Page:The Present State and Prospects of the Port Phillip District of New South Wales.djvu/131



, that not being a naturalist, I can give no information with regard to the natural history of the country, which is likely to prove interesting to the scientific world; still, as a few observations on the obvious peculiarities of nature may prove so to the general reader, I shall give mine merely with the remark, that not being scientifically acquainted with these subjects, I shall not answer for the accuracy of anything not apparent to an observer of ordinary intelligence and information. In the first place then with respect to the formation of the country. The stone most common near Melbourne is a whinstone of a grey and sometimes of a brown colour, which is known to the settlers as iron stone. Sandstone is also found, some of which is an excellent building stone. Granite occurs of a very fine quality in the hills about twelve miles to the northwest of Melbourne, and also at Station Peak, about thirty miles to the south-west. Limestone is found near Station Peak, and along the south coast both near Geelong and towards Western Port, on the other side of the bay. Quartz rock and slate are found mixed with the trap formation about forty miles to the west of Melbourne; and granite occurs again at Mount Emu, about eighty miles further in the same direction. Beyond