134 Proceedings of the Royal Society of Victoria. 



Physical Aspect. 



The whole region consists of rugged rock-strewn mountains 

 bare, except where sheltered sites have encouraged a forest 

 growth ; tarns are dotted about at many different altitudes, 

 from the tiniest pools up to lakelets some miles in length. 

 There is an absence of level land except where a small valley or 

 tarn has been filled with peaty soil, on which the " button-grass " 

 flourishes. Altitudes range from 1,800 to 3,800 feet above sea 

 level over this tract. 



Moraines. 



The first evidence met with of glacial action was at the outlet 

 of the gorge, where Lake Rolleston stands ; this is an excellent 

 example of a terminal moraine. From the level of the lake the 

 morainal matter rises to an elevation of 150 feet on the east side, 

 and for 250 feet on the west side, the whole consisting of a 

 confused mass of angular, sub-angular and partly rounded 

 boulders and blocks from a few pounds to masses of moi'e 

 than 100 tons in weight; this extends over several hundreds of 

 acres. Enormous blocks project above the mass at intervals, 

 while the east edge of the moraine is fringed with a very 

 remarkable curved line of giant stones ; they commence at the 

 large one named " The Scout " on the plan, and they fringe the 

 moraine for considerably more than half a mile, running in a 

 northerly direction. Feeders to the glacier of which this moraine 

 is the relic came in further northward from the country to the 

 west -and north-west of Lake Rolleston, and morainal matter 

 occurs as marked on the plan. It would appear as though the 

 glacier did not extend much further down the valley, but as 

 though the end of the glacier became melted where the morainal 

 matter now stands, and this continuing for ages caused the 

 enormous accumulation of rocky material to take place. The 

 whole of the moraine apparently consists of debris from the hills 

 west of the lake (Rolleston), and is very largely made up of cherty 

 conglomerate (Devonian). An examination of the individual 

 blocks shows that one or more sides have been subjected to a 

 planing action by which this intensely hard pebble-studded rock 

 has been worn down and sometimes even polished. Portions 



