434 Transactions. — Geology. 



to the climate of Switzerland, during the interval between these two glacier 



periods, do not content themselves with bare assertions on points of scientific 



importance, and the learned Professor took care to point out that the character 



of the fossil fauna and flora from the drift of the intervening period was such 



as to support the a priori conclusion deducible from a comparison between the 



greater and the less extensive glaciation, that the climate was milder during 



that intervening period than that of the periods which had preceded and 

 succeeded it. 



But Dr. Haast adduces no evidences of the several kinds I have pointed 

 out in support of his assertions, and simply, as I believe, because they do not 

 exist. No morainic accumulations are to be found on the Canterbury plains, 

 except at very short distances below the mouths of the greater valleys. JSTo 

 boulder clays are to be found of the kind which would result from the action 

 of an ice sheet. Nowhere on Banks Peninsula are to be found the smallest- 

 traces of glaciation. Nothing in the character of the pleistocene fauna or flora 

 indicates it. In fact, I may safely challenge Dr. Haast to produce the 

 slightest evidence, calculated to satisfy scientific men, in support of his 

 assertions. Tyndall tells us that " the scientific mind is fond of verification, 



r neglects it where it is possible." Dr. Haast prefers broad assump- 

 bare assertion. I have no hesitation, however, in utterly rejecting 



and 



and 



his 



rash and unsupported, but also because they conflict with all the facts which 

 are thrust upon us (so to speak) by an examination of the existing physical 

 features of these islands. 



I might here have closed this paper, but I have thought it desirable not to 

 do so without referring to some remarks made by Dr. Hector during the short 

 discussion upon my paper of last year, and I do this more especially because 

 those which I am about to make in reply have also a strict bearing upon the 

 general subject under discussion. On that occasion Dr. Hector referred 

 to a letter written by himself to Dr. Hooker, in 1864 (which is quoted 

 approvingly by Sir Charles Lyell, at page 241 of the first volume of the 



m m m ^ . a _ — _ _ _ 



Geology 



be 



"Dr. Hector 



m 



Island 



dry 



Alps of that island. He 



o 



or if at some former period the sea covered a large portion of the space now 

 occupied by that continent, the New Zealand glaciers, which are now of 

 considerable size, would have been more voluminous " 



manner 



