50 THE GLACIAL PERIOD IN AUSTRALIA, 



The picture is the same as ])late 7, and I have drawn the glacier 

 to that height, at which roches moutonn6es were observed by me. 

 The other parts are of course drawn without regard to the denu- 

 dation since then, and I have used my alpine experience in giving 

 a picture of the distribution of rock and snow, as it would probably 

 be in summer, were Australia now subjected to a glacial period. 



To those who have not seen the glaciers in the high alps, the 

 picture will convey a better idea of the chai'acter of the country at 

 that time than any description. 



The picture pi-etends to nothing but a hypothetical value, and 

 will, I hope, be judged accordingly. 



Conclusions. 



On going to the place where glacier traces might have been 

 expected, these were found in the shape of ruches moutonnees, 

 scattered over an area of about 100 square miles on a plateau 

 above 5,800 feet. 



That part of Australia was therefore not so long ago certainly 

 covered by ice. 



The question arises whether toe glaciers did not extend further 

 down than that. I have looked carefully around on vaj way up 

 and down the mountain, but I was not able to detect any trace of 

 glacial action below 5,800 feet. In the Snowy Valley a glacier 

 might be expected to have descended for some distance from the 

 mountains, and I think it very likely that moraines will eventually 

 be found there. This valley is, however, the only one in which 

 moraines may be expected, because it is the only one which comes 

 down from an extensive plateau on which a glacier was formed. 



It is difficult to fix the time of the glacial period, but it is evident 

 that it was in all probability simultaneous with the glacial period 

 in New Zealand. 



According to von Haast (1) the glaciers there descended at that 

 time into the sea on one side and down to a height of a few 

 hundred feet on the other. In New Zealand there are high 



(1) Von Haast. Geology of Canterbury and Westland. 



