may be seen, One such cobble was taken

from approximately 7 feet froni the top of this bed (sample number A182 “)).

The unstratified and unsorted nature of. this bed, together with the fact

that occasional erratics are found, indicates strongly that this is a glacial

till. Since it is similar in appearance to the till at Hallett Cove, I have tenta-

tively classed this bed as ?Permian, This bed is 14 feet thick and is underlain

by a fine sand at least 12 feet thick, These measurements were made im a

well in the quarry to the west of the elevator and loader and are taken from

Dr. K. R. Miles’ report on the Noarlunga Sand Deposit (1945),

2 Carnozorc Succession

Gently dipping Pre-Pliocene Tertiary sediments overlain unconformably

by almost horizontal Pliocene sands and limestones which are capped by

approximately flat Pleistocene (?} and recent sediments are to be seen for —

a greater part of the coastline between the sand quarry and Snapper Point.

This succession is described in detail in the following pages.

logical collection of the University of Adelaide.

116

3 STRUCTURE

In a section such as this where the dip rarely exceeds 5° and where,

in most cases, apparent dips anly have been measured, ihe determination

of structuré and calculation of the thicknesses of beds present considerable

difficulties.

Observations made in the cuttings at the botiom of the sand quarry

suggest that the base of the North Maslin Sands has a slight dip towards

the north-west. Accurate determination of this dip will be possible should

the floor of the quarry be cut below its present level, and the base of the

sands reached in other parts of the quarry. : 5

The dip of the base of the overlying brown and green sands is also

difficult to determine because the contact between the two formations is

evident only in three places. Information from the bore records cannot be

used because there is insufficient evidence to indicate where the actual con-

tact occurs and the contact, although it accurs oyer a probable distance of

approximately 20 chains, is masked by overlying Recent deposits. However,

the contact has been reyealed in the south of the quarry, where it has a dip

(true) of 74°, 201° (trie), in a small stream-course immediately south of

the quarry, and also at the base of the southern wall of the gully (locally

known as the “Canyon”) at its westernmost extremity. By calculation, of

the heights above mean sea level of the contacts at these exposures, approxi-

mately 88 feet at the sand quarry, 20 feet at the gully, and due to the fact

that the brown sands are exposed down to a height of less than 50 feet on

the small limonite-capped hill south of the quarry, it is estimated that the

dip of 73° as seen in the sand quarry quickly flattens to a dip of not more

than 2°, This estimation was made along the line of true dip-

The top of the brown sands is irregular and the dip has been calculated

on a regional scale by estimation of the height at three points and using the

method outlined by Lahee (1931, p.635). The strike is approximately 162°

true and the dip approximately 2°, Overlying the brown sands are polyzoal

sands and limestone becoming glauconitic towards the top. There are transi-

tional marls above the glauconitic limestone and these are overlain by the

banded hard and soft marls which form Blanche Point. The dip of approxi-

mately 2° remains constant throughout these beds but there is a gradual

change in the strike. The top of the glauconitic limestone strikes approxi-

mately 145° whilst the banded marts have a true strike of 139°. Conformably

above the banded marls are the soft marls which have, at their upper limits,

an apparent dip of 14° approximately in a direction 195°.

The freshwater red sands and clays exposed in Chinaman's Gully have,

at the top, a dip of 2°-3° (200° true). This was measured by Abney Level on

2 platform which is exposed just north of Aldinga Creek during winter

months. Estimation of the dip of the overlying polyzoal beds from here

south to where they pass below sea-leyel is impossible by the use of Lahee’s

method because the coastline may be regarded as almost straight. The only

platform from which dip may be determined in a similar manner to the

nethod used on top of the Chinaman’s Gully beds occurs just north of the

prominent point approximately 4 mile south of the remaining jetty piles

at Port Willunga, The dip here is stil] 2°-3° but the strike ts approximately

063° (true), The reefs which occur in the vicinity of the polyzoal sandy

beds confirm the south to south-eastern dip direction.

4 PRHYSIOGRAPHY

The coastline from the sand quarry to Snapper Point consists princi-

pally of youthful cliffs cut in the sediments already briefiy described. More

resistant beds, such as the Precambrian quartzite at Ochre Point, the Blanche

Point Banded Marls and the hard sandy limestone at the top of the Pliocene

beds, form prominent points whilst Jess resistant beds have been eroded

away to form embayments in the coastline in this section. The hard polyzoal

and glauconitic Jimestones and harder bands in the Blanche Point marls

and in the Port Willunga polyzoal beds form reefs, some of which are rich

in marine life, [rom just north of Blanche Point at varying intervals to

Snapper Point where the ypper hard sandy Pliocene limestone forms an

extensive reef, From observations made at low tide from on top of the cliffs

at Snapper Point, this latter reef appears to be the crest of a very slight

anticline which plunges seaward.

The general succession is interrupled by the mouths of three creeks.

The northernmost of these, about 500 yards south of the sand quarry is

known locally as the Canyon, due, no doubt, to the fact that the walls of

the cutting are almost vertical. The outict to Bennett’s Creek breaks the

succession 500 yards south of the Canyon whilst just below Port Willunga,

at the northern limits of the township, the Aldinga Creek enters the sea.

Whilst water flaws from these creeks into the sea after heavy winter rains,

the outlets are generally separated from the sea if the drier seasons of

the year by sand. There is evidence to suggest that each of these creeks was

of larger dimensions in Post-Pleistocene limes. Small streams trayerse the

section at Maslin Beach and between Blanche Point and Port Willunga

The cuttings formed by such streams are not generally important but in

Chinaman's Gully and two cuttings immediately north of it, good exposures

of the second non-marine formation are revealed.

Above the cliffs, the coastal section area is relatively flat, undulating

only where traversed by creeks. A thin layer of kunkar underlying Recent

soils and deposits is almost continuous throughout this area, and, apart

from the undulations, it has a regional dip of only 1 in 200 feet from the

sand quarry to Snapper Point, Generally the basal parts of the section may

be regarded as wave-cut cliffs. However, the effects of other erosive agents

may be seen in the upper parts of the section and where the basal parts

of the section are composed of sands. Just south of the sand quarry the

basal beds are composed of the brown sands and, although limonitic bands

provide a certain amount of protection against erosion, small hilly slopes

with moderately steep inclination have been formed betwecn streams; such

hillocks ave capped with limonite, Between the Canyon and Bennett's Creek,

these sands receive a certain amount of protection from the capping of

Pliocene limestone but from Bennett’s Creel to the trig. point, this capping

does not exist and the erosional effects of the small streams and their

tributaries beginning in the overlying ?Pleistocene clays have produced

rounded valleys with steep sides between protruding spurs, These valleys

resemble hanging valleys elevated ahove beach level by the rapid erosion

of the lower beds by wave action. From the trig. point to almost the southern

limits of Maslin Bay and from Blanche Point to Chinaman’s Gully, plat-

forms have heen formed above the hard upper Jayer of Pliocene limestone.

The overlying Pleistocene clays are being eroded away and form a

series of rounded protuberances with stecp sides between stream courses.

The erosion of the ?Pleistocene clays is occurring in a similar manner along

the length of Blanche Point and from Chinaman’s Gully to Snapper Paint.

Along these portions of the section the lower beds are more resistant to

the effects of waves and consequently, over a long period, they have become

the protruding points mentioned at the beginning of this discussion. They

thus become exposed to the full effects of wave action with the tessltant

productiun of almost vertical cliffs which are continuously being eroded

away. It is because of this that such platforms as have been formed above

118

the hard upper Pliocene limestone in those parts of the coastline described

earlier as embayments, have not had the opportunity of being formed in

these portions. The steep nature of most of the ?Pletstocene clay deposits

is due to the thin protective layer of kunkar which underlies the Recent soils.

Sand dunes and banks occur at various intervals along the base of the

section during the summer months and obscure certain beds in the suecces-

sion. Howeyer, where such deposits are purely acolian and not covered by

vegetation, they will be removed together with a greater part of the beach

sand by the high seas generally occurring during winter months. Sand hills

anid recent deposits covered with vegetation are present in the northern parts

of Maslin Bay and to some extent between Blanche Point and Port Willunga.

Land-slides have occurred throughout the section with the result that,

in some places, lower beds in the section have become obscured by ?Pleisto-

cene clays, whilst in other places cliff faces have collapsed and produced

the same effect, The fallen blocks, which occur amongst the scree at the

base of such collapsed faces, have been used for the correlation and sampling

of such beds in the section to which they can be proved identical, where

such beds are inaccessible. A certain amount of obscurity as to the nature

of beds in cliff faces has occurred as a result of surface weathering.

A small shallow cave exists near the south-eastern corner of Maslin Bay

where sands underlying the polyzoal limestone have been eroded away. A

deep cave has heen tunneliled through the polyzoal and glauconitie hme-

stones and overlying softer transitional marls along the northern side of

Blanche Point, and further west above a reef formed by the limestones the

soft, transitional marls have been eroded away, Jeaving a large shallow

cutting beneath the overlying banded marls. The only other caves occurring

in the section have been tunnelled in the polyzoal beds below Pert Willunga

by fishermen.

Fresh to saline water has been observed emerging from aboye the

glauconitic limestone reef in the large shallow cutting immediately north

of Blanche Point and from the polyzoal beds in the vicinity of the first reef,

locally known as “Spring Reef,” south of the old Port Willunga jetty,

To the north-west of Blanche Point is a remnant of a former extension

of the banded marls, which is known as Gull Rock.

A Low Water Mean Line is included on the map to indicate those

portions of the coastline which are generally inaccessible due to the sea. At

times of lower than Mean Low Water tides, however, the reef just north

of Blanche Point is exposed above sea level and it is possible to examine

beds almost to Blanche Point.

There are two series of minor faults, one just below Port Willunga

township, the other approximately a quarter of a mile south of the piles

of the former jetty. The greatest of these faults has a throw of only 9 feet,

this being the displacement on the southern side of the downfaulted block

(graben) below Port Willunga. The faulting occurred in Pre-Pliocene times

although there is evidence iv suggest that in the southernmost series there

was a slight displacement in Pliocene or Post-Pliocene times. This is indi-

cated in a slight downthrow of the Pliocene beds between the two greater of

the series of minor faults. All faults dip steeply to either the east or the

west and the strike, as measured by prismatic compass, is north-south in

the case of the largér, more prominent faults, Whilst there is no evidence

of a continuance of these faults at Blanche Point, prominent fracture lines

extettd here in a more or less north-south direction, ie., in the general

direction of the minor iaulting,

Ill. STRATIGRAPHIC OBSERVATIONS

Under this heading it is intended to subdivide the succession into a

number of hthological units and to name the pre-Plivcene Formations (but

not theit subordinate Members) according to the Australian Code of Strati-

graphic Nomenclature (Raggatt, 1950). After the completion of his thesis

the writer was informed of Miss |. Crespin's intention to publish strati-

graphic names for the succession here described. The name “Maslin Sand-

stone” will be given by Miss Crespin to the combined North Maslin and

South Maslin Sands of this paper. The Pliocene strata will be formally named

by Miss Crespin, New names are hére proposed for the pre-Pliocene Forma-

tions as these are smaller and more detailed that the more comprehensive

divisions recognised by Miss Crespin, No attempt has been made to give

a time and time-rock classification to the majority of these units because

time has not permitted a full enquiry into the ranges of index fossils. (See

Table I and Fig. 1.)

Formation 1: Norta Mastrx Sanns (First Non-Magine Formation)

Lixposure--From the Noarlunga Sand Quarries Ltd. quarry situated approxi-

mately 50 chains south east of Ochre Point to the base of the southern wall

of the Canyon at its western limits. Dr. Miles (1945) mentions an exposure

“at the mouth of a gully, just above the beach level” immediately south of

the quarry, but, this was not observed. However, the sands at their upper

contact are exposed in the stream course just below the road leading inte

the quarry,

Litkology—Cross-bedded sands varying in grain-size from pebbles to very

fine sands with the coarsest particles at the base of individual beds, Fine silty

clay bands and yellow clay lenses ovcur at a height of approximately 10 feet

from the base; the former have a laminated appearance and are somewhat

flexible; the latter are sometimes nodular, and such clays occasionally yield

fossilized plant remains. These are best scen in the northern parts of the

quarry, According to Miles (1945): “The sand throughout the deposit is

substantially free from organic material, and, for the most part, is sufficiently

fine and free from clay substance to be used as ordinary building and con-

crete material without screening.” The sands are predominantly white but

satiously coloured bands and lenses occur more pronouncedly in the upper

eds.

Fisra—Chapman (1935) described some plant remains sent to him by Sir

Douglas Mawson. Such remains are not as abundant as Chapman suggests

in the “pipe-clay” which occurs towards the base of the sands. ¢“Pipe-clay”

has been used in quotation marks because it is most probable that this is

the clay occurring at an approximate height of 10 feet from the base of this

formation and not the basement rock, which is known locally as pipe-clay.)

Clays with fossilised plant remaing have been seen east of the clevator in

the gully which leads towards the “Flying Fox." These should not be con-

fused with the silty bed which contains lignitic material occurring at the

top of the Pliocene sands.

Contacts—The base of this formation is marked by a band of smooth

polished quartz pebbles lying unconformably above the ?Permian till and

is exposed in cuttings adjacent to and west of the loader and elevator. As

exposed in the southern parts of the quarry just below the base of the

Phocene sands, a trarisition occurs between the upper parts of the North

Maslin Sands and the overlying limonitic quartz sands which are green at

the base.

120

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121

Thickness—As already mentioned under the discussion of Stricture, the

true dip of the base of these beds is not determinable and true thickness

cannot be measured. The height of the base as measured in a tetwporary

cutting east of the elevator and loader during the plane table survey is 26

feet. Since the height of the base of the Phovene would be approximately

90 feet (by estimation from measurements made to the south) in this vicinity,

the thickness of this formation is given as approximately 64 feet.

Remarks—Chapinan’s suggestion of Lower Oligocene age for this Formation

is in canflict with latcr foraminiferal evidence which indicates Upper Eocene

age of the Tortachilla Limestones,

Formation 2: Soutu Masrin Sanps

Exposure: This formation extends from the southern parts of the sand

quarry to the small shallow cave in the south-east corner of Maslin Bay,

a distance of almost 14 miles.

Lithology—The sands consist predominantly of well-rounded grains of quartz

and limonite loosely consolidated with a calcareous cement. The minerals

occur in approximately equal amounts in the sands but there are other con-

stituents including small green clay pellets, pebbles of quartzite, etc., which

occur in small amounts, Whilst these beds vary from a gravel to a fine sand,

they are predominantly coarse to very coarse sand. The color varies from

mainly brown, due to the limonite, to green and light-purple which colors

apparently arise from staining of the calcareous cement. Cross-bedding occurs

throughout the formation and pebble bands frequently form the base to

Sticcessive beds. Thin laminae of limonite, often rich in quartz grains, form

a capping to successive beds in the lower parts of the formation, and these,

together with the pebble bands, emphasise the cross-bedding. Such limonite

bands, as mentioned under Physiography, form a capping to the smail hilly

slopes south of the sand quarry. There is a brown earthy bed one foot thick

which contains quartz pebbles, 3 feet above the base of the formation, This

is probably a bed of fresh-water origin occurring in the transition from

terrestrial to marine environment.

