Abstracts bl 



the Triassic beds near Nelson to the typical Maitai series, although they have 

 frequently changed their attitude on the question. The author makes a radical 

 departure, however, in assigning to this series the schists of the Pelorus Valley 

 and the Marlborough Sounds as well as those of Central Otago. He says, " It 

 is therefore true that, so far as observations go, no unconformities of any 

 importance have yet been discovered between the Trias-Jura and the schists of 

 Otago, though the two formations extend side by side for 200 miles. . . . 

 Such remarkably concordant observations show that the stratigraphical evidence 

 almost compels one to plate the Trias- Jura and the Otago schists in the same series." 

 Lithological evidence to support this contention is cited from Otago, and also from 

 the schist-areas of Westland. The author points out the entire absence of fragments 

 of schists in the conglomerates and sandstones of which the Maitai sediments are 

 formed, although fragments of granite and other plutonic rocks are common. The 

 palaeontological evidence, as well, is considered favourable to the contention thai 

 the sediments, and therefore in all probability the conformable metamorphic rocks, 

 are of Trias-Jura age. 



Section III of the work deals with the geological history of the country, and 

 the special conditions under which the beds were laid flown. The author is of 

 the opinion that the thick Maitai series was laid down on a shore-line, and not in 

 the deep sea as believed by Hutton. He explains the absence of fossils by com- 

 paring the conditions of deposition with those of a modern sandy-shore line, which 

 is almost devoid of animal-remains. 



The problems connected with the orogeny of the country are fully dealt with, 

 and reference is made to the bearing of the recent work of the Geological Survc\ 

 on this important question. The author dissents from the view insisted on by 

 Gregory that, there are two periods of mountain-folding in New Zealand, one 

 trending north-west and the other north-oast, the former occurring in north-west 

 Nelson and in Otago. It is pointed out that in the latter case the rocks of 

 undoubted Jurassic age are affected by this direction of folding in Otago, and 

 therefore the folding cannot he of earlier date, it being in all probability of late 

 Jurassic age. 



The author deals briefly in various sections with the inferences that can be 

 drawn from the character of the fauna and flora as to the climates of former 

 geological periods. He apparently accepts Ettingshausen's determinations of oui 

 fossil plants. Perhaps, in the absence of published papers showing the extremely 

 doubtful value of the identifications, the author was compelled to do so. However, 

 the seeds identified as hakea, occurring in the lignites of Central Otago, should 

 be assigned to a Podocarpus allied to P. vitensis, which suggests as equally interest- 

 ing problems of land connection or the transport of seeds as if the relation was 

 really with an Australian form. 



Full attention is given as occasion demands to the history of the volcanoes 

 in various parts of the country ; the outlying islands to the south are specially 

 referred to : and the difficult question of the Pleistocene glaciation receives careful 

 consideration. These are sections of the subject on which the author is speciaih 

 qualified by his own personal researches to speak with authority. A brief summary 

 of the economic geology of the country is given, and the work concludes with a lis) 

 of the literature which has appeared since Wilcken's catalogue was compiled in 

 1910, a list of the more important works dealing with Now Zealand geology, and 

 a list of the works cited in the text. 



R. S 



•John Mackay. Government Printer, Wellington.- -1911. 



[2.000/11/11—18213 



