Spkight. — The Post-glacial Climate of ^Canterbury . 409 



came to this conclusion as a result of his observations on the extinction 

 of the moa (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 24, 1892). He says, on page 154, 

 " It is also evident that the dead moas could not have been washed 

 into swamps under the present climatic conditions, and the solution of 

 the problem is to be found in the fact that in Pleistocene times, when 

 these deposits of bones were formed, the climate was very different from 

 what it is now. ... As the Pleistocene period passed away the 

 climate no doubt got more equable, and the surviving moas once more 

 increased and multiplied." His conclusion is based very largely on ob- 

 servations made in Central Otago, and on a study of the conditions under 

 which the bones were found in the swamp at Glenmark, in North Canter- 

 l)ury. A peculiarity in the distribution at the present time of birds allied 

 to the moa may be noted here. Related genera, such as the ostrich, rhea. 

 and emu, now inhabit countries with a dry climate, and it may perhaps be 

 the case that the moas established themselves in the South Island of New 

 Zealand when the conditions were steppe-like in character and the moist 

 climate was responsible for the diminution either on account of their un- 

 suitabilitv for such an environment or because it affected in some way their 

 food-supply. 



The moist climate suggested by Captain Hutton was certainly post- 

 glacial, though it must be remembered v/hen referring to his writings on 

 the subject that he regarded the older Pliocene as the period of the maxi- 

 mum glacier-extension. 



The latest pronouncement on the subject appears to be that of Professor 

 von Lendenfeld, given in the volume published by the International Con- 

 gress of Geology, 1910. In his article entitled " Das Quartare Klima von 

 Australien imd Neu Seeland " he says, " Die natur der Gletscherzungeii 

 (Reisenmoranen, Seitentaler zwischen Gletscher und Talwand) macht dur- 

 chaus nicht den Eindruck als ob dieser Riickgang der vergletscherung 

 schon zum Stillstand gekommen ware ; sie deuten vielmehr darauf hin, 

 dass er gegenwartig noch fortschrietet, so das ich meinen mochte, dass in 

 der Sudinsel von Neu Seeland, ebenso wie in Sudaustralien, das Klima gegen- 

 wartig warmer iind trockener wird." The evidence on which this conclu- 

 sion is based seems somewhat uncertain, but it is in all probability a general 

 statement which would be quite true under any circumstances. 



The purely geological evidence of !?he change in climate since glacial 

 times rests firstly on observations of the behaviour of glaciers, as indicated 

 by Von Lendenfeld ; but this evidence is quite inconclusive, as they have 

 been observed for a period too short to furnish data on which, to base any 

 well-founded conclusion. There is evidence of a fairly rapid retreat of the 

 glaciers on the eastern side of the Alps ; but the cause of this is unknown, 

 although it is probably dependent on climatic changes. On the West Coast 

 the Franz Josef Glacier is now rapidly advancing,* while the Fox Glacier, 

 a near neighbour with very similar surroundings, was, when visited by the 

 author three years ago, showing unmistakable signs of retreat. The Mueller 

 Glacier, too, oii the eastern side of the range, is showing signs of advance 

 {vide Lands Report, 1906). It is possible that these advances depend on. 

 climatic conditions of a previous time which make themselves evident at 

 the terminal face of glaciers of different lengths and velocities at different 



* A recent map of this glacier, made vuider the direction of Dr. J. Maclcintosh Bell, 

 shows that the advance occurs principally on the northern side of the glacier, while the 

 southern side is either stationary or actually retreating. 



