37 



Lis mind as to whether or not the scratchings he had seen im- 

 pressed upon the rocks in the bed o£ the Inman had not at some 

 former period been effected by the agency of running water. 

 This latter hypothesis I am inclined to consider the most pro- 

 bable. As to the whole subject of these supposed ice markings 

 I will endeavour to treat of more in detail subsequently. 



The Eev. J. E. T. Woods (" G-eological Observations in South 

 Australia," first edition, p. 20), in treating of the geology of 

 the Adelaide chain, says : — "In examining portions of it I 

 have been led to think that probably they were of much 

 greater height at one time. Indeed, it seemed to me, so far as 

 a cursory examination could guide me, that there were very 

 distinct marks of snow and the action of glaciers. This would 

 declare the range to have been once of extraordinary elevation, 

 probably the axis of some former continent." 



Professor Tate, in his annual address to the Adelaide 

 Philosophical Society, 1878-9, while treating of traces he had 

 observed of former ice action in South Australia, (1) instances 

 the grooves and scratchings observed by Mr. Selwyn in the 

 bed of the Inman. "Smooth, grooved, and striated rock sur- 

 face and moraine dehris at Black Point, forming the southern 

 boundary of Holdfast Bay." (3) " South of Pield Eiver, 

 moraine dehris and masses of transported rocks strewn over the 

 top of the cliffs." (4) ^'- Roches moutonnees surfaces of the 

 mica slate on the south flank of Kaiserstuhl, and similarly 

 large rounded surfaces at Crafers ; both localities in the Ade- 

 laide chain." (5) Also an ice-worn pebble from the Eiver 

 Torrens drift, obtained by the late Sir E. D. Hanson. (6) 

 And likewise near the gorge of the Torrens Eiver there is a 

 stream of dehns extending along the side of the hill, which the 

 Eev. J. E. T. Woods considers to be the remnant of a former 

 moraine, and in the bed of the river a bloek of rock is situated, 

 the sides of which are indented with striae similar to that 

 imprinted by ice action. " Such," the Professor adds, " are the 

 signs of the former existence of ice action in South Australia ;" 

 and propounds the following theories as to how this excessive 

 cold might have arisen : — (1) " The prevalence of a very much 

 colder climate ;" or (2) " that the land stood at a much greater 

 altitude (say 10,000 feet), or the mountains may have had a 

 more plateau-like form, and therefore need not have been so 

 high, and consequently collected more snow ;" or (3) "A com- 

 bination of both." By these remarks the reader would scarcely 

 know what opinion the Professor holds ; but if he turn to the 

 following page of the address he will, I think, be convinced 

 that then, at least, the Professor was of opinion that the ele- 

 vation of the Australian continent, and that only, had been 

 the primary cause which led to the appearance of glaciers upon 



