decomposed vegetable matter; and near the fissure then on fire, occurred a coarse sandstone with an argillaceous basis.  To the north-west, in a hollow containing water which drains from beneath the part ignited, is a coarse sandstone, in some places highly charged with decomposed felspar, and containing impressions of spirifers.  The hill nearest to the part on fire, on the south-west (b) consists of basalt with grains apparently of olivine; and on a still higher hill, on the east (a) I found ironstone.  A small hill (c) connecting these two, and nearest to the part actually burning, appears to consist of trap-rock, and is thickly strewed with agates.  The hills on the opposite or south side of the valley are composed of compact felspar, with acicular crystals of glassy or common felspar and grains of hornblende, crevices of the stone being coated with films of serpentine or green earth.

(Footnote.  Volume 4 part 1 Second Series Geological Transactions, Professor Buckland and Mr. De la Beche on the Geology of the neighbourhood of Weymouth.)

(**Footnote.  The porphyry of a hill three miles south of Wingen, consists of a base of reddish-brown compact felspar, with embedded crystals of common felspar and disseminated carbonate of lime.)

Approach Liverpool range.

December 3.

The party in proceeding crossed several deep gullies in the neighbourhood of the burning hill; and the road continued to be well marked.  At length we began to ascend the chain of hills, which connects Wingen with Mount Murulla and the Liverpool range.  On gaining the summit of this range we overlooked Wingen, whose situation was faintly discernible by the light blue smoke.  Three years had elapsed since my first visit to these slumbering fires.  The ridge we were crossing was strewed with fallen trees; and broken branches with the leaves still upon them marked the effects of some violent and recent storm.  We descended to a beautiful valley of considerable extent, watered by Page’s river, which rises in the main range.  We reached the banks of this stream at four P.M. and encamped on a fine flat.  The extremities from the mountains on the north descend in long and gradual slopes, and are well covered with grass.  This was already eaten short by sheep.  Two babbling brooks water the flat at the part where we pitched our tents, and which is opposite to Whalan’s station; one of these being the river Page, or Macqueen’s River; the other known only as The Creek.  The space between them is flat, and apparently consists of a soil of excellent quality.  The heat of the day was excessive, the thermometer 80 degrees at sunset.

Mount Murulla.

December 4.

Mount Murulla is a remarkable cone of the Liverpool range, and being visible from Warrawolong, is consequently an important point in the general survey of the colony.