BY R. M. JOHNSTON, F.L.S. 207 



This glacial period, strangely enough, is referred to a 

 very recent period, 2000 or 3000 years ago, when he 

 assumes, even then, the existence of the gigantic Dipro- 

 todon and other extinct marsupials, together with a 

 pluviatile period, when the rivers were large, and when 

 there was a dense vegetation in many parts of the country 

 now barren. Professor Hutton accepts the facts of Dr. 

 von Lendenfeld as regards the glaciation of the Australian 

 Alps, but demurs to his conclusions both with respect to 

 the time of their occurrence and the conditions under 

 which they were caused. In his very interesting paper 

 "On the supposed Glacial Epoch in Australia" (Proc. 

 Lin. Soc. N. S. Wales, Vol. X., Part III., p. 335, he 

 observes : " But although I do not wish to deny the 

 former existence of these glaciers, it is necessary to point 

 out that it by no means follows that they were caused by 

 a glacial epoch ; because they might equally well have 

 been due to greater elevation combined with atmospheric 

 moisture, and no evidence is given to show that elevation 

 has not occurred." At page 338 he continues : " but all 

 New Zealand geologists, whatever views they may hold as 

 to the cause, are of opinion that the glacier epoch was 

 long antei'ior to the glacial epoch of Europe and North 

 America"; and, at p. 341, ihicL, he concludes : "If now 

 I should be asked, To what, then, do you attribute the 

 ancient glaciers of the Australian Alps ? I should answer, 

 It is more probable that Mount Kosciusco once stood 

 some three thousand feet higher than at present, when 

 Tasmania was joined to Australia, and Central Australia 

 was, perhaps, a vast lake, than that the temperature of the 

 surrounding ocean should have been reduced ten degrees 

 without any apparent cause, which is the only alternative." 



These conclusions of Professor Hutton are in complete 

 harmony with the reasonings already advanced in this 

 section ; and, in the author's opinion, the evidences of Tas- 

 manian rocks lend them additional support. 



