
TINDALE—SUBDIVISION OF PLEISTOCENE 647 
At first sight the Ralph Bay Stage beaches (of Lewis) by their universality 
appear to correlate well with the Late Monastirian—Woakwine Terrace of South 
Australia, but leave unaccounted for the Main Monastirian, average height 60 feet 
(18 metres), unless it is of this terrace Lewis (1945 p, 50) is speaking when he 
says, ‘'Ralph’s Bay Stage raised beaches are often 30 feet high, but exposures are 
not sufficiently frequent to determine the maximum thickness.’’ Here, evidence 
for north-west Tasmania, furnished by Edwards (1941), may resolve the difficulty, 
in that be identifies a 40-50 foot (12-15 metre) terrace with Keble (1946) has 
equated with Riss-Witirm Interglacial—Main Monastirian of Zeuner (1945). The 
Terrace height as stated is lower by two metres than the average for the Main 
Monastirian, but this may be partly accounted for by differences in method of 
estimating sea level, Lewis apparently used bigh tide wark rather than either 
L.W.O.8.1., or mean sea level. In Tasmania the tidal difference is of the order of 
4 feet (1+2 metres). 
Rocky Cape Cave (antea p. 622) provides confirmatory evidence to suggest 
that it isthe Main Mowastirian terrace wich is to be found in north-west Tasmania 
by indivating marine erosion at minimum heights of 50-60 feet (15-18 metres) 
above present sea level, 
The principal problem in the correlation of the latest portion of the Pleistocene 
is in the position to be assigued to the Late Monastirian (25 feet.) terrace. Zenner 
(1945, p. 250, fig. 76) placed this terrace between his Penultimate and Late 
Glacials, i.e. as Riss/Wiirm Laterglacial. Earlier he had placed if as Wiirm 2/8 
Interglacial. Argument for the earlier dating, ou face value, is convineing. Iow- 
ever, it is necessary for bim to depart from the implications of his“ Altitude/time”’ 
hypothesis (o achieve the earlier placing, which may create more problems than 
it solves. The South Australian evidence as to Lhe detailed history of the Woak- 
wine interglacial terrace may be a help in the unravelling of the complexities of 
this problem, which assumes great signifieance because of the implications it has 
for the interpretation of an important period in the expansion of man’s oekomene, 
Keble (1946) arrived at a late dating for this terrace, and in personal correspon- 
dence T. T. Paterson also intimates his leaning towards a late dating for 
Monastirian IT. 
The indieations now available that the Post-glacial terrace at 10 feet (3 metres) 
is probably distinct from the Woakwine Terrace, 25 feet (7+5 metres), and ts 
represented by an early series of dunes within the complex of ‘Present’? dunes 
is an advance whose implications for the archaeology of the Australian aboriginal 
will be considered elsewhere. 
An outline of the subdivision of Pleistocene time is set out in the accompanying 
table : 
