io6 The Australasian Scientific Magazine. [Oct. i, 1885. 
Some specimens which that gentleman had forwarded were handed 
round for inspection. 
Mr. G. S. Griffiths said that our knowledge of the climate of Australia 
in times geologically recent was increasing, and referred to four memoirs on 
the subject, published within the past few months. Dr. Von Liendenfcld 
had recently discovered unquestionable traces of glacial action extending 
from the top of Mount Townsend, 7256 ft., down 1400 ft. to the 5800 ft. 
level. It was significant that while the larger signs were in abundance 
there was an absolute absence of striae, all of which bad weathered away. 
Mr. Stirling had picked up the same ttaces at the head of the Victoria, 
5000 ft. above sea level, and had followed them down to 1000 ft. He had 
found striae in the hard dykes and on some pebbles, and also reported 
moodinic debris. But the most undoubted evidence was the rounding into 
dome-shaped, undulating forms of rock, which always weather into jagged 
contours. Mr. Wilkinson, Government geologist of New South Wales, had 
demonstrated in a recent paper a change of climate in that colony from a 
semi-tropical condition in the Pliocene to a cold, pluvial condition in the 
Pleistocene. This was what might have been expected if Victoria was 
suffering glaciation, for such a region always has a rainy zone on its 
equatorial margin. Professor Hutton, of New Zealand, had addressed the 
students of Christchurch on the origin of the fauna and flora of New 
Zealand. To account for the presence there of north temperate plants, he 
had recourse to the theory that they had wandered south along the back of 
the Cordilleras, and so had avoided the heat of the equator. But it could be 
proved that Panama did not exist as dry land at the time required by this 
hypothesis. A glacial epoch would have allowed them to pass through the 
tropics by lowering the climate. But Hutton objected to a glacial epoch, 
because there is not sufficient circumpolar land to act as a refrigerator by 
accumulating snow. It could be proved, however, that the requisite area 
of circumpolar land did exist in the Pliocene. Again he objected, because 
glaciation would have exterminated the flora and fauna of the south 
temperate islands, and it could be proved that no extermination had 
occurred since the Miocene. Against this it could be shown that such 
extermination was averted by the formation of a continent which included 
these islands, and this allowed their inhabitants to retire before the cold, 
and to return again in more genial times. 
PAPERS. 
A paper by Mr. A. W. Howitt, on “ Metamorphic Schists and Intrusive 
Rocks of Knsay,” was postponed till the next meeting. 
Mr. Stirling’s paper on “'Lire Cryptogamia of the Australian Alps,” was 
taken as read. 
Mr. Fenton exhibited “Fuller’s Spiral Slide Rule,” the object of which 
is to simplify the making of abstract calculations up to four figures. 
Historical Society of Australasia. 
The monthly meeting of the Historical Society of Australasia was held 
on Thursday, the 3rd of September. Professor Elkington occupied the 
chair. There were also present — Messrs. A. C. Macdonald, R. T. Litton, 
James Larnach, and J. Blackburn. Mr. Matthew Larkin, of South 
