Accoiuit of Glacial Deposits of Bacclais Mar«h. 07 



many thousand feet higher tluiii it does now. In Eocene 

 times, though enormous denudation had then taken ])lace, 

 this mountain chain must have been veiy much higher than 

 now. Under these conditions, the glaciation during an ice 

 age might be of considerable severity. 



We would thus appear to ha\e evidence of three periods 

 of glaciation in Australia, which may be provisionally 

 assigned as follows : — (1) One in Permian times, of consider- 

 able severity ; (2) one in Eocene times, also severe ; (3) 

 one in Pleistocene times, mild, being represented only by 

 glaciers in the higher mountains. At these periods then, it 

 would appear that the Dividing Range nourished great 

 glaciers which radiated outwards, and, in the two earlier 

 periods at least, spread to some distance over the lower 

 ground. Beneath these glaciers the till, or glacial conglomer- 

 ate, was accumulated as a ground moraine. 



Undoubted evidence of glaciation has been adduced by 

 Professor Tate and Mr. G. B. Pritchard from South Austi-alia. 

 and traces have also been noted in Tasmania, although 

 Mr. Johnston remarks (" Geology of Tasmania ") that there 

 is no evidence there to show that a glacial period has ever 

 taken place. However, it will seem strange if further 

 evidence from Tasmania be not forthcoming. 



In concluding this pajjer, we would urge the careful 

 examination and mapping of our glacial deposits, and the 

 collection of all evidence bearing upon them. In the words 

 of Sir Robert Ball—" A strict search for glacial indications 

 among all deposits, primary, secondary, and tei-tiary, would 

 be one of the most valuable pieces of scientific work 

 possible at the present time." — (" Cause of an Ice Age," 

 p. 149). 



Literature. 



Prof David— ^' A Correlation of the Coal-fields of N.S.W." 



A.A.A.S., 1890. 

 E. J. Dunn, F.G.S. — " Notes on the Occurrence of Glaciated 



Pebbles and Boulders in the so-called Mesozoic 



Conglomerate of Victoria," Proc. Roy. Soc. Vic, 



Vol. XXIV, Pt. 1. " The Glacial Conglomerates of 



Victoria," A. A. AS., 1890. 

 O. S. Griffiths, F.G.S.—" Evidences of a Glacial Period in 



Victoria during post-Miocene Times," Ti-ans. Rov. 



Soc. Vic, Vol. XXI. 



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