430 Transactions. — Geology. 



coloured barks, are loaded by parasitical monocotyledonons plants ; large and 

 elegant ferns are numerous, and arborescent grasses entwine the trees into one 

 entangled mass to the height of thirty or forty feet above the ground. An 

 equable climate, evidently due to the large area of sea compared with the 

 land, seems to extend over the greater part of the southern hemisphere, and, 

 as a consequence, the vegetation partakes of a semitropical character." 



It will be seen that the learned and careful observer from whom I have 

 just quoted, does not even hint at the probability of glaciation being produced, 

 in the district which he describes, by the action of the winds in question, 

 although, as will have been remarked in connection with a former extract 

 from the same work, his attention was specially directed to the climate of the 

 South Pacific lands. It will also be noted by those who are acquainted with 

 the indigenous vegetation of the western coast of the South Island, how closely 

 it resembles in character the vegetation of that part of the tract referred to by 

 Mr. Darwin, which lies between the fortieth and forty-fifth parallels, although 

 the drier climate which the former enjoys, owing to well-known causes, enables 

 some of the fruits he mentions to be ripened in a much lower latitude in New 

 Zealand than is possible on the west coast of South America. 



I propose, in the sequel, to add some further remarks in connection with 

 this branch of my argument, although I think I have already sufficiently 

 shown that the only "causes" assigned by Dr. Haast for the alleged glaciation, 

 even assuming that he had not committed a grave error in his statement of 

 facts, would be utterly unequal to the occasion. But let us examine into the 

 probability of the occurrence of the alleged glaciation, judging of such 

 probability from a consideration of matters which are not even hinted at by 

 Dr. Haast, although, as will be seen, they must have a very important 

 bearing, not only upon the learned doctor's propositions, but also upon all 

 questions afiecting the existing physical conditions of these islands. 



In the first place, their total submergence during the tertiary epoch — and 

 I speak of the whole of the islands advisedly, because I cannot conceive for a 

 moment that the South Island could have sunk 13,000 feet below its present 

 summit level without being accompanied in its dip by the North and Stewart 

 Islands — must have been attended with the comjDlete extinction of all the then 

 existing forms of terrestrial life, unless, par hazard, some New Zealand anti- 

 type of Noah had amply provided for the emergency. But, as if to prevent 

 any beneficial result from such provident foresight, as well as all other reasonable 

 prospect of re-peopling the islands, no sooner do they begin to emerge again 

 after their long plunge, than the doctor proceeds to invest them, for an 

 indefinite period, with an uniform pall of ice and snow extending to the very 

 water's edge ! 



Having infiicted these terrible blows, he ought certainly to have helped us 



