808 GLACIER ACTION ON MOUNT KOSCIUSKO PLATEAU, 



could not but agree with Mr. Helms as to the absence of any 

 evidence of glaciation such as Dr. Lendenfeld had reported in 

 Wilkinson Valley. But I also feel compelled to differ from 

 Mr. Helms in respect of the other localities in which he 

 believed he had detected evidence of " glacier action," as indicated 

 on the map accompanying his paper ; and I am forced to the 

 conclusion that the evidence adduced is wholly insufficient, and 

 that no striae, groovings or polished faces (due to ice-action), or 

 roches montonnees perched blocks, moraine-stuff, or erratics are 

 to be met with. Only one example of anything like a polished 

 block was noted, and in this case the polishing and strife-like 

 markings were clearly due to a " slickenside." Most of the 

 granite is of a gneissic character, but normal granites are also 

 present, the latter weathering into spheroidal masses of disinteg- 

 ration, the contours of which in a few cases are suggestive of ice 

 action. There is no collateral evidence to support any such sugges- 

 tion. It has been stated that the rocks on the plateau are not 

 such as would preserve glacial strite. This is not strictly in keep- 

 ino- with fact, as I found porphyries, diorites and basalts, as well 

 as abundance of quartz pebbles and boulders in the drifts. Apart 

 from local evidence, the general contour of the valleys is not in 

 the least suggestive of glaciers. I therefore concluded that (1) 

 there is no satisfactory evidence of glaciers having once filled the 

 present valleys; (2j there is absolutely no evidence of extensive 

 <daciation on the Kosciusko Plateau; (3) The glacial epoch of 

 Australia in Post-Tertiary times, as described by Dr. Lendenfeld, 

 has no foundation in fact. Neither are there any snow-fields 

 with " eternal snow," however limited, on Mt. Kosciusko. 



Postscript. — After this paper was written a paper embodying 

 an extended series of observations on evidences of glacial action 

 on the Australian Alps across the Victorian border was read to 

 the Sydney Meeting of the Australasian Association for the 

 Advancement of Science by Messrs. Kitson and Thom. It 

 seems to the present writer that the case made out by these 

 authors in favour of recent glacial action in the Australian Alps is. 

 no stronger than that of Dr. Lendenfeld and Mr. R. Helms. 