Glauconite, as such, has not been observed in the sands, but it is helieved

in view of the similarity in properties of some of the limonite grains to

those of glauconite, that this mineral may have been ariginally deposited or

formed, A sample of the “green-sand” overlying the “pipe-clay” and sands

in the Maslin Bay quarry was also sent by Sir Douglas Mawson to Chapman

(1935) who ascribed the shape of many “glauconitic” casts to the infilling of

foraminiferal tests, “whilst others are replacements of ovoid pellets variously

ascribed to (he excreta of worms, echinoderms or fishes.” He also suggests

that “these pellets are similar to those found in the glauconites and marls

of Upper Oligocene age in the borings at Lakes Entrance, Gippsland.”

Edwards (1945), in a discussion on the Glauconitic Sandstone of the Tertiary

of East Gippsland, Victoria, describes, with illustrations, the formation of

glauconite from biotite and mentions three facts:

(1) Faint traces of biotite cleavage are retained by glauconite,

(2) glauconite can deyelop a mammillated outline, and

(3) "As the gelatinous glauconite dried, it shrank, developing rounded

edges and shrinkage cracks."

Further, the same author points out “, . . . glauconite is an unstable

mineral which readily alters to limonite or ferruginous clay if exposed to

oxidising conditions, so that this a normal change for glauconite to undergo."

Some limonite grains exhilit the latter two, of the three properties outlined

above, and since the change from glauconite to limonite under oxidising

122

FORT WILLUNGA @fDR

int

AuGWiag Uecone pi)

== == ALDINGA CATER — a oh ee ee

PORT WILLUNGA BEDS

Po sorr | BLANCHE

MARLS.

WEBEB)

Aict —

SeHORTH MASLIN SANDS)

7PERMIAN BASEMENT

FIG. 1, COLUMN or PRE-PLIOCENE BEDS.

conditions is a normal one, the above statement that glauconite may origin-

ally have been deposited or formed is substantiated. It is not known whether

such alteration occurred during or after deposition.

Fauna—Fossil remains, although by no means plentiful, occur throughout

the formation. Washings of samples from various horizons have revealed

423

the presence of foraminifera, echinoid spines, sponge spicules and polyzoa,

Sample A103 from the basal beds yielded Gyroidina? and others (nndet.),

whilst casts of Polymorphinidae, similar to those found in the polyzoal sands

immediately above this formation, arc common in the uppermost beds

(Sample A201) exposed just above “Uncle Tom's Cabin” towards the south

of Maslin Bay. Lamellibranchs, generally fragmentary, have been noted from

various horizons, one occurring at beach leyel between the teig. point and

the first boat shed to the south, Lima bassti (T. Woods) var.b, (Tate) and

Berbatia sp. (samples A188, A208 respectively) have been identified, Small

gastropods have also been collected.

Contects—In the southern parts of the sand quarry, there is a sharp transi-

tion from the underlying North Maslin Sands to a green sand bed with

white nodules which bed constitutes the base of the South Maslin sands.

The upper beds are overlain unconformably by a polyzoal limestone which

is brown and unconsolidated at its base in places. The junction of this

unconformity with the angular unconformity at the base of Pliocene beds

is not exposed but is thought to exist on the southern side of the spur

immediately below the trig. point. The upper contact, however, may be seen

from just south of this spur to the south-east corner of Maslin Bay.

Average Thickness—By calculation, 100-160 feet.

(Note: The methods of determination of thicknesses are given in detail

in the original thesis, copies of which have been deposited in the Barr Smith

Library, University of Adelaide.)

Remorks—Howchin (1923) regarded this formation as a freshwater series,

but rare remains of marine fossils have been found throughout the formation,

which is now regarded as dominantly marine.

Formation 3: Torracuinia LIMESTONES

Member 34; Polysoal Limestone

Exposure—From just south of the spur below the trig. point to the north

side of Blanche Point where it is exposed from the beach ta the small cave

about 100 yards east of Blanche Point, The upper parts of the bed are ex-

posed at low tides as an almost flat reef which extends from just west of

the cave to just east of Blanche Point. This member is not exposed south

of Blanche Point.

Lithology—From the base upwards this member consists of unconsolidated

polyzoa) sands rich in limonite grains grading into a hard, richly fossiliferous

polyzoal limestone which becomes partly glauconitic tawards the tap. The

Hmonite grains are less abundant in the upper parts and hence the color

also grades from the base upwards from predominantly brown to pinkish-

white, In thin section quartz grains are seen to be present,to almost the

same extent as the limonite grains in the upper cansclidated limestone.

Sections of microfossils are plentiful and occur with the above-mentioned

minerals in a richly calcareous matrix,

Fauna—

Casts of different species of Polymiorphinidae similar to these occurring

towards the top of the underlying sands; and others (A210, A9) — Terebratu-

lina sp, Terebratulina lenticularis Tate, Magadina sp. Magellanic tateano

(Tenison-Woods), Ostrea sp., Afuria clarkei attenuata Teichert and Cotton was

obtained from approximately 3 feet above the base of this formation just above

“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” by Dr. M, F. Glaessner and identified by him. Pseudechinus

moods (Laube), Fibularia gregota Tate, Australanthus longiomus (Gregory),

124

Echinolampas posterocrassus (Gregory), Eupatagus sp. (a) are common. Other

fossils include an alcyonatian coral, a comatulid crinaid, crinoid stems, many

species af polyzoa, sponge spicules, gastropod casts, ostracodes and shark’s teeth.

These fossils occur in my samples Nos. Al04(a), A193, A207, A210 and

Nos. A7 and AQ (collected by Dr. Glaessner),

Contacts-~The formation is unconformably underlain by the South Maslin

Sands, The change from, Polyzoal upward to Glauconitic Limestone is tran-

sitional and the two units are regarded as Members of a Formation.

Thickness--The maximum thickness of 6 feet is to be seen in the south-

east corner of Maslin Bay where the basal polyzoal limonitic sands show

their greatest development in a trough of the unconformity which ig some-

what sinuous, These sands vary in thickness from 3 inches ta 3 feet whilst

the consolidated limestone above generally has a thickness of 3 feet, hence

the thickness of the Member is given as 3 to 6 feet,

Member 3B: Blanche Point Glouconitic Limestone

Exposure — This member is exposed over almost the same distance in

Maslin Bay as the underlying Polyzoal Limestone. It may be seen from

about 250 yards south of the Trig. Point almost to Blanche Point where

the lower parts form the top of the reef already. mentioned under 3A. Just

east of the small deep cave 100 yards east of Blanche Point along the north-

ern side, this member forms the top of a small platform.

Lithology—This is in general a hard calcareous rock rich in glauconite,

hence the predominant green color. It is very fossiliferous and there are some

small pockets of softer glauconitic material similar to those occurring in the

upper parts of the underlying polyzoal limestone.. There are some grains

and pebbles of Jimonite and quartz in this rock also, and in/some cases fossil

tests which have not become infilled with plauconitic clay show a secondary

formation of calcite in clear crystalline form,

Fanna—

ForamMinirera: Uvigerina, Angulogerina, Anomalina, Astrononion, Pullenia,

Siphonina, Gyroidina, Nonion, Discorbis, Eponides, Bulimina, Giimbelina,

Bolivina, Bolivinifta and others, (A7).

Poryzoa: Reticulipora transennata, Lichenopora sp.

Corars: Tate (1878) lists Amphihelia 2ic-zac (Tenison-Woods) as occurring

in the Glauconitic Limestone north of Blanche Point,

Bracwiopopa; Terebratulina lenticularis Tate, Magellania toteona (Tenison-

Woods), Victorithyris pectoralis (Tate), Victorithyris suffata (Tate), Livthy.

rella. tateana (Tenison-Woods), Aldingia furculifera (Tate), ete,

LAMELLIBRANCHIA; Notostrea tatei (Suter), Spondylus sp. Chlamys sp.

Chiamys flindersi (Tate), Glycimeris sp.

Ecrromea; Stereacidaris australiae (Duncan), Pseudechinus woodsii (Laube},

Fibularia gregata Tate, Australanthus longianus (Gregory), Eupatagus sp. (a).

Other fossils include worm tubes and lamellibranch shells and casts, gastra-

pod casts, crinoid remains, echinoid spines and ostracades.

Contacts—The transition from the underlying polyzoal limestone to this bed

has already been discussed. Marls which are highly glauconitic at the base

overlic the Glauconitic Limestone and there is once again some evidence of

a transition between these two formations. Due to erosive agents, since the

oveflying marls are very much softer, the limestone protrudes from below

them and the contact is generally well shown.

Thickness—3 feet (maximum).

123

Formation 4: Buancue Point Magus

Member 4A: Blanche Point Transitional Maris

Exposure—From about 150 yards north of “Uncle Tom's Cabin” along

Maslin Beach in the south-east corner of the bay to the north side of Blanche

Point. Whilst this member reaches almost to Blanche Point along the north-

ern side, it is no longer exposed south of the Point. It has been eroded away

above the reef just north and east of Blanche Point to form a large shallow

cutting beneath the overlying banded marls (Member 4B),

Lithology—This is essentially a marly bed, dark grey at the base due to the

numerous glauconitic grains, becoming lighter in color higher up, although

still retaining a speckled appearance. An analysis of a sample from the

middle parts of this formation revealed that the bed here contains 80%

CaCO, with some insolubles, including quartz, Fe,O, and clay. On petro-

logical considerations, the sample would be classed as a limey marl, but

this is not entirely satisfactory because this formation is rich throughout

in microfossils which have calcareous tests. As mentioned above, the com-

position varies from the base which is comparatively rich in macrofossils

and predominantly glauconitic to the upper richly calcareous parts, but it |

is considered that the formation may be called a marl.

Fauna—The fauna includes the foraminifera Uvigerina, Angulogerina, Anoma-

lina, Astrononion, Nonion, Gyroidina, Discorbis, Pullenia, Siphonina, Ndtoro-

talia, Bulimina, Gimbelina, Bolivina, Bolivinopsis, Bolivinita, and others

(A105, Al0Sa, A209).

It is from the base of this formation that Ffanfkentna alahamensis Cushman

was taken by Parr,

BracHioropa: Vsetorithyris pectoralis (Tate), 7. suffleta (Tate), Terebra-

teil, (?) pentagonalis {Tate}, Aldingia sp. and others.

LAMFLLIBRANCHIA: Noetostrea tater (Suter), Notostrea lubra Finlay.

Otuer Fossi_s include a small Gastropod, Polyzoa, sponge spicules and Ostra-

codes. ;

Contacts—The glauconite-rich hasal beds and the fact that macrofossils

similar to those in the underlying hed oceur also towards the base supply

evidence of a transition between the underlying Glauconitic Limestone and

this Marl, This contact reaches the base. of the Pliocene as is to he seen in

a small stréam-course about 150 yards north of “Uncle Tom's Cabin.” Over-

lying this Transitional Marl Member is the first hard band of the Blanche

Point Banded Marls.

Thickness—The maximum thickness, by measurement, is 74 feet,

Remarks—In view of Parr’s discovery of Hantkewina the basal part of this

formation must be assigned to the Upper Eocene.

Sample A105 was taken from the base and A105 (a) from 4 feet above

the base in the yicinity of a fence which follows down over fPleistocene

and Phocene beds along the eastern limits of Maslin Bay, i.c., approximately

250 feet south of “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.” Sample A209 was collected fram the

base of the formation just west of the small shallow cave in the south-east

corner of Maslin Bay. |

Member 4B; Blanche Point Bunded Merls

Exposure—From between “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and the fence just met~-

tioned, where the base of the first hard band meets the base of the Pliocene,

to just south of Blanche Paint where ithe upper of the series of hard bands

passes below sea-level, At this latter position the steep nature of the cliff-

126

faces common throughout almost the entire distance of exposure of this

formation along the coastline is lost and from here south to Chinaman’s

Gully, a change in the nature of the coastline is noted.

Lithology—

(5) Top; Soft clayey marls similar to the ovetlying Member 4C

with hard grey nodular bands three inches thick at heights

of 3, 3, 34 and 5 feet above the base. The dip of the banded

maris was determined by Lahee’s method (1931) tising the top

of the band at 32 feet - - _ - - - Sad fect

(4) Grey marls with three hard bands at heights of 2, 4 and

54 feet above the base, Intervening softer bands are similar to

the hard bands in composition but are not as consolidated - 6 feet

Soft yellow-grey marls with four hard grey nodular bands and

capped by a i-foot thick band of hard grey marl, Besides

Turritella aldingae Tate which is. abundant throughout the

formation, these beds are rich in Polyzoa - - - 86 feet

(2) Rubbly marls generally light grey m colour with irregular hard

‘and some thin and nodular grey bands - - - - 12 feet

(1) Greenish-grey and light grey marls, alike in appearance to the

underlying Transitional Marls with a hard grey nodular band

2 feet up from the base and a hard light grey band I foot thick

at the base - - - - - - 5nfeet

Total thickness - 37 feet

A chemical analysis revealed that the CaCO, content is 40% in the

hard marls in bed (4). The examination of insoluble residues revealed a

large percentage of silica. This was expected since microscopic examination

of similar beds had shown relatively large numbers of sponge spicules. A

thin section of Sample No. Al revealed a green mineral (? glauconite) as

occasional grains and forming a part of the mattix, Fissures developed in

these beds have a north-south trend and may be lines of weakness culminat-

ing in the minor faulting seen almost due south in the Port Willunga Beds.

Fauna—

ForaMINIFERA are common but have not yet been fully studied.

BRACHIOPODA occur in sample A3.

Corats: Flabellum distinctum Edwatds and Haime. Tate (1878) also records

ches striata. Tenison-Woods from limestone bands in clavs at Blanche

‘oint, .

LAMELLIBRANCHIA; ? Notostrea tatei (Suter), Spondylus sp., Notostrea tubra

Finlay (not in site but believed to be from the basal beds), Propeamussium

atkinsomi (Johnston), Chione multilamellata Tate. Tate records from “Turri-

tella Limestone bands Blanche Point”; Spondylus gaederopoides McCay,

Limopsts multiradiata ‘Tate, Barbatia dissimilis Tate.

Gastropopa: Tenagodes adelaidensis (?), Lyria (?) sp., Turritella aldingae Tate,

Vermicularia sp., Siliquaria sp., Trivia avellanoides McCoy. _

Tae records from “Turritella bands, Blanche Point”: Epitentum lampra

(Tate). ;

ScaPHopopa; Dentaltum sp,

CerHatorona: Nautilus sp.

OTHER FOssiILs include crinoid stems, sponge spicules, echinoid spines and

octracodes. Sponge spicules are notably plentiful in the uppermost parts of

this formation. An otolith was collected from bed (5), Sample A106 (d),

127

and other fish remains include shark’s teeth and fish vertebrae. Large worm

burrows have been noted in harder bands lower in the formation.

Additional fossils described by Tate and others are found m works listed in

Singleton’s comprehensive paper of 1941,

Contacts—The formation is underlain by the Blanche Point Transitional

Marls and overlain conformably by the Blanche Point Soft Marls, Member

4C. The upper contact joins the base of the Pliocene almost directly above

the small shallow cave in the south-east corner of Maslin Bay,

Thickness—37 feet.

Member 4C; Blanche Point Soft Matls

Exposire—The base of this formation meets the base of the Pliocene above

and approximately 100 feet west of the small shallow cave in the south-east

corner of Maslin Bay, The top of the formation meets the Pliocene approxi-

mately 400 yards north of Chinamari’s Gully and this may be seen in a

stream-course exposure, The top of the Marls is last observed just to the

north of Aldinga Creek where it is decidedly blackish in color and passes

down below sea-level, This however is only to be seen when there is little

or ho sand cover.

