BY CAPTAIN F. W. HUTTON. 437 



marking the site of a former terminal moraine, which I think 

 must have been continuous with the oldest latei'al moraine that 

 forms the eastern side of Moko Valley. The small hill at the 

 Hermitage stables is the remains of another portion of this 

 system, but of a slightly later date, for its direction shows that it is 

 also part of a terminal moraine. On none of the moraines, either 

 modern or ancient, did I see any striated or glaciated stones. 



These old moraines show a period of increase in the glacier, 

 followed by one of decrease which is now going on. But the 

 period of increase could not have been continuous, for the four 

 moraines of White-horse Hill show periods of decrease alternating 

 with those of increase. But at each successive period of increase 

 the ice attained a greater thickness than it had at its former 

 maximum. How far the alternating decrease went we have no 

 means of ascertaining. Possibly the glacier at these times may 

 have had no greater dimensions than it has at present ; and it is 

 quite possible that a period of increase might again set in, and 

 the glacier might out-top the highest of the lateral moraines, 

 completely obliterating the smaller inside moraine which was 

 being formed in 1860. 



The terminal face of the glacier is rather less than a mile in 

 breadth, and owing to the destructive action of the Hooker River, 

 which passes along it, is constantly changing. At the present 

 time the northern third of the face is occupied by a magnificent 

 series of ice cliffs from 100 to 150 feet high, one behind the 

 other, while the outlet is close to the southern end of the face. 



At the outlet there is a small cave from which a small stream 

 flows over the ice, but the main body of water issues as a spring 

 some 40 feet below the ice cave. After two clays' rain the spring 

 was a wonderful sight as it threw up a vertical column of water 

 5 or 6 feet high, and 12 or 15 feet broad, like a fountain. This, 

 I think, shows that the opening of the main outlet is vertical ; 

 and, consequently, that the ice descends below the level of the 

 shingle of the Hooker Valley. 



