326 Transactions.— Geology. 
by one, such as myself, who has been but a mere occasional observer. Indeed, 
to pursue the enquiry with credit to oneself and advantage to the publie, close 
application and very extended observation would be required for some years. 
Allthat I may therefore venture on is rather by way of suggestion than 
confirmed opinion. 
If we admit that our auriferous mountains have been eroded to the depth 
of 600 feet, more or less, according to position—and this is a: very moderate 
estimate—then will the gold particles have been submitted to the same action 
as we have seen other particles to be; and this principle will pervade, that the 
heavier will be found nearest the sources in the mountains; lighter, till they 
become impalpable dust, nearest the sea coast. 
Practical gold miners will tell you that this is the fact. With a knowledge 
of this principle then, and indications of what was the trend of the glacial 
masses that caused the erosions and transport, these may give us a clue to 
follow up gold-bearing drifts to their sources, and so to the reefs. Further, 
glaciers are observed to grind down the softer constituents of the schist rocks 
to impalpable dust; this becomes deposited in beds by the action of water, and 
so forms, in time, a strong cementatious matter, which, with the larger 
particles of quartz, hornblende, chert, etc., became auriferous conglomerates. 
Where such a deposit is found with the shingle and gravel but little water- 
worn, then may we conclude that the original sources of the precious metal 
are not far off; for, if the sources were distant, the heavy shingle would not 
only have been well rounded, but the impalpable dust (imponderable in water) 
forming the concrete would have been dissipated and separated therefrom. 
But there is another action that must have had considerable influence in 
the transport and deposit of gold, viz., icebergs or masses breaking off from the 
termini of the glaciers. These are known to bear large collections of rock and 
shingle, so, while they stranded along the terraces of the valleys or bars of the 
inlets, would they part with their burdens as they melted. The rocks and 
shingle would then disintegrate by the force of the waves or currents, and so 
part with the gold enclosed in them. It is by this action alone that I can see 
to account for the gold-bearing shingles of the shores of Southland and 
Molyneux, a distance so far from the mountains. 
In regard to mountain glaciers, as contradistinguished from terrene 
glaciers, I need offer but few remarks, as they have been already fully and 
ably diseussed in a paper (already mentioned) before this Society. What 
I have to offer are views taken from different aspects, such as they occurred to 
myself personally when visiting the localities at different times. The mountain 
glaciers, when viewed by themselves, are most stupendous in their dimensions 
and apparent effects; when viewed relatively with terrene glaciers their 
magnitude and influence are very circumscribed and diminutive. As the 