Lithology—This is essentially a brownish to greenish-grey marl, generally

soft and clayey (more so towards the base), with some hard grey nodules dis-

persed irregularly throughout, There is a hard gtey-black band which forms a

reef due west of: Chinaman’s Gully at a height of approximately 4§ feet and a

thin nodular band 14 feet from the hase. The uppermost hed is a dark greenish-

grey colour and fossiliferous, being rich in Limopsis chapmani Singleton and

Turritella aldingae Tate, the latter, however, being common throughout the

formation.

A sample from the topmost Limopsis bed, A107 (c), was examined for

foraminifera which were found to be very small and not numerous. The bed

is extremely rich in glauconite which occurs as green pellets. Another

characteristic feature of the upper beds of this. formation are the white marly

nodules which are sometitnes of quite large dimetisions. They appear to be

non-fossiliferous and may possibly represent the relics of an erosional surface

which existed prior to the deposition of the overlying non-marine scdiments.

The Blanche Point Marts are generally grey it) colour throughout, some

horizons being darker than others and this may be duc partly to the presence

of organic matter.

Analysis of Sample No, A107 revealed 47°5% CaCO,, together with clay

and some silica which were left as insolubles.

Fauna—

ForaMiniFera; Bulitnina, Giimbelina, Boliwina, Uvigerina, Angulogerina, Anoma-

lima, Astrononion, Gyroidina, Discorbis, Pullenia, Sphaeroidina and others.

Bracnioropa: Mictorithyris sufflata (Tate) and others,

LAMELLIBRANCHIA: Limopsis chapmani Singleton, Dimya sigillata, Lentipecten

sp., Lentipecten cf. victoriensis Crespin, Propeamussium atkinsoni ( Johnston),

Anomia cf. ceymbula Tate, Cardium sp., Chione cainozoica ‘Tenison-Woods,

Arca equidens Tate, Chione multilamellata Tate, and others,

Gasrroropa: Turritella sp. Turritella aldingae Tate, “Murex? sp, Ancille

ligata Tate, Natica sp., Voluta pagodoides Tate, Trivia avellanvides McCoy

and Vermicylaria sp.

ScapHoropa: Dentaliwm sp.

OTHER FOSSILS include sponge spicules and ostracodes.

Thtckness—57 feet.

128

Contacts—The base of the formation is underlain by the topmost hard band’

of the alternate hard and soft bands of marl which form Member 4B, whilst

immediately above are the basal beds of the second non-marine beds, i¢., lamin-

ated green, brown and yellow clays with white nodules.

Formation 5: CHINAMAN’s GULLY BEDs

(Second Non-Marine Formation)

Exposure—These beds meet the base of the Phocene north of Chinaman’s

Gully, the base at a distance of 370 yards, the top at approximately 290 yards,

but except where exposed in stream courses, they are generally obscured by

Recent deposits in this vicinity. The best expostire is in Chinaman’s Gully, whilst

they are also well shown in two small stream cuttings just to the north. They

are gencrally to be seen in patt from Chinaman’s Gully to Aldinga Creek but not

south of the latter locality,

Lithology—Because these beds are easily meastired and have some variation

in composition they have been listed hereunder in tabulated form with sample

numbers and thicknesses. :

Lithology Sample No. Thickness

Top

Yellow to brown becoming red laminated clayey

to pritty bed, Hmonitic in part and containing

nodules of blue-grey and green sandy clays which

show Liesegang rings—this bed is im parts cross-

Blue-grey silt with parallel bands of coarser sands A110 8”

Red laminated sandy to clayey bed

Thin band of bluish-grey silt 1 tow

Yellow laminated sandy bed ANO vs

Greenish-yellow silt band

Interbedded coarse and yery fine to medium sands

vatying in colour from greenish-yellow to white and

blue-grey with a hard white sandstone leaf at the

base and some white sandy noduies just above the

base, - - - - =. ae - - - A109 Vi"

Laminated green, brawn and yellow clays with

white sandy nodules. A108 1'0”

Base - - - i - - - - 5'4”

In samples of the coarser constituents examined, quartz was seen to be the

predominant mineral but there were other dark grains and some muscovite. Clay,

sometimes with iron oxides, and silt fornia the very fine constituents of these beds.

Fauna—Some foraminiferal tests were obtained ftom sample No. A109, but

these are thought to haye been derived from the underlying soft marls as

remanié fossils during erosion under a terrestrial environment.

Contacts—This bed overlies the Blanche Point Soft Marls and, at the base,

shows a marked contrast to the highly fossiliferous grey marls which have fairly

abundant white nodules at the upper limits, A green bed with a maximum thick-

129

ness of 14 feet overlies the formation, and whilst the break as shown by the

change in colour iz quite evident, the microfossil assemblage, as discussed under

Formation 6, indicates a distinct change in the environment.

Thickness—By measurement, 54 feet maximum.

Formation 6: Porr WitLunca Beps

Exposure—The northernmost limit of this formation is somewhat obscured

by Recent terrestrial and aeolian deposits. The top of the lowest member of the

formation meets the Pliocene basal unconformity approximately 270 yards north

of Chinaman’s Gully, This is exposed in the bed of a small stream-course and

by estimation, taking into consideration the apparent dip of the beds (approxi-

mately 15° ot 120 feet/mile 200° true) and of the unconformity (approximately

O° in the vicinity) the northernmost limit is 280 to 290 yards north of Chinaman’s

Gully. The southernmost limit occurs where the base of the Pliocene dips below

the sand at an approximate distance of 1,000 yards south of the remaining

jetty piles at Port Willunga, This distance is based on the level of the beach sand

during February, 1951, and will be stibject to variation.

Lithology—Due to the variable nature of the members of the formation, a

column had to be drawn (Fig. 2), showing such variation, sample horizons and

thicknesses, The minor faulting discussed earlier, the thinning of certain beds,

cross-bedding and the effects of a relatively deeper Aldinga Creek in post-Pleisto-

cene times have all created some difficulties in the correlation of beds and measure-

ments of thickness. The formation as a lithological unit could be classed as an

arenaceaus polyzoal limestone witli argillaceous bands,

Fauna—

FORAMINIFERA: Sample No, A112, @ distinctive assemblage of atenaceous types

which have not been identified.

All4: Anomalina, Sherbornina, Sphaeroidina and others,

All4: Verneuilina(?), Gumbelina, Bolizina, Uvigerina, Angulogerina,

Astrononion, Gyroidina, Nonion, Discorbis, Planorbulina, Sherbornina,

Sphacroidina and others,

Corats: Graphularia senescens Tate.

Poryz0a; Cellepora cf. verruculata,

BracHioropa: Magellania garibaldiana (Davidson); Stethothyris (7?) insolita

(Tate), ? Magellania tateana (Tenison-Woods), Victorithyris sufflata (Tate),

and others,

LAMELtinrancuita: “Pecten” cf, consebrinus Tate, “P2’ eyrei Tate, Ostrea

arenicola Tate, Chlamys asperrimus asperrimus (Lamarck), Pinna sp, Dinya

disstmailis Tate,

Gastroropa: Vermicularia sp., Turritella sp., ? Mitra sp., Cirsotrema mariae

{Tate}. i

EcuHinomwea: Duncaniaster australae (Duncanj, Nueleolites sp., Linthia com-

pressa (Duncan), Pseudechinus woodsti {Laube), Eupatagus sp., Stereocida-

ris aystraliae (Duncan), Lrienocidaris scoparia Chapman and Cudmore,

Scuteilina patella Tate, Fibularia gregote Tate, Goniocidaris prunispinosa

Chapman and Cudmore.

ASTEROIDEA: Penlugondster sp.

Crustacea: abundant Cirripedia,

ines : Tooth of Odontaspis contortidens Agassiz, teeth of Odontuspis attenuata

vis.

OTHER FOSsILs include worm tubes (A151), and microfossil samples contain

Polyzoa, Ostracodes, sponge spicules, echinoid spines, crinoid stem remains.

Hereunder are some additional fossils mentioned by Tate in various publica-

tions :

130

FIG. 2 THE PORT WILLUNGA BEDS.

e SAY yetenr qpay sadly pelyzeal bad «very Loesitiferes.

= Clayey te acarcly pelyscal beds willy 3 thank yellow potjmcd Vimestore. bends. ‘hich: fe

reefs. These, and adjecmt bade oe sliggttty Patded ced prver foutterg eccuns.

ane

Gray movly wordy beds vith dark colomd qmaine ond green clay redules, Thera

ore 3 brn ecloysy bawis ce stem.

ST Yalu te trem sandy bed greding devreerde ie green

Mud white madides, Crae- bedding may be mete an thin and odjanent tacks,

Adtite | gellar cred brown Serichy eed bed with green sony nedules and

loners cin wame hord pcan Mg So bonds. Thine bo 3 font ete wont

rihe pecivlas.

soot bed becoming @ crove-bebled aoal limestone with « thin apovelly base:

why ng

Opridiring & black matendl’ The beel oppeers te lenee to the south.

Bracuioropa: Magellania furcata (Tate)—"“rather rare in the Polyzoal calcifer-

ous sands forming the lower part of the seacliffs immediately south of Port

Willunga Jetty’; Victorithyris sufflata (Tate)—same locality; Magasella

woodsiana Tate—"yellow calciferous sands, Aldinga Bay.”

131

LAMELLIBRANCHIA: “Pecten” perani Tate “polyzoal limestone, Aldinga Bay.”

Ecninowes: Eupatagus decipiens Tate—“calciferous sandstone, south side Port

Willunga Jetty,” Lovente forbes: Tenison-Woods—"calciferous sandstone,

Eocene, Aldinga.” Tate and Dennant (1896) list also Maretia anomola Duncan

ard the Crinoid .dntedon sp., from “calciferous sand rock with hard conercted

portons at top and siliceous bands at bottom,” Port Willunga Jetty, Lower

Reds. The reader is also referred to a paper by Miss Crespin (1946) fora

list of microfossils, mainly Foraminifera and Polyzoa, which come from her

Samples Nos. 1 to 4. -

Contacts—The fotmation is underlain by the second nof-marine formation

as described under Formation 5, The top of the Port Willunga Beds is not revealed

in this succession,

Thickness—by measure 1114 feet.

Formation 7: Priocenr LImMestonrs

Exposure—Sands and limestones with sands all regarded as Pliocene in age

extend continuously from north of Ochre Point to south of Snapper Point.

Lithology—This formation consists predominantly of white and yellow sands

and arenaceous limestones with occasional lenses of clayey sands. For the purpose

of this discussion, the Pliocene formation will be considered in three divisions

numbered 1 to 4,

1. - From the north of this succession to 120 yards south of the spur below

the trig. point, the formation consists mainly of unfossiliferous yellow and white

sands, A typical section of these beds may he seen al the sand quarry where a

basal white, brown, yellow and red mottled friable sandstone band is overlaiy

by white and yellow sands showing some banding. (Sample A186). In the

upper parts of this section {here is a yellow, hard limonitic (in part) sandy band,

the thickness of the formation being 104 feet. The only fosstliferous arenaccous

limestone occurring in this division of the succession is a cappitig over the small

hill between the Canyon and Bennett's Creek, This bed is hard, white with some

yellow staining and travertinnous in appearance (Sample Al75)_ It is slightly

fossthferous, 4 feet thick and overlying 6 feet of yellow sands (Sample A176).

2. This division extends from 120 yards south of the spur below the trig.

point to the north side of Blanche Point. A typical section is described from above

“Uncle Tom’s Cabin”: ycllow sands (Sample A200) 9 feet thick are overlain by

a green clayey sandy bed (A1l99c) grading into a dark grey, green to brown clay

(AL99b) 44 feet thick, capped by white sandy limestone (A199a) 54 feet thick.

This upper limestone is slightly fossiliferous, and towards the north of this

division it is slightly pebbly; the underlying 12 feet of sands in this position also

contain pebbly bands.

- The top of the upper hard limestone fortis an intermediate platform between

heach level and the top of the cliffs, This hard band, however, does tint seem

to extend to the base of the ? Pleistocene clays in the northern parts of this

division, where grey to white pebbly sands (Sample A197) pass upwards inta

yellow sandy clays (A196) and yellow clays (A195). The transition is exposed

in a small stream course, and the clays here pass directly upwards into a grey

mottled bed (A194) which grades up into red ? Pleistocene beds. The formation

as described (1.¢., above “Uncle Tom's Cabin’’) is the same in the southern limits

of this division. There are, however, calcareous nodules in the basal parts here,

which are similar in appearance ta some which occur at the base of the Pliocene

along the north side of Blanche Point. A feature of interest is the so-called “sand-

stone dyke’ which occurs on the path from “Uncle ‘Toim’s Cabin” to the top of

the ? Pleistacenc. This is a “dyke” in appearance only, formed by the lower sands

132

ef the formation ‘which have filled in a crack in the underlying Pre-Pliocene

beds and become cemented to form a sandstone.

3. The third division may be seen from Blanche Point to south of Snapper

Point almost to the hits at Aldinga Beach. Generally the beds are as follows:

Basal beds of highly fossiliferous yellow sands overlain by white sands with

irregular bands and lenses of calcareous sandstone and arenaceous limestone are

capped by 5 feet of white to grey arenaceous limestone with sandy lenses, the

whole being approximately 18 to 20 feet thick. The section is generally fossilifer-

ous, more so at the base and in the irregular bands where mostly casts only are

to be found. Some fossils are to be found in the white sands and fossil impre-

sions and casts are to be seen with some occasional fossils in the upper hard white

limestone. In places a greenish sandy clayey bed, best seen tn Chinaman’s Gully,

underlies this upper hard white limestone and there is evidetice to suggest that

there is an unconformity below this Jatter bed, A typical section may be seen

along the road leading to the jetty at Port Willunga, and this is described here-

under:

Top

White fossiliferous arenaceous limestone - - - = - - 50”

Yellow to white mottled sand - - - - - - - - zy

Hard calcareous sandstone with some fossils - = - - - + er

White sand - - - - - - - 7 - - or

Hard calcareous satidstone with fossils - = = = = - io

White ‘sand - - - +> = : - - - - -=- - Yo

Hard arenaceous richly fossiliferous limestone - - - - 20

White fossiliferous sand - - - - - - - - - -

Yellow sand with hard sandstone leat - - - - - - - @

White sand - - - - - - : = - : 2 - #5

Hard arenaceous fossiliferous limestone - - - - - - Ls"

Yellow to white mottled sands, richly fossiliferous - - - - 9”

Mard fossiliferous modular limestone - - =~ = a ee

13’0"

Boulders of Pre~Pliocene formations are occasionally found at the base of

the Pliocene beds and white chalky nodules are also found in the coloured beds

immediately undetlying the topmost arenaceous limestane. The top of this forma-

tion is exposed between Snapper Point and the huts at Aldinga Bay asa fossil

erosion surface,

Fauna— -

ForaMinivera; Elphidiuam species are prominent but have not been separated.

Marginopora vertebralis Quoy and Gaimard is common in the hard limestone

bands. (Samples A163, A165). ;

LaAMELLIBRANCHIA: Ostrea arenicola Tate, Spondylus spondyloides (Tate),

“Pectew”’ consobrinus Tate, Chlamys asperrimus antiaustralis (Tate), Tellina

lata Quoy arid Gaimard, Dosinia (Kereta) grey: Zittel, Pinna sp. (b), Spisula

variabilis (Tate).

