The fossils were collected by D.M. Traves, a member of a party of three Australian Geologists who visited Pakistan in 1951. Collections were made at the following localities: Darband Village, Sandhi Village, and Khaibar Village. A preliminary examination and report on the fossils has been made by Dr. M.H. Khan, Geologist of the Geological Survey of Pakistan. This report contains a description of these fossils and provides a comparison of the faunas found at these localities.

These notes deal with a brief experimental seismic survey undertaken by the Bureau of Mineral Resources for the Victoria Railways. The object of the survey was to determine whether the seismic refraction method was suitable for subsurface exploration in the area between Dynon and Footscray Roads, West Melbourne. The information desired by the Railways was concerned with the existence or otherwise of a "foundation" rock capable of supporting constructions associated with railway sidings and marshalling yards. Records of seismic refractions were obtained along three traverses.

In the various methods of geophysical prospecting, sensitive instruments are used on or near the surface of the earth to measure effects which arise from differences between the physical properties of rocks, ores and minerals. The analysis and interpretation of these measurements permit conclusions to be drawn concerning the sub-surface geology and the presence or absence of orebodies, coal seams, and the like, or of structures likely to be favourable to the occurrence of oil, etc. The principal physical properties of rocks which are useful in geophysical prospecting are density, elasticity, electrical conductivity, radio-conductivity and magnetic susceptibility. Aeromagnetic survey methods, their present use, and results of such surveys, are discussed in this report.

An area of about 12,000 square miles was mapped in the field seasons 1950-51. It contains four Pre-Cambrian rock groups ranging from Archaeozoic to Uppermost Proterozoic. The main groups in the area, the Mt. Isa and Lawn Hill Groups, are shallow-water geosynclinal sediments involved in a Proterozoic orogeny which resulted in fairly intensive folding along dominantly north-south axes, together with much faulting. The geological features discussed in this report include physiography, topography, stratigraphy, igneous activity, structure, mineral deposits and water supply.

The writer spent the period May 31st to June 4th, 1952, with geological parties lead by K.A. Townley and J.F. Ivanac respectively in the Mt. Isa District, Queensland. At this time E.K. Carter had carried out one week's mapping in the south of Mt. Isa township, and had traced the Mt. Isa shale and dolomitic shale for about 12 miles south of the mine. He had shown that the Templeton granite was concordant and that it was younger in age than the Mt. Isa sediments. The writer, after considering the work carried out by E.K. Carter and a study of the photographs of the region and of the geology of Mt. Isa Mines, came to the conclusions listed herein. Observations and recommendations are discussed.

The Australian Antarctic Expedition 1911-14 established four absolute magnetic stations, namely Stations A, B, C and D. Two subsequent stations, Stations E and F, came into operation in 1950 and 1952 respectively. Because absolute magnetic observations had been made at different stations is was essential that the differences in the magnetic elements between the various stations be determined so that all data could be reduced to a common point. The observations were carried out during the period 31st March to 6th April 1952, whilst the Australian National Antarctic Research Expeditions relief operations were in progress.

Samples from three bores in the Great Artesian Basin in Northern New South Wales were submitted by the Water Conservation and Irrigation Commission of New South Wales for micropalaeontological examination. These bores are: Bore No. 8256, M.E. Howe, "Retreat", Dubbo, Bore No. 8259, L. Fitzell, "Marathon", Dubbo, [and] Bore No. 8264, E.W. Robinson, "Womparley", Bourke. The results of the detailed examination of the samples are given below.

For the evaluation of the petroleum prospects of a sedimentary basin, the following factors are generally considered. Lithology, mode of deposition, thickness of the sediments contained in the basin, source and reservoir rocks. Facies of the sediments, changes in facies and the trends of such facies changes. Relationship of the various formations to each other - conformity, disconformity, unconformity, regressive and transgressive overlap, erosional gaps and their significance structurally and for accumulation. Direct or indirect evidence for the presence of oil - seepages, traces or showings of bitumen, oil and/or gas existing bores, bituminous character of some of the stratigraphic members. Tectonics - folding (single phase, multiple phase), faulting, tectonic history and its bearing on migration and accumulation of oil. Types of tectonic traps, and stratigraphic traps in relation to folding and faulting (sandy facies near basement uplift, reef formation on crests of rising anticlines, sandy facies in connection with ancient fault lines). Some of these criteria can be applied to the North-West and the Fitzroy Basins, but it is realized that the information available is not complete enough yet to fully discuss all aspects involved. On the other hand it is felt that, at this stage, a brief review of the results already obtained can greatly assist in an outline of a future programme. It will be seen that much emphasis is laid on geophysical work i.e. gravity investigations for the regional aspect of the problem - the configuration of the basins - and seismic investigations of structures which are selected for deep testing. In our opinion the results obtained so far in the North-West Basin, by both types of geophysical work, have clearly demonstrated the soundness of this way of approach

The distribution of marine Tertiary rocks in Australia is restricted to the western and southern coastal areas of the continent. The rocks represented are of Paleocene, Eocene, Miocene and Pliocene ages. Considerable material has been collected in stratigraphic sequence from many Tertiary localities in recent years and the detailed examination of the foraminiferal content of the rocks has yielded many startling discoveries.

The sample of diatomite submitted for micro-examination came from a low bed on Beach Range at 1,110 feet above sea-level. The results of the examination are described herein.