SUB-FOSSIL REMAINS FROM KING ISLAND. 
Tasmania a group of smaller islands—Hunter Islands and the Hum- 
mocks. Between King Island and Cape Otway lies open water, 
with a curious and well-marked dipping invading the fifty fathom 
line, indicating in all probability the former existence of the 
estuary of a large stream that once ran southwards from the Vic- 
torianranges. We may therefore safely conclude that the old land 
bridge was traversed in its north-western part by a river of con- 
siderable size, that its central part was comparatively low land,* 
and that this was bordered on the east by a chain of lofty hills. 
Across this central part a river probably ran northward to join the 
one flowing southwards near its estuary. On the western side, to 
the south of the estuary, was high ground, part of which is now 
represented by King Island. 
In the early days of Australian settlement a few sealers and 
tishermen frequented King Island, but for long years it was practi- 
cally deserted until, about thirty or forty years ago, an attempt was 
made to utilize it as a sheep run, but the existence of the poison 
weed (Swainsonia lessertifolia) proved fatal to the scheme, and once 
more the island was abandoned. In November, 1887, the Vic- 
torian Field Naturalists’ Club organized an expedition to the 
island. Its only inhabitants at that time were the lighthouse- 
keepers at Cape Wickham and Currie [larbor, and one solitary 
wallaby hunter. We had considerable difficulty in traversing the 
island, owing to the fact that its northern half was covered with 
dense scrub, and its southern part with impenetrable forest. During 
recent years the island has been occupied again, much of the 
scrub has been cleared away, and parts previously inaccessible 
have been opened up. On one occasion a large flock of sheep was 
placed on what is now known as the “sand patch,” near to Stokes 
Point, the extreme south-western promontory of the island. At 
that time this particular part of the island was covered with grass, 
but the sheep eat this down to the roots, and, later on, ‘‘ numbers 
of pigs, rooting about, turned up the soil and started a sand-blow, 
which now extends over some hundreds of acres. ‘here is a 
dividing ridge running the length of the patch, and the sand shifts 
from one side of the ridge to the other with every change of wind. 
. . . It was during a strong westerly gale that T rode down 
to Surprise Bay. Be ure uefa Every few “yards lay the bone of 
some animal ina more or less perfect state of preservation, and 
here and there the ground was covered with the petrified stumps 
and roots of o!d scrubs.” 
The fact of the existence of these sub-fossil remains became 
known to Mr. H, H. Scott, the Curator of the Victoria Museum, 
Launceston, who placed himself in communication with Mr. J. 
* Howitt, A.A.A.S., Sydney, 1898, Vol. VII., p. 758. 
¢ Extract from a letter written to one of the authors by Mr. T. Alfred Stephenson, to whom 
we are indebted for valuable assistance. 
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