178 Proceedings of tlie Royal Society of Victoria. 



Coast Range, at a distance of from 20 to 25 miles from the sea. 

 It extends in a broad band parallel to the western coast, at least 

 from the Arthur River on the north, to some distance south of 

 Macquarie Harbour, where it apparently sinks to but little above 

 sea level. 



The general contour of the country between Emu Bay and 

 Strahan shows that the pene-plain in this part of Tasmania was 

 due to river action, and that the main slope is downward to the 

 west ; but subsequent river action has destroyed so much of the 

 surface of the plain that its existence can only be recognised in 

 a broad distant view. 



The best views showing the geographical structure of the 

 country are gained looking westward from the peaks of the West 

 Coast Range, as from the western end of the ridges of either 

 Mount Sedgwick or Lyell (Figs. 2 and 3). The view from the 

 summit of the Haulage of the Mount Lyell Mining and Railway 

 Company is less extensive ; but it shows the features of the 

 pene-plain of the Henty and Queen rivers exceptionally well. 

 At the foot of the steep ridge of schists is the deep valley of the 

 Queen River ; beyond it, the country looks rugged and irregular, 

 consisting of a series of deep gullies and river valleys separated 

 by narrow spurs and ridges. Here and there is an expanse of 

 open plateau, such as Madam Howard's Plains, relics of the 

 widespread plain that existed before the country was dissected 

 into the present maze of ridge and gorge. The crests of the 

 ridges generally reach to the level of the old pene-plain surface ; 

 and further to the west, as the details become obscured in the 

 distance, the valleys are hidden and the blue hills and ridges 

 combine to give the impression of a level plain, sloping slightly 

 toward the sea. In the far distance the edge of the pene-plain 

 forms a skyline almost as straight, and horizontal, and featureless 

 as that of the sea beyond. To the north and south, the level of 

 the land is less regular, for the country slopes upward to the 

 hills that mark the site of the banks of the old river, which made 

 this part of the pene-plain ; and further northward the truncated 

 cone of Mount Zeehan, the long serrated crest of the Heemskirk 

 Range, and the tumbled masses of the West Coast Range, rise 

 high above the general level of the country. 



