president’s ADDRESS — SECTION C. 
65 
In 1879 Mr. A. W. Howitt’s paper* was published “On the 
Physical Geography and Geology of North Gippsland, Victoria,” in 
which ho states (op. cit, p. 35) — “Nowhere in Gippsland have I 
been able to detect any appearances which 1 could in anyway refer to 
a glacial period analogous to that of the Northern Hemisphere. I have 
nowhere met with grooved or scratched rocks, erratic boulders, 
moraines, or any traces of ice action; and I think that had such existed 
they would have been met with ere this. Mr. Selwyn has, I believe, 
already noted this. The only features of the country which I think 
could in any way suggest glacial conditions are the apparently ancient 
lake-basins near Oraeo. Most of these have now been drained, and 
their beds deeply cut into by the streams.” 
Lake Omeo is stated (op. cit., p. 4) to be 2,874 feet above the sea. 
The next reference to evidences of ice action in Australasia is that 
made by Mr. K. M. Johnston, f in which he describes ice-borne 
erratics, some exceeding a ton in weight, embedded in the Permo- 
Carboniferous rocks of Maria Island, Tasmania. In 1884 Mr. G. S. 
Griffiths read a paper on “ Evidences of a Glacial Epoch in Victoria 
during Post- Miocene Times.”} ^ lie states (op. cit., pp. 6-7) that “Mr. 
Win. Lee, a practical miner of experience, assures mo that he has 
seen ice striations near Wilson’s Promontory.” 
In 1885 Professor R. von Lendenfeldt§ explored Mount Kosciusko, 
and recorded the occurrence of rock surfaces polished by glacier 
action and of “ roches moutonnles” chiefly in the Wilkinson Valley. 
No traces of glaciation wore observed by him below a level of 5,800 feet. 
lie did not find any distinct moraines. 
The extent of the glaciers he estimated (op. cit, pp. 10-11) as 
perhaps co-extensive with that of the plateau— viz., about 150 square 
miles, and be estimated that the Wilkinson Valley was once filled 
with ice for a depth of 500 feet. 
Professor Li. von Lendenfcldt next, in a paper read before the 
Linnean Society of New South Wales, || entitled “‘The Glacial Period 
of Australia,” reviewed ‘the evidences he had collected up to that date, 
and declined to accept the Ilallett’s Cove evidence adduced by 
Professor Tate (op. cit.] p. 45). Professor Lenden feldt, however, had 
not inspected Hallett’s Cove. Had he done so he would at once, no 
doubt, have frankly admitted the genuineness of the evidences of 
glaciation. He concludes that the glacial period of Australia was 
probably of comparatively recent date, and was (op. cit., pp. 52 and 53) 
“ isochrone ” with the glacial period of New Zealand, and with the 
“ pluviatile period ’ in Australia, when the rivers were large, and when 
there was a dense vegetation in many parts of the country which now 
are barren, and which was sufficient to feed the gigantic Diprotodon 
and other fossil marsupials. 
Dr. Lendenfcldt ’s paper was reviewed and criticised the same 
year by Captain Hutton. f Captain Hutton contends, as he had 
I Q-LChS., voL, xxxv., 1879, pp. 1-41. + Proc. Roy. Soc* of Tas., p. 20, 1884. 
X Trans. Roy. Soc. Vic., vol. xxi., 1885, pp. 1-28. 
§ Report by Dr. R. von Lendenfcldt on the results of his recent examination of 
the central part of the Australian Alps. By authority: Sydney, 1885. 
II Prop- Lion. Soc. N. S. W., vol. x., part i., pp. 44*53, with plates vii. and viii. 
" On the Supposed Glacial Epoch in vYiistralia.” Captain F. W. Hutton, 
F.G.S., Proc. Lin. Soc. N. S. Wales, vol. x., part i., pp. 334-341. 
E 