Tate lists these additional species: Placunanomiga ione Gray, “Pecten”

pulmipes Tate, Amucssinm Ilncens Tate, Pinna semicostata Tate, Glycimeris

convexus Tate (“imperfect specimens”), Tyigonia acuticostata. McCay (‘casts

probably of this species’), Cardita ftrigonalis Tate, Lucina araca Tate,

L. nuctformis Tate, L. fabuloides Tate, Loripes simulans Tate, Lepton

planuisculua Tate, Cucullaca cortoensis McCoy, Crassatella oblonga (Tenison-

Woods), Pecten subbifrons Tate, Limatula jeffreysiana (Tate), Mefetrix

sphericula Basedow (“large imperfect cast referable to this species”).

133

Gastropopa: Casts of Potamides sp., Cerithium sp., Phasianella sp., Terebra sp.,

Cassis sp., ? Architectonica sp., Bulinella sp., and casts and external moulds

of Haliotis sp. have been seen.

Tate lists these additional fossils: Trophon anceps Tate, Lampusia sexcostata

Tate, Cominella subfilicea Tate, Latirus approximans (Tate), Ancilla orycta

Tate, Terebra mitrellaeformis Tate, Terebra crassa Tate, casts of Cassis

textilis Tate, Natica subvarians Tate, Capulus danigli Crosse, Rhinoclavis

subcalvatus (Tate), and the ScapHorop Codulus acuminatus Deshaycs.

Ecutnoweas Peronella. platymodes (Tate), and others. ‘

Crustacea: Ostracades, crab claws.

Whilst casts of fossils are common in the lower beds of the formation, shells

are also plentiful and, in particular, Ostrea arenicola, Spondylus spondyloides,

“Pecten’ consobrinus, and Chlamys asperrimus antiaustralis are abundant. These

beds are sometimes referred to as “Oyster Banks”.

Contacfs—The formation oyerlies the Pre-Pliocene formations with angular

unconformity and is overlain by the ? Pleistocene beds. Where the ? Pleistocene

beds directly overlie sands, the upper contact is not always well defined.

ond

res 2 THE CORRELATION OF THE PLIGCAHE mang

Thickness

feet.

Remarks—This formation could possibly be divided into three members,

viz: (a) Non-marine Sands, (b) First Marine Beds and (c) Second Marine

Limestone, (see Fig. 3). The subdivision is based on these facts:

(a) the sands from north of Ochre Point to north of Blanche Point are un-

fossiliferous, they are capped by limonite (7? lateritic) to the north and just below

the trig point they have pebble and gravel bands, Such properties suggest

a terrestrial environment. In addtion to these may be quoted the occurrence

of a silty bed containing lignitic material at the top of Pliocene sands at

the sand quarry. It underlies a brown limonitic bed and dark brown-freen.

clays which may be Pliocene or ?Pleistocene in age, and overlies a con-

The maximum thickness by measurement varies from 18 to 20

134

solidated sandy bed highly perforated by roots. In view of available facts,

ie., the limonitic capping to these sands further south, the clay oceurring

above the sands above “Uncle Tom’s Cabin” and pieces of wood from this

locality, the lignite band is tentatively classed as Pliocene.

(b) The first marine series includes the lower sands, sandstones and

limestones described under Division 3. These are highly fossiliferous and in

contrast to the non-marine beds described under (a) above. The sandy clayey

bed at the top of these beds may possibly be equivalent to the clays at the

{op of the non-marine beds above “Uncle Tam’s Cabin.” Any transition from @

non-marine to a marine environment will be exposed along the north side of

Blanche Point but these beds are inaccessible.

appears to overlie the basal non-marine and marine sands with unconformity.

It appears to be approximately uniform in lithological nature and, although

assumptions can only be made in general on casts of fossils, the faunal

asstmblage seems to differ at least in part from the assemblage of the first

marine beds. The outlier of Pliocene limestone occurring between Beanctt’s

Creel and the Canyon is tentatively placed with this member. It has the

same travertinous appearance and is pworly fossiliferous, casis only having

heen seen. ;

Unrr No. 8: ? Preisrocene AND ReEcENT DEPOSITS

The ?Pleistocene beds are exposed from north of Ochre Point to South

of Snapper Point and consist predominantly of red mottled sandy clays over-

lain by green sandy clays. Boulder and gravel beds were rioted in the red

beds at Ochre Point but generally the composition of the beds is as de-

scribed above. South of Blanche Point the lower red beds have been covered

by the overlying green beds and are no longer visible. A thickness of 10

feet of brown to green clays underlies the red beds in the northern jrarts

of the succession but it is not certain whether these beds belong to the

Pliocene non-marine member or ? Pleistocene, The maximum thickness of

? Pleistocene beds as measured between the trig. point and “Uncle Tom’s

Cabin” is 59 feet, of which the red beds form 39 feet, From Blanche Poisl

tu Chinaman’s Gully, these beds gradually become thinner but from Port

Willunga to Snapper Point they again approach the maximum thickness,

and at Snapper Point are approximately 55 feet thick. These beds cannot on

available evidence be classed definitely as Pleistocene.

Angular unconformity between Pliocene and Pre-Pliocene beds may be

seen from approximately on¢-third of a mile north of Blanche Point to just

north of Snapper Point. It is alsa seen in the southermost quarry cutting

where the contact between the white sands and the overlying brawn and

green sands is truncated by aimost horizontal sands, the significance of

which is discussed below. This unconformity dips frem a height of approxi-

mately 90 feet in the vicinity of the sand quarry to sea level just north

of Snapper Point, (i.e., approximately 30 feet per mile).

The Pliocene-?Pleistocene contact is well defined from Blanche Point

to just north of the huts at Aldinga Beach where an erosion surface is

exposed on the uppermost limestone of the Pliocene beds. North of Blanche

Point, however, the upper limestone bed is not continuous and the base of

the ?Pleistocene occurs directly above sands for most of the distance. Under

such conditions the break between Pliocene and ?Pleistocene is not well

defined and there appears to be an intermixing of the upper Pliacene sands

with the basal beds of the ?Pleistocene deposits, This contact has a similar

dip to the angular unconformity and from a height of approximately 100

feet to the north of the succession, it reaches sea level at Snapper Point as

the erosion surface mentioned above.

Recent deposits include a thin layer of kunkar, which, in general, is con-

tinuous and overlying the ? Pleistocene beds. However, it does overlie other beds

as mentioned hereunder in the discussion of the creeks. A thin layer of topsoil

is seen in parts of the section, whilst also included under Recent deposits are the

aeolian and other deposits which, particilarly in the embayments, obscure some

patts of the. lower beds in the coastal section, The three creeks which traverse

the coastal section at the Canyon, Bennett’s Creek and Aldinga Creek are believed

to have been much deeper at some time between the completion of deposition of

the ? Pleistocene beds and Recent times. At the Canyon, in the northern wall,

the ? Pleistocene beds are no longer divisible into two divisions and seem to have

been reworked. The North and South Maslin sands exposed in the southern wall

have likewise, in part, heen resorted ta form a bed of pebbles and coatse white

sand overlain by a conglomeratic deposit with pebbles of limonite and quartzite

in sand beds. This formation is in complele contrast to the exposure at the

westernmost portions of the southern wall, where the North Maslin Sands are

exposed beneath a thickness of approximately 30 feet of South Maslin sands in an

unaltered condition. The northern wall shows only the resorted ? Pleistocene

beds, and these are overlain by Recent sands which extend to the top of the small

hill immediately north, where only small outhers of the kunkar remain above

Pliocene and ? Pleistocene deposits. Silicified routs are to be seen in some abund~

ance in these sands,

At Bennett’s Creek the ? Pleistacene beds are not to be scent within 150 yards

either north or south, and Recent sands and deposits form gradual inclinations

on both sides, Just south of Bennett’s Creek, the South Maslin sands have been

cemented to form a hard rock at the surface, Just north and south of Aldinga

Creek the old creek hed may be seen cutting the section. The overlying ? Pleisto-

cene beds have been removed and the thin kunkar layer directly overlies both

Pliocene and Pre-Pliocene beds, and in the south it may be seen resting above

the fluvial deposits of the former creek. The Pre-Pliocene beds appear to fold

downwards beneath these deposits, and this can be accounted for by a slumping

of the upper incompetent beds when lower beds have collapsed due to erosional

forces. An erosional surface, similar to the type seen south of Snapper Point,

was observed just north of Port Willunga at beach level above the fluvial sedi-

ments, which are predominantly dark in colour and contain pebbles of kunkar |

which define bedding. Evidence of a submergence of the present coastline in com-

paratively Recent times may be seen in the form of terraces in the vicinity of

Bennett's Creek. These consist of boulder and ‘pebble beds which occur above the

present beach level associated with deposits of Recent types of shells, including

Turbo undulata. Martyn and the common limpet Cellana tramoserica (Martyn).

On the other hand, these may be storm beaches or stich shell deposits may have

been formed by wandering tribes of aboriginals who have been known lo pass

through this vicinity and who leave such remains at their squats, Definite

emergence of the coastline, however, seems probable in view of the stream

profiles earlier discussed. Certain terms such as “raised sea-beaches” have been

purposely avoided in this discussion and definite conclusions tegarding changes

in sea-level have not been formed in view of the fact that it has not beet possible

to carry out detailed studies,

IV CONDITIONS OF DEPOSITION

The North Maslin sand deposit is probably deltaic and may have originated

from adjacent Precambrian quartz-rich sediments, Gravel and coarse sediments

are usually mot common in deltaic deposits, except where streams flow into a sea

or lake directly from uplands, when gravel may become a considerable part of

136

the sediments, Clay bands with and without plant remains and cross-laminations

are also suggestive of deltaic deposits. The quartz boulders and pebbles at the

base of the sands are probably derived from two sources, the more angular being

from adjacent Precambrian uplands and left as relics of an original piedmont

deposit, whilst highly polished pebbies have probably been accumulated by the

resorting of the underlying ? Permian beds, the till being removed by distribu-

taries to possibly form “bottomset” =) beds, Determination of “subaerial’ and

“subaqueous”, “topset” and “foreset"’ beds has not been possible in view of the

reiatively smal] size of this deposit as compared with the large areas wsually

covered by deltaic deposits, and because it has only been possible to examine this

exposure more or less as a vertical section,

There is evidence to suggest that there is 4 transition between the non-marive

sands and the overlying South Maslin sands. As already mentioned, there is a

brown bed with quartz pebbles 3 feet above the base of the latter, and this is

considered as being deposited by terrestrial agents. Twenhofel, in his discussion

of “sediments of the foreset slope,” says: “Certain chemical sediments, such as

glauconite, may also form,” and in view of the cross-bedding which is in part

similar to that exhibited by the North Maslin sands, it is suggested that these

beds are closely associated with the deltaic environment. The units formed in

the brown sands are, however, generally more letiticular than those in the white

sands, The cross-laminations of the South Maslin sands are produced mainly

under a marine environment in contrast to those of the sand quarry deposit, It

has already been proposed that some of the limonitic grains have been formed

by the alteration of glauconite, but it is not within the scope of this paper to

discuss the formation of the latter mineral, The limonitic bands exposed tn cross-

laminations are not regarded as of the same origin as the grains formed by

alteration of glauconite. They form the capping to. units in the lower parts of this

formation, and are probably the result of precipitation of colloidal clay and iron

oxide, “. ... and there may also be much precipitation of colloids of iron oxide

and silica where fresh and salt waters mingle’ (Twenhofel, 1950). This would

also explain their somewhat laminated nature. Mudcracks with the intervening

limonite being sometimes curved concavely upwards or peculiarly coiled could

be formed in this near-shore environment, Only some of the limonite grains can

he acconted for hy the alteration ef glauconite and the remainder may be

attributed to a precipitation from colloids, followed by dispersal amongst quartz

satids by weak wave or current action. Iron oxides derived from the chocolate

shales undetlying the Precambrian quartzites, etc., at Ochre Cove, could be the

source oi much of this limonite, At the furthermust limits of this formation from

the sand quarry, the sands are predominantly limonitic and the limonitic capping

is no longer observed, The mingling of fresh and salt waters would be less marked

at this distance from the landmass, and the percentage of grains formed fram

glauconite would be greater in deeper neritic seas. Macrofossils are found mainly

in lenses of a light-preen to purple colour, and these may be part of the “foreset"

environment (Twenhofel states that “shell matter should be more or less abundant

ovet foreset bottoms, particularly between distributary currents .. . ."}.

Erosion occurred before the next group of beds was formed, and a dis-

conformity separates the South Maslin sands and the Tortachilla Limestoncs,

The latter are richly fossiliferous and are rch at the base in limonite grains

derived from the underlying formation, and polyzoa. The character of the faune

@) The terms used jn this discussion of deltaic deposits and such statements as

are made in support of a deltaic cnvironment are taken from Twenhofel “Principles ai

Sedimentation” Second Edition, 1950, p. 102-118 Such terms and statements have bees

imeluded in quotation marks,

137

which is mainly benthonic with some planktonic forts, is indicative of a shallow

water environment. These are autochthonous. limestones which generally have

little or no clastic detritus and it is suggested that they were formed in clear

water with little wave action, Above the less consolidated, limonitic, polyzoal

sands they become very hard, although there are softer pockets of glaucomtitic

clay in the upper parts. Sedentary organisms may have played a major part in

the formation of these beds, in which case the limestones could be regarded as

a biostrame formation. It would seem from the transition of the purely polyzoal

limestone to glaticonitic limestone that the latter can be formed gradually without

materially changing environmental conditions. However, there ntist be the addition

of material from which such glauconite can be formed, and in the absence of

biotite flakes, in view of the composition of the directly overlying marls, it is

contended that a certain amount of clay, probably in colloidal form, has been

deposited at the sante time as the upper parts uf the biostrome were being formed.

As the amount of clay deposited became greater, a new sediment was formed,

which was also quite rich in CaCO,, a fair percentage of this being contributed

by the tests of micro-organisms, mainly foraminifera, There is a transition, there-

fore, from the glauconitic limestone to a glauconitic and limey marl, the hasal

formation of the Blanche Point Marls, Above the transitional marls ate hard

and soft bands of calcareous, and in part siliceous sediments which are essentially

marls in composition. Silica is contributed in the main by sponge spicules, which

become comparatively abundant, The sponges which predominated are of the

tetractinellid and monactinellid rather than hexactinellid type, and these are

generally more common in shallow warmer waters. The tests of Twrritella

aldingae are plentiful in these and the overlying soft marls, and their abundatice

is marked in the upper handed marls, where they may be seen depasited at random.

One would have expected a set pattern of arrangement for these tests had there

been any distinct movement of water. Further evidence for suggesting calm

waters is given by the flat nature of exposed surfaces as seen south of Blanche

Point, and also by the discovery of paired Lamellibranch valves and an Echimoid

with some spines still attached. There seems to be little change in the conditions

of deposition ftom the earlier deposition of the Polyzoal limestone to the final

stages of deposition of the Blanche Point Maris, the marine environmental condi-

tions of relatively shallow clear waters, with little movement persisting through-

out. Parr, as mentioned by Glaessner (1951) found that ‘all the beds at Port

Willunga and Maslin Bay were laid down in much shallower water than the

Brown’s Creek and Hamilton Creek beds... , Tn all of the samples I have looked

at there is an almost complete absence of pelagic forms and species of the Poly-

morphinidae are very common.” However, the height of sea-level relative to

the base level of depasition may have changed during the deposition of the

Limopsis bed at the top of the Soft Marls, Here foraminifera are not abtindant

and are relatively very small, whilst large numbers of Liwopsis are found with

Chione, some Turritella and other mollugea, the pellets of such being abundant.

This distinctive biofacies found only in this horizon is thought to represent a

different environment.

