130 THE GLACIER EPOCH OF AUSTRALASIA. 
Surely the acceptance of the earlier epoch showing not only 
harmony with the causes which produced our earlier pluvial 
terrace drifts, but also satisfying all physical conditions for 
the initiation of glaciation, is a more reasonable conclusion to 
arrive at than to refer the glacial evidences to the later 
epoch, which would not satisfy physical conditions essential 
to the initiation of glacia] action without involving the double 
assumption of an elevation and subsequent depression of 
1,282 feet, for which there is no evidence whatever. 
As regards the very doubtful evidence of intense glacial 
action inthe shape of “ boulder till” discovered by Messrs. 
Officer and Balfour in the lowlands of Korkuperrimal, 
situated nearly 200 miles to the east of mountains where 
alone in Victoria a permanent snowfield capable of yielding 
glaciers could be formed, it is evident that the potency of 
neither of the two great epochs of cycles of maximum eccen- 
tricity could be adequate to produce such intense effects, even 
if the lowlands of Victoria stood 5,000 feet above their pre- 
sent level. 
As there is no proof of any kind to indicate such elevation 
and final depression at any time corresponding to these 
glacial epochs, z.e., subsequent to the deposition of their 
Miocene leaf beds, it is probable that a mistake has been 
made in the inferences drawn from the facts. The certainty, 
moreover, that an elevation, not depression, of considerable 
extent has taken place since the upper Eocene or Miocene 
period is evidenced unmistakably by the Tertiary marine beds 
over a great portion of the lower levels of the Victorian 
territory on both slopes of the great dividing range. ‘Lhe 
supposed glaciation of the Korkuperrimal region is therefore 
quite anomalistie. 
Sufficient illustration has now been given with respect to 
evidences bearing upon causes of glaciation, in Australia 
and Tasmania at least, to justify me in adopting for the 
present the following conclusions :— 
(1.) That the glacier epoch of Australasia was probably 
comparatively mild in its effects, manifesting itself mainly 
by increased rainfall in lowlands, and by establishing local 
glaciers in the alpine regions of Southern Australia and 
Tasmania, and in greatly extending the spread of the exist- 
ing snowfields and glaciers of the New Zealand Alps. 
(2.) That probably, in Australia, the local glaciers of the 
Alps melted before reaching the 2,000 feet levels within the 
valleys which descended continuously from the elevated snow- 
fields ; and in Tasmania it is most probable that only on 
the western slopes of our western highlands was there suffi- 
