238 



THE ANTIQUITY OP MAN IN TASMANIA. 



about 184 miles. The total area of Bass Strait within the 

 boundaries presently described can be estimated at 

 60,994, say 61,000 square miles. 



The southern boundary is formed by the north coast 

 of Tasmania, beginning at I44deg. 5omin. long., and ex- 

 tending for about 200 miles towards east, where Cape 

 Portland, about I48deg. long., marks its eastern end. 

 The most conspicuous feature of Tasmania's north coast 

 is the very regular concave line it forms ; its lowest point 

 is about between the rivers Leven and Forth, while the 

 eastern and western ends extend 40 and 30 miles re- 

 spectively above this point in northern direction. 



The opposite (northern boundary) is formed by the 

 south coast of Victoria from Cape Otway (i43deg. 

 35min. long.) to Wilson's Promontory (i46deg. 25min. 

 long.). This boundary is almost the exact counterpart 

 of the southern one ; its total length is the same, about 

 200 miles, and, like the former, it is concave, with that 

 difference, however, that the eastern end (Wilson's Pro- 

 montory), instead of the western, reaches further towards 

 south (about 50 miles) above the lowest point. 



The eastern and western boundaries are much less 

 continuous, only a few remnants being still in existence. 



In the west we have Robins', Hunter's, and Three 

 Hummock L^lands ; a h"ttle further towards north-west 

 are the rocks Black Pyramid, Albatross Island, and the 

 Reid Rocks. The latter are on the south-east corner of 

 King Island, which marks the last piece of the western 

 boundary. 



In the cast the number of reninants is much larger; 

 close to Tasmania we have the Furneaux Islands, fol- 

 lowed by numerous islands and rocks, of which w^" only 

 need to mention the Curtis, Kent, and Hogan groups. 



(b) THE 20-FATHOM LINE. 

 (PL. I., FIG. 2.) 



If the sea level were to subside to the 20-rath()m lino, 

 we would find that the north-east corner oi Tasmania 