Following the marine phase, there are beds which have been deposited under

a terrestrial environment. An erosion surface may haye existed as previously

explained hy the presence of white nodules at the top of the marls and the second

nor-marine series is generally unfessiliferous, such fossils as arc found being few

in nutnber and probably derived from the underlying formatiun, we., remanié

fossils, This formation, the Chinaman’s Gully Beds, is variously coloured from

grey-hlue silts to red and brawn clayey gritty beds, it is im part crnss-bedded and

shows Liesegang rings, These deposits also resemble a small deltaic deposit formed

138

under arid conditions. This formation is only 5 feet thick and overlain by the

Port Willunga Beds. The base of these latter beds consists of a green bed 14 feet

thick, rich in arenaceous foraminifera and with some limonitic grains. The faunal

assemblage is peculiar and may possibly represent a brackish water facies, The

enviroument thereafter is again marine, and, whilst the faunal assemblage and

the nature of the sediments indicate shallow water conditions, there is evidence

to suggest that these deposits were more affected by wave and current action,

due to the fact that the tops of beds seem to be frequently levelled by erosion.

Cross-hedding is common, polyzoat remains being commonly prominent in cross-

bedded sediments, Foraminifera are mainly shallow water types, and same appear

to be adapted to attachment, being characterised by flat or concave surfaces.

The beds described above belong to the Pre-Pliocene formations and have

a slight dip generally less than 3° in directions which although variable are, with

the exception of the base of the North Maslin Sands, confined te a south-west

to south-east direction. These beds, originally horizontal, have been tilted by the

tectonic movements of late Miocene age.

Pliocene beds have been discussed in some detail, and the conditions of

deposition with reasons for the assumptions made are mentioned under Forma~

tion 7. Shallow seas formed part of this succession at least as far north as the

Canyon towards the end of the Tertiary period. The ? Pleistocene beds are wide-

spread, and whilst they have been obviously deposited under a terrestria] environ-

ment, little more can be said concerning conditions of deposition until they have

been studied in more detail.

V STRATIGRAPHIC REMARKS

1. Ranges of Fossils. Some detailed work has been commenced in the study

of the Foraminifera from various horizons and some macrofossils have been

named, ard their ranges throughout the succession noted, but it will not be pos-

sible to draw any conclusions until more work has been done. Hantkenina

alabomensis and the significance of its discovery in the basal beds of the Blanche

Point North Transitional Marls has already been discussed, Sherbornina is con-

fined to the limits of the Port Willunga Beds, Certain mactofossils have ranges

which appear to be restricted and some of these have been listed in Table I.

Fossils not listed in the table but which may prove to be important include:

{1) Notostrea lubra, which has been found mainly in fallen bloeks, but is probably

restricted to the Blanche Point Transitional Marls and the basal members of the

overlying Banded Marls: (2) Atwria, which was found by Dr. Glaessner three

feet above the -base of the South Maslin Polyzoal Limestone and has not heen

found elsewhere; Nautilus remains seem to be common in the Banded Marls;

(3) Marginopora vertebralis is found in the marine Pliocene beds, more so itt

the upper limestone, member (c), An occurrence of interest is in the cross-bedded

Polyzoal limestone at the base of the Port Willunga Beds, sample No, A113,

where there is an abundance of barnacle remains, which do not appear elsewhere

in the succession. ‘

2. Sequence of Strate, The “Glauconitic Marls with Hantkenina” (Glaess-

tier 1951)' are equivalent to my Blanche Point Transitional Marls, and the beds

which underlie this Member are not younger than Upper Eocene.

Although the North Maslin Sands are a non-marine formation there is

evidence of a transition between them and the overlying South Maslin Sands.

Since these latter beds appear to have been eroded before deposition of the over-

lying Tortachilla Limestones, it is suggested that the South Maslin Sands are to

be regarded as Lower Eocene, the North Maslin Sands as basal Tertiary, and

139

the Tortachilla Limestones which pass with transition upwards into the Blanche

Point Transitional Marls are probably Middle to Upper Eocene in age.

Conformably above the Transitional Marls are the Blanche Point Banded Marls

(“Turritella Maris,” Glaessner 1951) and the Blanche Point Soft Marls (“Turti-

tella Clays of Aldinga Bay”).

TABLE. IT

Formation

| Fossils “Members A

Echinolampas posterocrassus x

to we

ie)

Australanthus longianis -

Etipatagus sp. - -

Chlamys flindersi - -

Notostrea tatet - “

Spondylus sp. - - ~ x

Turritella alditgae = - - x

Flabellum distinctum ~ x

Lentipecten sp. - -

Lentipecten cf. victoriensis -

Propeamussium atkinsoni =~ x

Limopsis chapmani = -

Ancilla ligata - -

Voluta pagodoides - -

Trivia avellanoides - - x

“Pecten” eyret - -

“Pecten” cf. consobrinus = -

Chlamis asperetanus asperrimus

Ostrea arenicola - -

Duncantasier australiae -

Linthia compressa = -

Graphularia senesvens -

Spondylus spondyloides = - x

“Pecten” consobrinus . x

Chlamys asperrimus antiaus-

tralts - - - x

Spisule variabilis - - ? x

Peronella platymades - x

“nw eH

KRHA eM AK A

HRM YM MH

Glaessner (1951) stiggests that the age of these beds is Oligocene, In view

of the conformable nature of these Formations, this suggestion seems to be

justified and it will be possible to verify it as foraminiferal research proceeds.

The Chinaman’s Gully Beds (“Red Sands”) have been mentioned as possibly

ovetlying an erosional surface, and because there appears to be a transition

between them and the overlying Port Willunga Beds (“Polyzoal Beds of Aldinga

Bay”), it is suggested that they should be regarded as closer to the latter than

to the underlying Marls.

The Pliocene Lirnestones (“Upper Aldingan’’) lie with angular unconformity

over the formations discussed. Glaessner places these limestones with the “Upper

Murravian” in the Lower Pliocene (Kalimnan). Whether its tentative local sub-

division outlined above is justified will remain tincertain until the outcrops have

been studied in greater detail, Likewise, the age of the ? Pleistocene and Recent

deposits will remain in doubt until further research has been carried out,

140

VI REFERENCES

Cuarman, F, 1914 “‘Australian Cainozoic System,” Brit. Assoc, Adv, Sci,

84th Meeting: Australia, 1914, Fed. Handbook on Aust., 297-302

Cuapman, F. 1914 “On the Succession and Homotaxial Relationships of the

Australian Cainozoic System.” Mem. Nat. Mus. Melb., 5, 5-52

Cuarman, F. 1935 “Plant Remains of Lower Oligocene age from near

Blanche Point, Aldinga, S, Aust.” Trans, Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 59, 237-240

CuarMan, F., and Cresriy, I, 1935 “The Sequence and Age of the Ter-

tiaries of Southern Australia,” Rept. Aust, and N.Z. Assoc, Ady. Sci.,

22, 118-126 .

CHAPMAN, F,, and Srncreron, F. A. 1925 “The Tertiary Deposits of Aus-

tralia.” Proc, Pan-Pacifie Sci, Congress, Australia, 1923, 1, 985-1,024

Ceesrin, J. 1946 “Foraminifera and other Microfossils from some of the

Tertiary deposits in the vicinity of Aldinga Bay, South Australia.”

Trans, Roy. Soc. S. Aust,, 70, 297-301

Cresrin, I. 1947 “Indo-Pacific Influences in Australian Tertiary Fora-

miniferal Assemblages,” (1) Sect. C,, Aust. N.Z. Assoc. Ady, Sci.

Perth, 138

Davip, T. W. E. 1932 “Explanatory Notes to accompany a New Geological

Map of the Commonwealth of Australia,” 87-94, Sydney: Comm. Coun.

Sci. Ind. Research.

Davin, T. W. E., and Browne, W. R. 1950 “The Geology of the Common-

wealth of Australia,” 1, 532-536

Epwarps, A. N. 1945 “The Glauconitic Sandstone of the Tertiary of East

Gippsland, Victoria,” Proc. Roy. Soc. Vict., 57, n.s., 153-166

GLAESSNER, M. F. 1951 “Three Foraminiferal Zones in the Tertiary of Aus-

tralia.” Geol. Mag., 88, No, 4, July, Aug., 1951, 273-283

Hatt, T. S., and Prrrcuarn, GB. 1902 “A Suggested Nomenctature for the

Marine Tertiary Deposits of Southern Austtalia.” Prac. Roy. Soc. Vict,,

ns, 14, (2), 75-81

Howcury, W. 1923 “A Geological Sketch-section of the Sea-cliffs on the

Eastern side of Gulf St, Vincent, from Brighton to Sellick’s Hill, with

Descriptions.” Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 47, 301-307

Lance, F.H. 1931 “Field Geology,” third edition, 635

Mies, K. R. 1945 “Noarlunga Sand Deposit.” Report with references to pre-

vious reports. Mining Review, 81, S. Aust. Dept. Mines, 85-89

Raceatt, H, G. 1950 “Stratigraphic Nomenclature,” Aust. Journ. Sci., 12, (5),

170-173

SINGLETON, F. A, 1941 ‘‘The Tertiary Geology of Australia.” Proc. Roy. Soc.

Vict., 53, (1), 1-125

Tare, R. 1878 “Notes on the Correlation of the Coral-bearing Strata of

South Australia, with a list of the Fossil Corals occurring in the Colony.”

Trats. Phil. Soc. Adel. for 1877-78, 120-123 ;

Tare, R, 1879 “The Anniversary Addtess of the President, Ibid., for 1878-9,

51-58

Tare, R, 1894 ‘Inaugural Address: Century of Geological Progress.” Rept.

Aust. Assoc. Adv. Sci., 5, 65-68

Tate, R, 1899 “On Some Older Tertiary Fossils of Uncertain Age from the

Murray Desert.” Trans, Roy. Soc. S, Aust., 23, (1), 102-110

Tate, R., and Dennant, J. 1896 “Correlation of the Marine Tertiaries of

Australia, Part III, South Australia and Tasmania.” Trans. Roy. Soc.

S. Aust., 20, (1), 118-148

CAINOZOIC SUCCESSION

AT MASLIN AND ALDINGA BAYS

oe an SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Zz ~*

TORTACHILLA aa Lea? Aer SCALE: 0 500 1000 1500 FEET

ae BOULDER BEDS

~27” FAULTS

—— FENCES

Qa HUTS & SHEDS

| KUNKAR fess AIDA intact 5 hase | eetetee oS

Ae re SFT ae: Vos Do eee ee !

ae N PAN ({\ YY Co mag H 2 4 ak i's Al66 fay AlI7-8, 7 {OLD JETTY

[ ] ? PLEISTOCENE AA FES PK x Ye. AISGAISBAI60}:

' Fai Nui Weems ae ~ ee Ja) ALDINGA @ MINES DEPT, BORES

| 1 4 (a},(b} = Sa te ; . f : ey

PLIOCENE UNCLE TOMS AIOS AIO5S RE i seed ring Alla,azis CREEK

“ie Ny % | launz SAMPLE LOCALITIES |

PRE-PLIOCENE TERTIARY mE UR PPETA e - e ~~ yas Al07@), AlO9-13 |

PRE-PLIOCENE TERTIARY «iN SECTION? | |

WITH UNIT NUMBERS |

| =

[@ | ? PERMIAN Z j aize-3q lars)

Lie >, MASLIN BAY | i

PRE - CAMBRIAN I |

‘yedignt | I

| {

‘! Low WATER MEAN | |

I |

i !

sey | | ALDINGA BAY

THE CANYON \ |

| I | I

\ | |

\ I | {

| | I SNAPPER

| | POINT =

{ | |

! | |

i y |

! | |

! I

| | | |

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ath FERS

! ! cna! IRCANAW. CARREA| MUARMOADSURE SA Rtnuternccccrcccisees SPUMAGSCDEDLN CITHDENIS |

~ ‘If 1! I| | {I | L 12| | | | | [ i> aah ees on OSPECTTEEDEEEP CEE EEDE EERE Ee bre rrr eer UL Eu CETUtt Tr pert mote Ty] Ach PS teiaelelL LG Mild: At el gree oa oe =

* ERAS e eee Part ew Ee reagdtitcgt Sed val aid chs Ahad dedeas teh 44 Ly opts

MA.REYNOLDS, 1951,

CONDITIONS OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTATION IN SOUTHERN

AUSTRALIA

BY MARTIN F. GLAESSNER

Summary

Tertiary sedimentation in southern Australia begins generally with paralic deposits (brackish,

lignitiferous, intermittently marine), followed in some areas by an Upper Eocene marine ingression.

This is widespread in South Australia, possibly extending to Western Australia, but limited in

Victoria. There is evidence of a Late Eocene and Early Oligocene second paralic phase. This is

followed by important Upper Oligocene to Lower Miocene transgressions. The Upper Miocene was

a period of regression and faulting. The Lower Pliocene transgression which followed was more

extensive in Western Victoria than in South Australia.

141

CONDITIONS OF TERTIARY SEDIMENTATION IN SOUTHERN

AUSTRALIA

By Martin F. Grarssyer *

[Read 13 November 1952]

SUMMARY

Tertiary sedimentation in southern Australia begins generally with paralic

deposits (brackish, lignitiferous, intermittently marine), followed in same

areas by an Upper Eocene marine ingression. This is widespread in South

Australia, pessibly extending to Western Australia, but limited in Victoria.

There is evidence of a Late Eocene and Early Oligocene second paralic

phase, This is followed by important Upper Oligocene ta Lower Miocene

transgressions. The Upper Miocene was a perivd of regression and faulting.

The Lower Pliocene transgression which followed was more extensive in

Western Victoria than in South Australia.

INTRODUCTION

Until recently it was thought that the sequence of Tertiary strata

throughout South Australta and the Murray Basin consisted of a lignitic,

largely terrestrial formation of Oligocene age at the base, followed by

Miocene, mostly in polyzoal limestone facies, overlain with slight local

unconformity by Lower or Upper Plincene sands or shell beds. The fallacy

of this interpretation was first demonstrated by Parr who found Hantkenina.

of Upper Eocene age together with ather significant elements of the

Hoantkenina-fauna described by him previously from the Otway coast in

Victoria, in what was then believed to be the base of the marine Miocene at

Aldinga Bay. Unfortunately, Parr died hefore he could complete his invyesti-

gations and publish ihe results. In 1950 it was decided by the writer, in

consultation with Professor Sir Douglas Mawson who had advocated,

initiated and sponsored palaeontological investigations in the critical areas

for many years, to make the stratigraphy and palaeontology of the Tertiary

deposits of South Australia and adjoining areas the subject of a major re-

search project. Its first stage was to be the detailed mapping of critical

sections so that samples for micropalaeontological investigation and specimens

af the megascopic fauna could be taken from strictly defined horizons and

so their exact stratigraphic ranges determined. This was to be supplemented

by a similarly detailed study of well-selected samples from deep bores which

were yery generously made available by the South Australian Mines Depart-

ment to the writer in his capacity as Honorary Consultant to the Depart-

ment. Concurrently a critical systematic study of significant fossils from

these sections was fo be undertaken in order to give a clearly defined mean-

ing and status to names of fossils found to be of importance in these studies,

This work is being carried out by research students at the University of

Adelaide, under the writer’s direction, with financial assistance from the

University’s research funds. It is desirable ta accompany with a progress

report on the whole project the publication of the first paper describing

results of this work (Reynolds 1933). As stratigraphic field work must pre

cede descriptive palaeontological studies in order to base selection of samples

and species for description on known field relations, more precise palaeonto-

logical age determinations will constitute the final rather than the initial

stage of the project. The present progress report deals therefore with the

nature of the deposits in their observed sequence rather than with their

exact ages.

