484 EVIDENCES OF GLACIATION IN THE AUSTRALIAN ALPS, 



the existence of a semi-tropic flora in South East Australia during 

 Pliocene times and its subsequent banishment from this region 

 is evidence of a great change of climate in Post-Pliocene times. 



In a paper which I have in preparation on the geographic range 

 of the flora of the Australian Alps, it will be shown that many species 

 found three between 2,000 and 5,000 feet, have a wide range? 

 recent researches on the flora of Marroca in Africa, and on that of 

 Rurum Valley, Afghanistan, having disclosed the presence of 

 numerous species of plants common to the Australian Alps ; and as 

 Sir Joseph Hooker remarked many years since in his splendid 

 Essay on the Flora of Australia, "if as complete evidence of 

 " such a proportionately cooled state of the intertropical regions 

 " were forthcoming as there is of a glacial condition of the 

 " temperate zones, it would amply suffice to account for the 

 " presence of European and Arctic species in the Antarctic and 

 " south temperate regions of both hemispheres on the mountains 

 " of intermediate tropical latitudes." (1) 



As early as 1882 I discovered many examples of what appeared 

 to be glaciated surfaces in the higher regions of the Australian 

 Alps, notwithstanding that in some areas there were strong 

 evidences of powerful sub-aerial denudation and erosion having 

 taken place during Pleistocene times. En jiassant, I may mention 

 that these apparently glaciated surfaces were seen on the quartz 

 porphyries of Mt. Cobboras at t elevations between 4,000 and 6,000 

 feet; on the metamorphic rocks of Mt. Pilot on the Pilot River 

 Valley, down to 3,000 feet; and on the granitic rocks of Mt. 

 Kosciusco, recently photographed by Dr. von Lendenfeld. Partly, 

 however, from inexperience of glaciated surfaces elsewhere, 

 I hesitated to pronounce authoritatively on them as glacier evi- 

 dences until further opportunities were afforded me of discovering 

 moraines, and erratics at the lower levels. From the fact that my 

 friend A. W. Howitt, F.G.S., had not observed any appearances 

 which he could in any way refer to a glacial period analogous with 

 that of the northern hemisphere unless (as he further remarks) 



(1) J. D. Hooker. Flora of Australia. 



