Page:Polar Exploration - Bruce - 1911.djvu/25

Rh that occurs is in the glaciation, which is accounted for by difference of latitude.

Now give the globe a half turn round its axis and compare Victoria Land and its islands with Australia and its islands. We will find the outline of Victoria Land on its east coast has a remarkable resemblance to the east coast of Australia. Lying off the coast of Australia we have New Zealand and other islands which have their counterpart in the smaller islands off Victoria Land, notably Balleny Isles, Possession, Coulman, and Ross Islands. The east coast of Australia is flanked by a great mountain range parallel to the coast, which slopes away to the westward, and Victoria Land has exactly the same feature. Geologically both Australia and Victoria Land are plateau formations of similar type and age. The volcanic character of New Zealand compares with the volcanic islands of Balleny, Possession, Coulman and Ross; all are on folded mountain ranges.

There is a further striking feature. The whole of the west coast of South and North America has the same character in being skirted by parallel folded mountain systems, bearing a certain number of volcanoes. This general Eastern Pacific character also holds good for the west coast of Graham Land. So, also, the general type of the Western Pacific