551.2.051 (94-13)

*. University of Adelaide.

Trans. Roy. Soc. 5, Anst,, 76, Derember, 1953

142

EARLY EOCENE PARALIC FACIES

The term paralic (for a recent definition see Tercier 1939, p. 88) denotes

sedimentation tn a changing and alternating matine and non-marine enyiron-

ment of coastal swatnps, Jagoons, estuaries or deltas. In the Aldinga Bay

section Tertiary sedimentation commences with the non-marine North Maslin

Sands, These sands which contain a flora thought by Chapman (1933) to

be Lower Oligocene, are well below the Hantkenina zone and are therefore

not likely to be younger than early Eocene. The overlying South Maslin

Sands which are glauconitic and at least intermittently marine are regarded

by Reynolds as formed in the marine part of a delta. Rath formations appear

in the adjacent section at Christie’s Beach and on their boundary laterilization

indicating emergence is noticeable, This section was mapped and will be

described by Miss M. Wade. Recent studies by B, Daily indicate that the

Noarlunga lignites correspond to the North Maslin Sands and a deep bore in

the Willunga Basin which is now under examination has also reached

lignitic sands below a bed with Hamtkenina,

In Victoria, the Hanfkewina-fauna occurs in the Cape Otway area (Aire

Coast). Recent field investigations by Raggatt and Crespin (1952) have led

to the conclusion that equivalents of the ‘‘Anglesean” are found below the

Hanthenina-zone of Brown's Creek instead of above as previously assumed

{and as shown in Glaessner 1951, p, 274); that the “Anglesean” cast of the

Otways (now named Demon's Bluff Formation) overlies the “unfossilifcrous”

Boonah Sandstones and the Eastern View Coal Measures; and that the

equivalents of that Formation west of the Otways overlie the Pebble Point

Beds and thus are part of the Wangerrip Formation. Baker (1950) described

the Wangerrip Formation as “littoral, shallow water deposits, stich as con-

glomerates, coarse grits, sandstones (some gritty, some carbonaceous and

same iron stained) and ironstones that are overlain by, and in part imter-

bedded with, clays containing gypsum and copiapite.” Fossils occur only in

bands and lenses and some of these beds contain only carbonaceous material

and fragments of wood.

The fauna of the Pebble Point Beds indicates early Eocene (or

possibly Paleocene) age. It was found recently in similar strata near

Casterton, 120 miles northwest of the first locality (Kenley 1952). It ts

likely that at least some of these deposits are time equivalents of the

pre-Upper Eocene paralic strata of South Australia though there is no direct

palaeontological evidence for their correlation. The poor fauna and peculiar

lithology of the Anglesea and Addiscot Members of the Demon's Bluff

Formation indicate paralic environment,

LATE EOCENE MARINE FACIES AND EQUIVALENTS

The South Maslin Sand is overlaiti with a slight erosional disconformity

by the Tortachilla Limestone which grades upward into the “transitional”

basal beds of the Blanche Point Marl with Hantkenina alabamensis compressa

Parr and other Eocene fossils, Particularly important restricted species of the

Tortachilla fauna are Australanthus longianus (Gregoty) and Aturia clorket

attenuata Teichert and Cotton. Notostrea lubra Finlay oceyts abundantly in the

basal bed of the “Banded Merl’ Member of the Blanche Point Marls, where

siliceous sponges also become abundant and conspicuous. This. distinctive shallow-

water marine interval is equally well developed in the Willunga and Noarlunga

Basins. Foratniniferal species such as Asterigerina adelbidensis (Howchin) which

oectir in it permit us to trace it info the Adelaide Basin, where this species was

first described (as Truncatulina margarilifera var, adelaidensis) from 195-218 ft.

in the Kent Town bore (Howchin 1891). It also occurs in the Croydon bore at

143

1,681 ft. This correlation explains the much-diseussed difference in thickness

between the pre-Pliocene fossiliferous sediments in the Kent Town and Croydon

bores (which are separated by the Para Fault} as the result of pre-Pliocene

erosian of at least 800 fect of strata from the upthrow side of the fault.

The Late Eocene marine formation is apparently also represented at Kings-

cote, Kangaroo Island, where Australunthws longianus occurs and in the lower

Nullarbor (Eucla) limestones where D, King collécted Notostren Inbra and

Australanthus longianus (see King 1950; specimens in the collection of the

Geology Department, University of Adelaide). It is suggested that the Plan-

tagenet Beds of Western Australia, with 4dfurie clarket Teichert and a rich fauna

of sponges are probably about the same age. They had been placed in the Miocene

by Chapman and Crespin (1934). The first discovery of Eocene in Australia

(apart from the tropical and Indo-Pacific faunas of the North-west) was the

result of Parr's brilliant analysis of the fauna of small foraminifera from the

King’s Park bore in Perth (1938), This was followed by Parr’s discovery of

Hontkenina aiebamensis compressa in the Otways area {Parr 1947), Since ther,

Raggatt and Crespin (1952) have announced in a preliminary nole “the discovery

of Hantkenina alabumensis at the top of the Jan Juc Formation at, Rird Rock”,

the type locality of the Janjukian. The writer is not prepared to accept this state-

ment as evidence of Upper Eocene age of the Janjukian fas restricted by Raggatt

and Crespin) because a eritical study of a considerable number of samples from

the same locality has shown that the foraminiferal assemblage differs signifi-

cantly. fram that of the other known Eocene localities with Hantkenina qdabam-

ensis compressa, No further specimens of this species or of other restricted

species usttally associated with it have been found at Bird Rock. The composition

of the fauna suggests a younger age than the Huntkextna faunal zone, Whether

this anomalous reported occurrence indicates that the biozone of this Hanikenina

extended beyond the HaniRenina faunal zone (and beyond the limits of the

biozone of the genus elsewhere), whether the specimens are derived trom older

strata, or whether some other explanation is possible cannot be decided until

the faunas are described, The typical Brown’s Creek fauna has not been found

east of the Otways.

LATE EOCENE AND EARLY OLIGOCENE PARALIC FACIES

In the Maslin Bay-Atdinga Bay standard section the “Banded Marl”

Member of the Blanche Point Formation grades upward into the “Soft Marl”

Member. Both together represent the well-known Tvrrifella beds. Their upper

part was described by Tate in his account of the Croydon bore as “bitumin-

ous” and Reynolds mentions in his description of Aldinga Bay their dark

colour which ‘may be duc partly to the presence of organic matter,” There

is evidence from bores in the Willunga Basin, which is being examined by

G. Woodard, of the association af lignites with Twrrttella marls above

Hontkenine-bearing beds. Reynolds describes the Chinaman’s Gully Beds as a

thin non-marine formation overlying the Blanche Point “Soft Marls.” They

occur in a corresponding position in the Noarlunga basin at the mouth of

the Onkaparinga River, This eyidence indicates the existence, above the

Upper Eocene marine sediments, of another group of paralic deposits. Faunal

studies are not sufficiently advanced to place exactly the boundary between

Eocene and Oligocene in relation ta these deposits and indeed it is question-

able whether this boundary can be fixed by objective criteria in the absence

of such world-wide markers as Disceciclina or Nemmulites. As these paralic

sediments are well above the Hantkenine beds and ate overlain by a thick

marine formation grading upwards inte Lower Miocene, they are likely to

represent the lower part of the Oligocene. The discovery of a second paralic

7 144

phase of probably early Oligocene age in South Australia suggests that

where the Hontkemnoa faina ts absent, the paralic facies may extend from

the early Eocene to the early Oligocene, Raggatt and Crespin (1952, p. 143)

recognised erosional disconformitics between the Angahook Member of the

Demon's Bluff Formation and the Jan Juc Formation but considered their

time significance as small. At Airey’s Inlet the erosional interval between the

basalts of the Angahook Member atid the overlying Torquay Group js

obvious. The “ligneous sands and clays’ of Dartmoor which are overlain

by “Janjukian with Miectorigiia" (Gloe 1947) should be carefully examined for

evidence which may prove whether they represent the early Eocene or the

early Oligocene or both paralic phases. Their equivalents in the south-east

of South Australia are now being examined from this paint of view.

LATE OLIGOCENE AND LOWER MIOCENE MARINE FACIES

The upper paralic deposits of the Willunga Basin and their equivalents

in the Noarlunga Basin are overlain by polyzoal limestones and calcareous

sands (calcarenites). Their fauna of mollusca, echinoids and foraminifera

differs strikingly from that of the Tortachilla polyzoal limestones and their

equivalents. The polyzoal Port Willunga Beds reach thicknesses of nearly

300 feet in the Willunga Basin and over 400 feet in the Adelaide Basin

{Croydon bore). In the Myponga Basin these polyzoal limestones and inter-

bedded sandy clays are also about 400 feet thick, as proved by the Myponga

bere which is being examined by Miss M. Wade. A Lower Miocene

Lefdecyelina fauna corresponding to that of the Batesford Limestone was

found in a sample from the upper third of this formation. In the Willunga

Basin the lower part of the Port Willunga Beds contains Sherbornina and

Gimbetina and in the Adelaide Basin (Miles 1952) Miss Crespin found the

Sherbornina-fauna overlain by the Lower Miocene Axstrafrillina-fauna. These

beds represent the Upper Oligocene and Lower Miocene. The Port Willunga

beds resemble in lithology and fauna the Gambier Limestone and also the

Torquay Group (Janjukian sense fata). This has heen observed also by

earlier authors. In South Australia, disconformable or unconformable rela-

tions seem to be the rule at the base of these marine deposits. In the

Willunga and Noarlunga Basins they rest on non-marine sediments. South

of Sellick’s Beach they overlie transgressively with a basal breccia the

Cambrian strata of the Willunga scarp, This is, therefore, basically not a

Late or post-Tertiary fault scarp but an old shoreline, probably representing

an earlier fauli-line scarp, over which the Oligocene sea transgressed, In

Late Tertiary {possibly J.ate Miocene) time a steep fiexure developed over

it, as described by Howchin (1911). In the Myponga hasin the same polyzoal

limestones rest on pre-Cambrian and on the overlying Permian glacial

deposits. On the eastern flank of the Mount Lofty Ranges post-eocene

Tertiary limestones overlie granites or slates from which they are locally

separated (near Strathalbyn) by a thin pebble bed. I am indebted to Mr.

R. C, Sprigg, of the South Australian Mines Department, for an opportunity

to study Knight's Quarry, six miles north-east of Mt, Gambier where the

Gambier polyzoal limestone overlies a non-marine formation with angular

unconformity. The base of the limestone is marked here by a nodule bed.

Such unconformable relations at the base of the Upper Oligocene to Lower

Miacené marine deposits seem to be of regional importance. In the Nullarbor

Plains the Lower Miocene limestone with Astrofrilliua rests on a paralic

sequence of Lower Tertiary strata near Pidinga (King 1950) but apparently

it overlies dircetly the Eocene limestones in the caves described earlier hy

King (1951). In Victoria, Raker (1944) found a nodule bed containing

derived Eocene fossils near the mouth of the Gellibrand River, forming the

145

base of beds with “Janjukian" foraminifera grading upwards into Lower

Miocene (“Batesfordian”) with Orbulina, This Late Oligocene and Lower

Miocene transgression was apparently not strictly contemporaneous through-

out southern Australia and its base should not be taken as a time-strati-

graphic horizon. The underlying Lower Tertiary sediments are not every-

where of the same age, The transgression was preceded in some areas by

uplift and erosion while in others there is no evidence of earlier open sea

sedimentation. In particular, the Late Eocene marine sediments do not

appear (o have extended over the Mount Lofty Ranges and in the Torquay-

- Port Phillip area the early Tertiary paralic sedimentation was not interrupted

by pronounced marine phases.

LATE TERTIARY SEDIMENTATION

The Late Miocene seems tu have been a period of regression, uplift

and faulting. Tts sediments are not known in South Australia, From

Adelaide to Sellick’s Beach the Pre-Cambrian and Permian, and the

various members of the Tertiary sequence, are unconformably overlain by

Pliocene sands, clays and limestones. Along a narrow coastal fringe these

are intermittently fossiliferous but similar unfossiliferous and probably

mon-marine sediments extend a few miles inland. As the Pliocene strata

are about 300 feet thick in the Adelaide Basin they cannot be expected to

be confined to a thin layer at a constant level on the faulted blocks south

of Adelaide. Similar deposits, some of them fossiliferous, are indeed found

up to 300 feet above sea level and there seers to be no good reason to

consider them: as post-Pliecene on account of their elevated Position as has

been suggested.

In Western Victoria Lower Pliocene (“Kalimnan”) marine faunas are

known from Hamilton and from bores in the Mallee and Wimmera, The

Pliocene strata seem to rest on Lower Miocene or older deposits, Late and

Post-Tertiary erosion has removed the early Pliocene from the coastal areas,

CONCLUSION

A large part of southern Australia was during Tertiary time a “mobile

shelf” area. Conglomerates are generally confined to the earliest and latest :

Stages of sedimentation, other sediments are dominantly fine-grained and

detrital, with polyzoal limestones widely developed ut times of widespread

transgression. There is cyidence of two paralic and two marine periods (as

shown by Reynolds in the Maslin Bay-Aldinga Bay section), Intermittently

marine and brackish or lignitic strata may therefore be followed either by

late Eocene or by late Oligocene to Miocene marine depusits,

REFERENCES

Barer, G. 1950 Geology and Physiography of the Moonlight Head District,

Victona, Proc. Roy. Soc, Vict., 60, ns., 17-4

Cuarman, F,, 1935 Plant remains of Lower Oligocene age from near Blanche

Point, Aldinga, South Australia, Trans. Roy. Soc. $. Aust., 59, 237-240

CHapman, F,, and Crespin, [., 1934 The Palaeontology of the Plantagenet

beds of Western Australia. Journ. Roy. Soc. W_ Aust., 20, 103-136

GiazssneR, M. F. 1951 Three foraminiferal zones in the Tertiary of Australia,

Geol. Mag., 88, 273-283

Gioz, C, 1947 The underground water resources of Victoria. Stale Rivers and

Water Supply Camm., Melbourne, 158 pp.

Howcain, W. 1891 The foraminifera of the Older Tertiary (No. 2, Kent

Town Bore, Adelaide). Trans. Roy, Soc. 5, Aust., 14, 350-354

i 146

Howcuin, W. 1911 Description of a disturbed area of Cainozoic rocks in

South Australia. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 35, 47-59

Ken.ey, P. 1952 Marine Eocene sediments near Casterton, Victoria, Aust.

Journ. Sci., 14, 91-92

Kine, D. 1950 Geological notes on the Nullarbor cavernous limestone. Trans,

Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 73, 52-58

Kine, D. Beds Geology of the Pidinga area. Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., 74,

25-43

Mires, K. 1952 Geology and underground water resources of the Adelaide

Plains area. Dept, Mines Geol. Survey, S. Aust., Bull. 27

Parr, W. J. 1938 Upper Eocene foraminifera from deep borings in King’s

Park, Perth, Western Australia, Journ. Roy. Soc. W. Aust., 24, 69-101

Parr, W. J. 1947 An Australian record of the foraminiferal genus Hant-

kenina, Proc. Roy, Soc. Vict., 58, ns. 45-47

Raceatt, H. G., and Crespin, I. 1952 Geology of Tertiary rocks between

Torquay and Eastern View, Victoria. Aust. Journ. Sci. 14, 143-147

Reynotps, M. A. 1953 The Cainozoic Succession of Maslin and Aldinga Bays,

South Australia, Trans, Roy. Soc. S, Aust., 76

Tercier, Jf. 1939 Dépdts marins actuels et séries géologiques, Eclogae Geol

Helvet., 92, 47-100

147

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148.

