Flinders, a spring of hot water rises above the surface of the plain ; and its overflow deposits a white incrustation, which on analysis by Dr. Flight, under the direction of Professor Maskelyne, afforded :
Water 27.793 Silica 0.600 Chlorine 3.369 Sodium 2.183 Carbonic acid 33.735 Soda 31.690 99.370
The sulphuric acid, of which there was a small portion, was undetermined.
Apart, therefore, from the 5.552 per cent, of chloride of sodium, the deposit consists of sesquicarbonate of soda, or native " Trona," and as such it is used by the settlers for culinary purposes, &c.
The importance of this evidence as to the probability of finding Artesian supplies of water in districts where such springs are met with, should not be lost sight of; and a bore put down in the vicinity of one of them (for this is not the only one) might, if successful in obtaining water, lead to most important practical results.
Palaeozoic.
Carboniferous. — Whilst the affinities of the southern coal-field of Queensland are Mesozoic, a northern field, of even larger extent, has a distinct fauna more resembling the Palaeozoic Carboniferous of Europe.
In the upper portion of the series the organic remains are chiefly confined to plants, the most abundant of which is Glossopteris, imbedded with less numerous specimens of Pecopteris, Sphenopteris, &c.
In the lower strata, Producti, Spiriferoe, &c., of true Carboniferous age, are found associated with the above flora, though the plants are very sparingly represented, and in very imperfect forms.
The Dawson, Comet, M'Kenzie, Isaacs and Bowen rivers drain this Carboniferous area ; and numerous outcrops of coal have been observed on these streams. No commercial use, however, has yet been made of any of them, as the measures generally are too far inland to be made available until the railway-system of the country is extended in that direction.
Messrs. K. Etheridge, F.R.S., and W. Carruthers, F.R.S., have examined and named, the one the mollusca &c., the other the plants, from different localities over this large area.
The former describes, from Cracow Creek on the Dawson river : —
Chonetes cracowensis, Eth. Pl. XVIII. fig. 2.
Pleurotomaria (?) Pl. XVIII. fig. 3.
From Weelwondongara Creek, Nogoa River : —
Productus or Strophalosia.
Streptorhynchus
