158 GEOLOGY. 



granite at Rose's Gap, tabular micaceous iron and iron-glance are found, 

 possessing magnetic properties, and with 70 per cent, of metallic iron. 



E. Jun. 



Stephens, T. The Mersey Coal-Measures, Tasmania. Monthly No- 

 tices, Roy. Soc. Tasm., for 1873, pp. 36-38. 



Refers to an opinion of Mr. Hainsworth, that the Mersey Coal 

 Measures may be identified with that part of the New- South- Wales 

 Coal series known as the West Maitland Beds. The author records 

 the occurrence of a species of Glossopteris, probably G. Browniana, 

 near Tarleton, Tasmania, in the Mersey Coal Measures, and expresses 

 his opinion that the Coal Measures of the Fingal district are of more 

 recent date than those of the Mersey district. R. E., Jun. 



Thomson, J. T. On the Glacial Action and Terrace Formations of 

 South New Zealand. Trans. N. Zealand Inst. vi. pp. 309- 

 332. 



During the Tertiary period the southern part of New Zealand was 

 much lower than now and within the region of glacial action. Mr. 

 Thomson has discovered the remains of glacier-moraines of two ages. 

 The younger, at the lower ends of some of the interior lakes, are the 

 result of the action of mountain-glaciers. The older are the result of 

 terrene-glaciers, and far exceed the younger in extent and influence ; 

 their existence is indicated by the boulder- deposits and scattered 

 striated boulders in many parts of Otago. In the Kaikorai valley are 

 rock- surfaces on which grooves, up to a foot deep and parallel to the 

 direction of the axis of the valley, were seen. The regularly curved 

 beds of many of the valleys are shown to conform to the curve of the 

 ellipse. The erosion of these valleys is ascribed to the action of gigantic 

 glaciers descending from the mountains, projecting into the sea, and 

 ending in perpendicular cliffs, like those of South Yictoria Land, in 

 the Pacific. During the Glacial period this part of New Zealand under- 

 went the same phenomena as now occur at the Antarctic circle. 



The terrace-formations of Otago are at all levels, from the mountain- 

 tops to the shore. They consist of shingle and gravel, loosely bound 

 by clay and sand. Two laws are observable in connexion with the 

 formation of these terraces: — the law of deposition, the particles 

 becoming smaller as the transporting power became weaker ; and the 

 law of deposition and formation, for the " terraces incline as you close 

 in with the mountains, and they tend to be level as you leave them, 

 and only become perfectly level on the sea or lake shores." The 

 terraces are considered to be the result of marine and freshwater 

 action, during elevation, on the shingle and gravel accumulated during 

 the glacial age. Mr. Thomson has investigated certain fan-like allu- 

 vial deposits of the plains of the Middle Island, and finds that there are 

 two laws demonstrated by them : — the law of scooping out, as the 

 ellipse ; that of spreading out, as the parabola. R. E., Jun. 



Travers, W. T. L. On the -Extinct Glaciers of the Middle Island 

 of New Zealand. Trans. New-Zealand Inst. vi. pp. 297-309. 