AWARDS OF THE SIR JOSEPH VERCO MEDAL

1929 Pror. Watrer Howcuin, F.G.S.

1930 son McC, Brack, ALS.

1931 Prov. Siz Douctas Mawsoy, O.B-_E., D.Sc, B.E., F.R.S.

1933 Por, J. Beaton Cie.ano, MD

1935 Prov. T. Harvey Jonnston, M.A, D.Se,

1938 Pror. J. A. Prescerr, D.Sc., F.A.1.C.

1943 Hersert Womerstey, A.LS., F-RES.

1944 Pror. J. G. Woon, D.Sc, Ph.D.

1945 Crecm T. Manican, M.A., B.E., D.Sc. F.G.5,

1946 Hereert M, Hate

LIST OF FELLOWS, MEMBERS, ETC.

~ AS AT 30 MARCH 1951

Those marked with an astetisk (*) have contributed papers published in the Society's

Transactions, ‘Those marked with a dagger (7) ate Life Members.

Any change in address or any other changes should be notified to the Secretary.

Note—The publications of the Society are not sent to those members whose stibscriptions

are in arrear.

Date of

Election Honorary Fettows

1945,

1949.

*Fenner, C. AE , D.Sc., 42 Alexandra Avenue, Rose Park, Adclaide—Fellow, 1917-45;

Council, ee Presideni, 1930-315 Fice-President, 1928-30; Secretary, 1924-25:

Treasurer, 1932-33; Editor, 1934-37.

*CLELAND, Pxor, J. B, M.D., Dashwood Road, Beaumont, S.A —Fellow, 1895-1949;

Verco Medal, 1933; Council, 1921-26, 1932-37; President, 1927-28, 1940-41; Vice:

President, 1926-27, "1941-42.

FELLows.

Ausre, Pror, A. A, M.D.. D.Sc., Ph.D, University of Adelaide.

Ancock, Miss Aa 4 Gertrude Street, Norwood, S.A,

ALC ERDN: G. D, B.E, Waite Research Institute (Private Mail Bag), G.P.O,,

delaide:

*Ainraman, A. 'R, Ph.D. D.Se., F.G.S. , Div. Indus. Chemistry, CS.LR.O., Bex 4331,

G.P,O., Melbourne, Victoria-—Council, 1937-42,

Awprrson, Mrs. S. H., B.Sc., Zoology Dept., University of Adelaide, S.A.

Anorew, Rev. J. R., c/o Methodist Manse, Maitland.

Anprews, J., M.B., BS, 40 Seafield Avenue, Kingswood, S.A,

. *ANDREWARTHA, H. G, M.AgrSe:, D.Se., "Waite Institute (Private Mail Bag),

Adelaide—Council, 1950; Vice-President, 1950-51; President, 195i-

*Anorewartaa, Mrs. i. V., BAgr.&e.,, MS. (nee "H. V. Steele), 29 Claremont

Avenue, Netherby, SA

*Aweer, F. M., 34 Fullatton Road, Parkside, 5.A.

. *Anopt, Miss L. M,, M.Sc,, '¢/o ‘University of Adelaide.

*BartLerr, i. K, Lh, 1§ Claremont Avenue, Netherby, S.A.

ie K,, Harris Street, Marden, S.A.

Beck, R , BAg. Se, R.D.A., Linewood Park, Mittel, S.A,

Broa, P. R., D.D.Sc, LD, 5, Shell House, 170 North Terrace, Adelaide.

Besr, R. J., D.Sc, PAC. I, "Waite Instititte (Private Mail Bag), Adelaide.

Bren, A. F,, B.Se., Zoology ‘Department, University, Adelaide,

Brack, ee Cc, M.B., B.S., Magill Road, Tranmere, Adelaide,

Bonin, N. y., MB., BS. FRCS. (Eng.), F-R.A.C.S., 144 Hill Street, North

Adelaide, S.A.

*BonytHon, C. W,, B.Sc, AAC, Romalo House, Romalo Ayenue, Motil, S.A,

BonyvrTHon, ne J. Lavineron, B.A. (Camb. ), 263 East Terrace, Adelaide,

*BRoonusMA, ‘C.D, MSc, B.Sc. For,, 2 Celtic Avenue, South Road Park, S.A.

Bowes, D. R., Ph.D., MSc, DIC, F.G.S., 51 Eton Street, Malvern.

BrooEMAN, Mrs. R. D. (nee A. Harvey), BA, Meadows, S.A,

Broocuton, A. C., Farina, S.A,

Brownine, T. O., "B.Sc. (Syd.), Waite Institute (Private Mail Bag), Adelaide.

“Bursipcr, Miss N.T., M.Sc., C.S,.LR.O., Div, Platit Industry, P.O. Box a, Can-

berra, A.C-T.

Burson, R. §., D.Sc., University of Adelaide—Council, 1946.

149

Blection,

1922. *Campomr, T. D. D.DSe, DSc, Dental Dept. Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide—

Council, 1928- 32, 1935, 1942-45; W{re-President, 1932-34; President, 1934-35,

1953. Carrer, A. N,, B.Sc, 70 Madeline Street, Burwood F 13, Viet,

1951, CxirsteporoucH, RG, BSc, c/o CSO, Div, of Fisheries, 1 Moseun Street,

Perth, W.A,

1929, Cnerstre, W., M.B., BS. Education Department, Social Services, SL Pirie Street

Adelaide—T; reasurer, 1933-38.

1950. Coaustap, S. E., B,Sc., 6 Hampton Street, Hawthorn, S.A.

1949, Gorirver, F, Su Geology Department, University of C Ciyleensland,

1930, *Cougusoun, T. T.,, M.Sc. 10 French Street, Netherby. S.A—Secretary, 1942-43,

1907, *CookE, W. 'T. . D.Sc., AACL, 4 South Terrace, Kensington Gardens, JA. —Council,

1938-41 : Vice-President, 1941-42, 1943-44; President, 1942-43,

1942, *CoorER, HL. M.,, 51 Hastings Street,, Glenclg, S.A.

1929. *Corton, B, C. S.A. Museom, Adelaide—Council, 1943-16, 1848-495, Mice-P resident,

1949-50, 1951; President, 1950-51

1953. Dans, D. M $., MB. B.Chir., MCS, LRP. BA., Institate of Medical and

Veterinary Science, Frome Road, ‘Adelaide.

1951, aay A. CL, PhD, B.Sc, Waite Research luslitute, Private Mail Bag, G.P.O.,

elaide.

1950. Denann, C. M., M.B, B.S. D.P.H., D.J.M., 29 Gilbert Street, Goodwood, 5.A.

1941, Dicxryson, S. B, M.Sc. 52 Burnside Road, Kensington—Conncil, (949-51; Pice-

President, 195t-,

1930,, Dix, EB, Y,, hia Amer: Department, Rundle Street, Adetaide, 5.A,

1944, Duwstoxe, § _ BS, 124 Payneham Road, St, Peters, Adetaide.

1931 Dwyer, J, M, MG, ae “105 Port Road, TTindmarsh, 5 A,

1933, *Karpury, Miss C, M,, M.Sc., University at Adelaide—C ouncil, 1943-46,

1945. ®EnMonps, iv J., B.A, "MSc., “Zoola Departinent, University, Adelaide.

1902. *Engutst, A. G., 19 Farrell Street, Glenelg, S,A—Council, 1949-,

1944. FERRes, Miss H. M,, M. Sc., 8 Taylor's Road, Mitcham, S.A.

1927. *Fruuayson, H. H,, “305 Ward Street, North Adelaide—Council, 1937-40,

1951. Frsner, R. H., 265 Goodwood Road, Kings Park, S.A.

1923. *Fry, H. K., D.S.0., M.D., 5.S.,, BSc. ERAGE, Town Hall, Adeiaide—Councsl,

1933-37; ice-President, “1937- 38, 1939-40 - President, 1938-39.

1951. Fuuron, Con, Ps C.M.G,, C.B.E,, ‘Aldgate, S.A.

1932, *Gisson, E. S. H., M.Se., "207 Cross Reads, Clarence Gardens, Adelaide,

1927, Gonrrry, F. K,,. Box 95) 11, G.P.O,, Adelaide,

1935. fencer H., "Coromandel Valley, SAL

1925. }Gasse, Str J AMES H., Gilbert House, Gilbert Place, Adelaide.

191. *Grawr, Pror, Sin Keer, M.Sc, F.LP., 56 Fourth Avenue, St, Peters, SA.

1930. Grav, J, 'T., Orroroo, §.A.

1935, GrraAvEs, H. 12 Edward Street, Glynde, S.A,

1951. Grren, }. W., 4 Tinlden Street, Kensington Park, S.A,

1904. GntrritH, H. hh. Dunrobin Road, Brighton, S.A.

1948. Gross, G. F., T.Se, South Australian Museum, Adelaide—‘ecretary, 1950-

1944, Guppy, D. t. B.Sc,, Mineral Resaurees Survey, Canberra, A.C_T.

1922, *Hate, HL. M,, Director S.A. Museum, Adelaide—Perco Medal, 1946; Council, 1931-34,

1950-+ Pile Presne 1934-36, 1937-38; Prestdent, 1936-37 ; Treasurer, 1938-1930.

1949, Harz, D. R, Mern Merna, via Quorn, S.A.

1953. Hansen, 1. ¥, B.A., 34 Herbert Road, West Croydon, S.A.

1946, *Harny, Mas, J. E, (itee A. C. Beckwith), M.Se., Rox 62, Sinithtem, Tas,

1944. HARRIS, J. — ee 94 Archer Street, North Adelaide, SiA.

1947, Hewnersow, LD , W,, FLM.G., 20 Tourke, N.S.W.

1944. Hernior, R. LL. BAM Se., Soil Conservator, Dept. of Agriculture, S.A,

1951, Hocrrns, L. i, 57 Matino Patade, Seacliff, S.A,

1949, Horroway, B. a B.Se., 33 Kyre Avenue, Kingswood, S.A,

1924, *Hossretp, PS a MSc, 132 Fisher Street, 'Fullarton, S.A.

195). Howaran, P. F., B.Sc. c/o Great Western Consohdated, Bullfinch, WA,

1944. Humane, D. S. W.. 238 Payneham Road, Payneham, S.A.

1947, Lurron, J.T, BSc, 1&8 Emily Ayenue, Clapham.

1928, Irourn, P,, Kurralta, Burnside, S.A.

1942, JENEINS, c FR, HL Department of Agriculture, St, George's Tecrace; Verth, WoA

1918, *Jexwitsotx, Rev, I. , 7 Frew Street, Fullarton, S.A.

1945, *Jessup, R. att M. § 3 Alma Road, Fullarton, S.A,

1910, fontson, FE. A, M.D. MRCS, 1 Baker Street, Glenelg.

1950, Jouns, R a BSc, Department at Mines, Flinders Street, Adelaide, 5, A.

1951. Kananovicy De. B.A.Se. (Mun.), 22 Grandview Road, Toorak Gardens, S.A.

1951. Kusrmve, N. G., Dept. Arts and “Ed., PAC. Preparatory School, 3 Hartley Read,

Brighton, $. A

150

Date of

Election.

1939, tKsacnaz, # M., Pi.D., M.B, F.R.G.S,, Khakhar Buildings, C.P. Tank Road, Bom-

1949, “Kane, DB, MSE, 44 Angwin Avenue, Blair Athol, S.A

1933, *Kxreman, W.. M.Sc, University ol Adelside—Secretary, 1945-48; Vice-Presi-

dent, 164849, 1950-51; President, 1949-50,

1922. Lenbon, G, A., M.D,, B. S., FR CP, A-M,P. Building, King William Street, Adchide,

1948. Lorutan, TR N,, N.D.EL (N.Z.), Director, Botanic Gardens, Adelaide,

1949, Lower, HL F., 7 Ayenuc Road, Highgate, S.A.

1931, *Luparcok, Mrs, W, V. {nee N, H. Woods}, M.A, Elimatta Strect, Reid, A.CT,

1948, McCuuzecr, RN. MEE, BSc, (Oxon), B.Agr. Sci. (Syd.), Roseworthy Agricul-

tural College, S.A.

1938, Mapvgrn, C, B., aes D.D.Se., Shell House, North Terrace, Adelaide,

1953, Marzzer, D, A. Sc. (Hons.), ‘Waite Institute, Adelaide,

1932, Mann, E. A. ‘ig Bank of Adelaide, Adelaide,

1939, MASE TJ M.Agr.Se, Ph,D., Waite Institute (Private Mail Bag), Adelaide—

Council, 1948-.

1906. *Mawson, "Por, Siz Doveras, OBE, D.Sc., B.E., F.RS., University of Adetaide—

Verco Medal, 1931; President, 1924-25, 1944-45: Vice-President, 1923-24, 1925-26;

Corneil, 1941-43,

1950. May, L, H., B.Sc. 691 Esplanade, Grange, S.A.

1920. Mayo, THE ‘How. Mr. Justice, LL.B., K.C,, Supreme Court, Adelaide.

7950. Mayo, G. M. BE, B.AgSc., Waite, Institute (Private Mail Bag), AHelalite, S.A.

1943, McCartry, Miss D, B., B.A., B.S¢., 70 Halton Terrace, Kensington Park.

1935, McCarrnry, J. E., MD, D.Sc. (Edin. ), Institute of Medical and Veterinary Science,

Frome Road, Adelaide.

1945. #*¥ Mines, K. R. 'D.Sc., F.G.S,, Mines Departmen Flinders Street, Adelaide.

1951. Muzes, J. A. K,, M.A, MB, B.Chir. (Cant.), 48 Gladys Street, Edwardstown, S.A.

1939. MincHam, V. H. Hammond, S.A,

1925. +Mircseu, Pror, a W., K.CM.G., M.A, D.Se., Fitzroy Ter., Prospect, SA,

1933, MitcHett, pee i . Ly M Se, University, Adelaide,

195], Mrrc#ecy, F. J che "The South Australian Musewn, North Terrace, Adelaide.

1938, Moornouse, F. W., M,Sc., Chief Inspector of Fisheries, Flinders Street, Adelaide.

1936. *Mountrern, C. Ne '25 First Avenue, St. Peters, Adelaide.

1944. MURRELL, j. W,, Eugineeriog and Water Supply Dept, Port Road, Thebarton, 5.4

1944. Neat-Smits, C. A, B.AgrSci, 16 Gooreen Street, Reid, Canberra, "ACT.

1944, Ninnets, A, R,, BA., re Sheffield greet Malvern,- S.A;

1945. *Nortracote, K, H., B. Agr.Se,, ATA.S , Waite Institute (Private Mail Bag), Adelaide.

19%, Ockrnoen, G. P., B.A, School House, Box 63, Kimba, 5.A.

1947, *Oreen, I. L., 65 Fitth Avenue, St. Peters, S.A,

1913. 40) snoRN, Prov, T. G. B., D.Se,, Department of Botany, Oxford, England—Councdl,

1915-20, 1922-24; President, 1925- 26: Vice-President, 1924-25, 1926-27.

1937. *Parxiy, L. W,, MSc., c/o North Broken Hill Mining et Melbourne, Victoria.

1949. Panxrnson, K. J. B.Sc, & Mooreland Avenue, Beverley, 5,A.

1948. Parrison, G, 69 Partridge Stecet, Glenelg, S.A.

3929, Pautt, A. G, M.A. B.Sc. 10 Milton Avenue, Fiillarton, S.A

1926. *Preeer, C. S., D.Se., Waite Institute (Private Mail Bag), ‘Adelside—Council, 1941-43;

Vice-President, 4443-45, 1946-47: President, 194546

19%. Pownie, J. K., BSc, CSIRO. Division of Biochemistry, University, Adelaide.

