A GREAT CONTINENT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 489, 23 April 1909, Page 5

A GREAT CONTINENT.

PREHISTORIC ANTARCTICA. A MICRATION TO NORTHERN LANDS. PROFESSOR DAVID'S VIEWS. (ni TKI.r.OII A I'll—l'lt El* ASSOUIAII()N-rOI"YItIOHT.| Sydney, April 22. , Speaking at tho University welcome to the Antarctio explorers Professor David said tho southern regions were found to bo particularly rich in radiolaria. It was difficult to detect any difference between them and the radiolarian rocks lying between Bathurst and Harden, in Now South Wales. Ono of: the reasons that prompted him to join the expedition was the dosiro to work' out tho theory of their connection with tho coal bods of New South Wales, which wore presumed to he of a glacial agej and, although there was a biologist and a palaeontologist with tho expedition, ho had yet to perfect his researches. In his judgment, strong support had been adduced as to tho correctness of tho theory. Thero appeared to' be distinct relations between Antarctic life and tho fossil forms of the coal measI ures. I Speaking further of the similarity of both plant and animal life in Australia to that of South America, tho Professor said that Antarctica was possibly the centre of migration for plants and animals to both continents, now so far apart. [The Antarctio explorer and ocoanographical authority, Dr. Bruce, in the course of an address before the British Association in September on the scientific results of tho -ayago of the Scotia intho Antarctic, said that soundings- were mode :to the depth of :4000 fathoms, and from the deposits at the bottom of the ocean the conclusion was forced upon him that there existed at one time a continent twice as large as Europe. Many of tho results of the expedition corroborated those discoveries of Moral in 1823 which on their publication aroused, so much incredulity and, even ridicule. Dr. Bruce will now endeavour to prove that Antarctica had continental connections with Australia and Now Zealand.]