292 Transactions. — Geology. 



In all the characteristics described this species agrees so 

 exactly -with Podocaiyus dacrydioides, Eich., which is at pre- 

 sent spread over northern New Zealand, that we must here 

 admit the possibility of the identity of the genus ; but this 

 decision must be reserved to future researches upon more com- 

 plete material. The name of the species, _2J?'(»f7acr?/f7/o/c7es, 

 was allotted not only to indicate the relationship as regards 

 genus of the plant of former ages with the now living plant, 

 but also to distinguish it from Fodocarpiumdacrydioides',X^ng., 

 which fossil wood from the Tertiary formation of New Zealeaid 

 has been previously mentioned. 



Dacrydinium. cupressinum, sp. nov. 



Plate XXX., figs. 17, 18, 18a, 



D. ramis raviuUsque (jracilihns cIongatis;foliis approxirnatis, 

 snbdec2issatini oppositis, squarroso-patentibiis vel subimbricatis, 

 comprcsso-carinatis, ovatis vel oblongis falcatis, basi dccur- 

 rentibus, apice mncronulatis. 



Locality: Pakawau, Nelson (Canterburv Museum). [Ex 

 Coll. N.Z. Geol. Surv. ; Hector.] 



I have before me a fragment of a branch and a few broken 

 pieces of a smaller branch, which may probably have belonged 

 to the same branch. All these parts show a slender spindle, 

 and from them we may conclude uj)0u elongated branches 

 and twigs. The leaves, v.-hich are best preserved on the frag- 

 ment of a twig (fig. 18), stand close together and almost op- 

 posite each other. In the enlarged part of another twig (fig. 

 18fl) it is distinctly XDerceptible that a crossed position of the 

 pairs of leaves exists. The leaves are more or less erect : this 

 is especially the case in the small twig with lougish leaves 

 (fig. 18). In fig. 17 the leaves are somewhat shorter, o\-iform, 

 pointed, and arranged almost like tiles. In the enlargement 

 referred to it is perceptible that the leaves were of firmer 

 substance, and had longitudinal edges ; the leaves decrease 

 towards the base, are shaped like an awl, and bent somewhat 

 like a sickle, and are provided with a very short thorn at 

 the top. 



In the characteristics enumerated the fossil species agrees 

 best with Dacrydiiim cupressinum, Sol., a tree forming ex- 

 tensive forests in the South Island and Stewart Island. The 

 only difference between these two seems to be that the leaves 

 in the living species are av,-l-sliaped and almost straight, while 

 those of the fossil species are broader, distinctly sickle-shaped, 

 and bent upwards. The great similarity of the twigs of the 

 fossil and of the living plant permits the possibility of both 

 belonging to the same genus ; at least, we may conjecture that 

 the former stands a degree nearer to the genus Dacrydhivi than 