1947. Poynton, J. oO. ome ce B, M.R.CS., L.RC.P., Institute Medicine, Vet

Science, Tratie at A

1949, Prarte, R. G., 81 Park Terrace “North Unley, S.A.

1925. *Prrsovrr, Por. J. A, CBE, D.Sc, ALC, Waite Institute (Private Mail Hag),

Adelaide—V’erco Medal, 1938: Couscit, 1927-30, 1935-39; [ice-President, 198-32;

President, 1932-33.

1926. Price, A. G., CM.G., M.A. LiteD., F-RLG.S,, 46 Pennington 'Terrace, Narth Adelaide,

1945. Pryor, L. D, aE Se. ‘Dip.For., 32 Ta Perouse Street, Griffith, N.S.W.

1950, *RATTICAN, LH . B. Sc, Bureau: of Mineral Resources, Melbourne Building, Canberra,

1951. Raysen, P., B,Sc., Box 111, Bordettown, S.A,

14. RiceMAn, D. S, M.Sc. BA er.Se,, CS.LR.O,, Division of Nutrition, Adelaide.

1047, Rreven, W. R., B.Se., Oceanographic Institute, Gottenburg, Sweden.

1948. *Ries, G. D., BiSc, 24 Winston Avenue, Clarence Gardens, S.A,

1947, Rix, CE, 42 eS Avenue, Glandore, ¢

1M6. *Roprnsow, E. G. M.Sc. 42 Riverside Drive, Sudbury, Ontario, Canada.

1953, Rocrrs, W, P,, ra Zooi logy Department, University, Adelaide.

1951. Rosset, “* D., c/o High School, Port Pirie, S

1951, Rowe, S.A 22 Shelley Street, Firle, S.A.

1951 Rows, s. E. B,Sc., 22 Shelley ‘Street, Firle, S.A.

151

Dato of

Election,

1950. Rup», Peor. E, A, B.Se., A.M, University, Adelaide, S.A,

1945. Ryui, J. R, Old 1 Penola Estate, Penola, S.A.

1944. *SANDARS, Tae D, F,, M.Se., University of Oucensland, Brisbane, Queensland.

1950. Saunpess, F, L., 79 Winchester Street, Malvern, S.A.

19 Scungiows, M, M.B., B.S., 175 North Ter, Adelaide,

1951,

1924.

Soort, T. D,, BSc, c/a. > ‘AL Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide,

S.A.

1946, *Seqner, E, R, M,Sc,, C.S.LRO., Division of Industrial Chemistry, Box 4331, G.P.O,

Melbourne, Victoria.

*Sprcntr, R. W., M.A,, B.Sc. Engineering and Water Supply Depertment, Victoria

Square, Adelaide—Secretary, 1930-35; Council, 1937-38; Vice-President, 1938-39,

194041; President, 1939-40.

*SBEAnD, H,, Port Elitot, S.A.

. 4*Suraun, K., Fisheries Research Div. C.S.1,.R.0., University of W.A., etna, WA,

Surpuern, J, H,, MSc. B.A., c/o Anglo-Westralian Mining Pty. L

Sainxrisuy, R. C., Salisbury, S.A.

Simpson, F. N., Pirie Street, Adelaide.

Stmrson, D. A M.B., B. S., 42 Lockwood Road, Burnside, 3.A.

' *Smrrn, T, L., B.Sc, Regional Planning Section, Department of National Deyelap-

ment, Canberra, ACT.

. *Sourncorr, R. V., M.B, B.S., D.T.M. & H., 13 Jasper Street, Hyde Park, SA—

Council, 1948 51; Treasurer, 1951-.

Sourzwoon, A. R., M.D., M.S. (Adel.), M.R.C.P., Wootoona bak let Osmond, S.A.

. ‘*Sprcer, R. L., MSc., 15’ Main Road, Richmond, S.A. —Counci?,

f #*Searca, R. C, MSc, Mines Department, Flinders Street, ‘Auolaide

STEADMAN, Rev. W. R., 1 De Suumarez Street, Kengington Park, S.A.

SPurerna, M. Bs B.Ag. Sc, Agricultural College, Roseworthy, S.A.

Spry, A. isi BSc, 63 LeFevre Terrace, North Adelaide, S.A.

*Srepwens, C. G D.Sc. Waite Institule (Private Mail Bag), Adelai

SURICKLAND, A. G, MAgr.Sc, 11 ‘Wootoona Terrace, Glen Osmond, SA —Council

Swan, D. C., MSe., Waite Institute (Private Mail aay) Adelaide—Secretory,

1940-42 ; Vice-President 1946-47, 1948-49; President, 19

Swann, KF, J. W., 38 Angas Road, Lowet Mitcham, SA,

Swimse, P,, M. Ag. Se, 223, Henry Street, Croydon, S.A,

Symons, LG. 35 Murray Street, Lower Mitcham, 5,A—Editor, 1947-,

. *“Tavvor, J, K,, BA. MSc, Waite Institute (Private Mail Bag), Adelaide—Council,

1940-43, 1947-50; Librarian, 1951-,

Tavuoer, G, H,, BSc, Department of Mines, Old Legislative Council Building, North

errace, Adela

. eg TM M.Se. (Wales), University, Adelaide—Secretary, 1948-50; Counctl,

*Tromas, Mrs. I. M. Pe P. M. Mawson), M,Sc., 36 King Street, Brighton

THOMSON, ont J. M., 135 Military Road, Semaphore Sotith, S.A,

*Trvnate, N. B, BSc, Sotth Australian Museum, Adelaide—Seoretary, 1935-36;

Council, 1946-47; Vice-President, 1947-48, 1949-50; President, 1948-49.

Tier, N.S. M.Sc, BAgr.Sc., Waite Institute (Private Mail Bag), Adelaide.

*TRUMELF, Pror. H. C, D.Sc, M.Agr.se., Waite Institute (Private Mail Bag),

Adelaide—Couneil, 1942-1945 ; " Vice-President, 1945-46, 1947-48; President, 1946-47,

Turner, D, Ge Brockman ' Buildings, Grenfell Street, Adelaide,

Viercr, et Port Lincoln, §.A

*Waro, L, K .LS.O, B.A, BE, DSc. 22 Northumberland Avenue, Tusmore—Cowncil,

1924-27, 1933-35: Vice-President, 1927-28; President, 1928-30.

*Wark, D. C,, M.Agr, Se.. Div. Plant Industry, CSIRO, Canberra, ACT,

Warureouse, Miss L. M!, 35 King Street, Brighton, S.A.

HeeN Ee oy, A, B.A. M.A., Ph.D., North-western. University, Evaneton,

inois,

. *Weenrns, Rev, B, J, 3 York Street, Henley Beach,

1 *WRGENER, Cc. ai B.Sc., Department Mines, Flinders Street, Adelaie, S.A,

Warrtte, A. G., B.Sc, Mines Department, Flinders Street, Adclaiide

Wreetans, LD, “Dumesa,” Meningie,

. *Witson, A, M.Sc. University of RAL Nedlands, W.A.

» *Wirsdn, J, O.. CST ‘R.O., Division of Nutrition, Adelaide.

. *WOMERSLEY, i. FRES, ALS. (Hom. causu), S.A. Museum, Adelaide—?sreo

Medai, 1943: Seevotars, 1936-37; Editor, 1937-43, 1945-47; President, 1943-44; Pice-

EA ia 1944-45 : Rep. Fauna and Flora Protection Committee, 1945; Treasurer,

*Womersniey, FH. B M.Sc., University of Adelaide.

WOMERSLEY, 5S Bee Lae, New Guinea.

152

Date of

Election

1923. *Woop, Pror. J. G, DSc, Ph.D., University of Adelaide—Verco Meaal, 1944;

Council, 1938-40; Vice-President, 1940-41, 1942-43; Rep. Fauna and Flora Board,

1940-; President, 1941-42; Council, 1944-48. ;

1950. Wooparp, G. D., 20 Kensington Road, Leabrook, S.A.

1953. WoopHouse, L. R., 15 Robert Street, North Unley, S.A.

1943. Woontanns, Haroip, Box 989 H, G.P.O., Adelaide,

1945. Wortutey, B. W., B.A., M.Sc., A. Inst. P., University, Adelaide.

1948. *Wymonp, A. P., B.Sc., 4 Woodley Road, Glen Osmond, S.A.

1949. Yeates, J. N., LS. A.M.LE, A.M.IL.MLE., Richards Buildings, 99 Currie Street,

Adelaide, 5.A,

1944. Zim™er, W. J., Dip.For., F.L.S. (Lon.), 7 Rupert Street, Footscray West, W.12, Vict.

DEcEASED

1944. Casson, P. B., B.Sc., For. (Adel.), Dip. For., 8 Benjafield Terrace, New Town, Hobart.

1924. ve CpeEsPicny, Sir C, T., F.R.C.P., D.S.O., M.D., 219 North Terrace, Adelaide.

153

GENERAL INDEX

[Generic and specific names im italics indicate that the forms described

are new to scietice.]

Alaba coma, 25 ;

Aldinga Bay, Cainozoic Succession of; M, A.

Reynotds, 114

Anticomopsis gibbonensis, 34

Australpera cara, Z1

Aviscutiem vettchi, 23

Black, John McConnell, A,L.S,; Obituary and

Bibliography: C. M, Eardley, i-xii

Bowes, D. R,: The Genesis of Some Granite

and Associated Rocks in the North-Eastern

Flinders Ranges, South Australia, 85

Baker, George: Naturally Fused Coal Ash

from Leigh Creek, South Australia, 1

Baker, George: Natural Sinters from Mount

Remarkable and Temple Downs, 27

Coal Ash from Leigh Creek, South Australia,

Naturally Fused: George Baker, 1

Cainozoic Succession of Maslin and Aldinga

Bays, South, Australia, The; M. A, Rey-

holds, 144

Conditions of Tertiary Sedimentation in South-

ern Australia: M. F. Glaessner, 141

Cossidae, Australian, including the moth of the

witjuti (witchety) grub: N. B. Tindale, 56:

Cotton, Bernard C,: New Species and Records

of Mollusca from South Australia, 21

Cumacea, Australian, No. 18: Herbert M.

Hale, 70

Cumacea, Two New from South Africa: Her-

bert M, Hale, 45

Earttley, C. M.: John McConnell Black, A.L.S.;

Obituary. and Bibliography, i-xii

Excellaoma patfisonae, 25

Fish Otoliths from the Pliocene of South Aus-

tralia: F. C. Stinton, 66

Fitton, Mount; Genesis of Granite Rocks: D,

R. Bowes, 85

Glaessner, M. F.: Conditions of Tertiary Sedi-

mentation in Southern Australia, 141

Granitic and Associated Rocks in the North-

Fastern Flinders Ranges, South Australia,

Genesis of: D. R. Bowes, 85

Gawler Range Porphyry, The Age of: R. K.

Johns and M. Solomon, 41

Glypiorhagada umberatana, 25 :

Grasses, Notes on Some South Australian:

Lindley D. Williams, 51

Hale, Herbert M.: Two New Cumacea from

South Africa, 45

Hale, Herbert M.; Australian Cumacea, No.

18, 70

Harveyjohnstinia kartanum, 39

Iphinoe brevidactyla; I. truncata, 45, 48

Johns, R. K., and M, Solomon: The Age of the

Gawler Range Porphyry, 4]

Leighiscus hilist, 80

Maslin Bay, Cainozoic Succession of: M. A.

Reynolds, 114

Mawson, D.: The Willunga Basin, Introduc-

tory and Flisterical Notes, 108

Mawson, Patricia M.: Some Marine Free-

bine Nematodes from the Australian Coast,

Mollusca, New Species and Records of, irom

South Australia: B. C. Cotton, 21

Natural Sinters from Mount Remarkable and

Tempe Downs: George Baker, 27

Nematodes, Some Marine Freeliving, from the

Australian Coast; Patricia M, Mawson, 34

Neovtrigonia horia, 21

Note on a Triassic Fish Fossil from Leigh

Creek, South Ausiralia: R. T, Wade, 80

Ocenetus paradiseus; Op, montanes, 77, 79

Otoliths, Fish, from the Pliocene of Soutls

Australia; F.C. Stinton, 66

Pleuroxta ruga, 26

Pontonema hackingi, 37

Reynolds, M. A.: The Cainozoic Succession of

Masts and Aldinga Bays, South Australia,

il -

Rhisoconus klemac, 27

Speleopnathidae (Acarina), A New. Genus and

Species of: H. Womersley, 82

Sillago. pliocenica, 66

Solomon, M,, R, K. Johns and: The Age of

the Gawler Range Porphyry, 41

Sphaecrinova bursa, 21

Stinton, F. C.: Fish Otoliths. from the Pliocene

of South Australia, 66

Teretriphora megtl, 25

Thoracostoma atsirale, 36

Tindale, Norman B.: On a New Species of

Qenetus (Lepidoptera, family Hepialidae)

deruaging Eucalyptus saplings in ‘Tasmania,

Tindale, Norman B.: On some Australian

Cossidae, including the moth of the witjutt

(witchety) grub, 56

154

Wade, R. T.: Note on a Triassic Fish Fossii |] Womersley, H.: A New Genus and Species of

from Leigh Creek, South Australia, 80 Speleognathidae (Acarina)- from South

Williams, Lindley D.: Notes on Some South Australia, 82 ‘

Australian Grasses, 51

Willunga Basin, Introductory and Historical

; Notes: D. Mawson, 108 Xyleutes biarpiti, 60

CONTENTS

ORITUARY AND BIBLIOGRAPHY GF THE LATE JOHN McConnett Buack, A.L.S.

Baker, Grorce: Naturally Fused Coal Ash from Leigh- Creek, South Australia

Corton, Bernarp C.: New Species and Records of Mollusca from South Australia ~....

Baker, Grorce: Natural Sinters from Mt, Remarkable and Tempe Downs

Mawson, PArRicra M.: Some Marine Freeliving Nematodes from the Australian Coast:

Jouns, R. K., and Sovomon, M.: The Age of the Gawler Range Porphyry

Hare, Herperr M.: Two New Cumacea from South Africa ....

Wittrams, Linotey D.: Notes on South Australian Grasses .. Cate ho Nee ar

TinDALE,. NorMAn B.: On some Australian wages incaing the ent Bs the

Witjutt. (Witchety) Grub .s ies ‘ a

Strnton, F.°C: Fish Otoliths from the Pliocene of South Australia

Have, Hersert M.: Australian Cumacea, No. 18 ur a Ex A ane

Troxpate, Norman B.; On a New Species of Oenetus Revidopteta, Fanily Hepaiday

Damaging Eucalyptus Saplings in Tasmania f

Wane, R..T.: Note on a Triassic Fish Fossil from Leigh Creek, South Australia omy

Womerstey, H.: A New. ease and g Seeeies of Seca eanidss Soar sos saue

Australia ee a

Bowes, D, R.: The einaita of some Granitic and Seay aa in fav North-Eastern

Flinders Ranges, South Australia “te fais ahr

~ Mawson, Douaras: The Willunga Basin. Introductory and Historical Notes 0. an

Reynotps M. A.: The Cainozoic Succession of Maslin and Aldinga Bays, South Australia

Giarssner, Martin F.: Conditions of Tertiary Sedimentation in Southern Australia ...,

Page

108

114

141