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Transactions. 



a general similarity in tlie physical conditions of the whole district at the 

 time, and the flora and fauna were much like those of to-day. Over the 

 whole area there are usually traces of lignite-beds of varying thickness. 

 These occur along with what appears a pumice-mud deposit. In these 

 beds fossil specimens of leaves occur of many kinds. I have collected more 

 than a hundred kinds in a state of perfect preservation. In the same beds 

 are specimens of fossil fish vertebrates, insects, flowers, and ferns, and a 

 single specimen of a fossil feather. 



The beds have not been by any means carefully explored, and a rare 

 garnering awaits the young geologist who is anxious to make a collection 

 representing the animal and vegetable life of an interesting period in the 

 geological history of this country. Kidnappers, Whataupoko, and Ormond 

 are the best collecting-grounds at the present time. 



An inspection of map fig. 2 will show that the rivers which were 

 suddenly brought into independent being had to carve out a destiny for 

 themselves. The country was high, and covered wdth deposits of shingle, 

 limestone, and in some places blue-clay marls. Each river-mouth was 

 miles from where it is now to be found. Denudation was great, and loose 

 material was easily removed seaward, and deposited in the small gulfs and 







f 





Ji'i'j'^' ^^"f^'^'^L. 



Fig. 6. — Cross-section showing Filling-in of Beds. 



bays along the coast. The Tukituki had to carve out a way for itself, but 

 this took a long while to accomplish, for, with the Makaretu and Waipawa 

 Rivers as helpers, a place had to be worn through the Kmestones at the 

 spots known as the Waipawa Gorge and the Waipukurau Gorge respectively. 

 Lakelets were formed, to be broken through from time to time as the river 

 kept finding its course to the sea. The Ngaruroro and Tukaekuri Rivers 

 began to pour their waters into the area now occupied by the important 

 Heretaunga Plain, which grew at a rapid rate, as soon as the Tukituki began 

 to poiu' its burden of shingle into the bay in the vicinity of the gorge behind 

 Havelock. 



Map fig. 3 shows the work that has been done by the several rivers 

 since they came into existence, following the great subsidence along the 

 coast. Ruataniwha, Heretaunga, Wairoa, and Poverty Bay Plains have all 

 been formed by means of the materials that the several rivers have carried 

 down in time of flood. Slowly the mouths of the rivers have extended 



