Wellington Philosojyhical Society. 613 



ance of a perfectly pure fossil diatomaceous mass. Tbirdl}' (and this was 

 the important point), in the upper deposit he found only a quantity of 

 two species of the genera Mclosira and Hiniantidium, with a very few 

 Navicula ; whilst in the lower deposit, with one species of Mclosira and 

 a few Navicidct^, there were many specimens of a peculiar-shaped diatom, 

 which, from the distinct cross visible on it, he took for a Staitroncis. 

 Having submitted specimens of this to Dr. De Lautour, of Oamaru, a 

 leading diatomist of the colony, that gentleman considered it as a new 

 species ; and he agreed with ]\ir. Maskell that it was undoubtedly " fossil." 

 Specimens of the deposit were also sent to Mr. Grove, one of the fiist 

 authorities in England on diatoms, and to Mr. Hardman, another verv 

 eminent student of the same family, at Liverpool ; and these gentlemen, 

 whilst ascribing this particular diatom to the genus AcJinanthcs, also 

 agreed that it was clearly fossil, isow, the result of these investigations 

 showed positively, as he thought, that there is a radical and important 

 difference between the two deposits. The upper one is recent, with living 

 diatoms, and no Achnanthes ; the lower one is conspicuously full of 

 Achnantlies, quite in a fossil state. If the geological evidence, taken by 

 itself, seemed to point to a similarity of conditions and of time in which 

 both deposits were formed, the microscopical observations went to show 

 that there must have been a considerable difference of time, at least. It 

 seemed to him that tlie two classes of evidence would have to be taken 

 together ; or-, at least, the indications of the microscope should receive 

 full attention. The case certainly was a peculiar one, as the two deposits 

 were so closely adjoined. 



Mr. Hulke supposed that Mr. ^IcKay w'ished to show that he had 

 evidence of evolution, while Mr. Maskell contended that this had not 

 been proved. Had those deposits been bones, Mr. McKay would not, he 

 presumed, say thej"^ were the same had the bones been of distinct forms. 

 It would be interesting to know whether the lower deposits wore much 

 abraded. 



Mr. ]McKay briefly replied, and said he felt sure that his statements 

 would be fully borne out by an}' one carefully examining the district 

 where these deposits have been found. 



2. "On the Botany of Antipodes Island," by T. Kirk, 

 F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 436.) 



3. "On the Botany of the Snares," by T. Kirk, F.L.S. 

 (Transactions, p. 426.) 



4. "On the Wandering Albatros; with an Exhibition of 

 Specimens and the Determination of a Xevv Species {Diomcdea 

 regia)," bv Sh- Walter Buller, K.C.M.G., F.E.S. {Transac- 

 tions, p. 230.) 



5. " ContributioDS to the Knowledge of the Fossil Flora 

 of New Zealand,"' by Professor Dr. Coustantin Baron von 

 EttiDgshausen, Hon. Mem. N.Z. Inst. ; commuuicated by 

 Sir James Hector. (Transactions, p. 237.) 



6. "On PlenrophyUum, ^odk. f.," by T. Kirk, F.L.S. 

 {Transactions, p. 431.) 



7. "Description of New Species of Centrolepis,' by T. 

 Kirk, F.L.S. (Transactions, p. 441.) 



8. " On the Macrocephalous Oharias of New Zealand, 

 with Description of a New Species," by T. Kirk, F.L.S. 

 (Transactions, p. 443.) 



