378 Transactions. 



Raoul. E. " Choix de Plantes de la Nouvelle-Zelande." 



Schimper, A. F. W. 1903. " Plant-geography upon a Physiological Basis." 



(English translation.) 

 Speight, R. 1908. " Some Aspects of the Terrace-development in the 



Valleys of the Canterbury Rivers." Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 40, p. 16. 

 ■ 1911. " Glaciated Surfaces and Boulder-clay near Bealey." Ihid., 



vol. 43, p. . 

 T[ansley], A. G. 1909. " Review of Warming's Oecology of Plants." 



" New Phytologist," vol. 8, p. 218. 

 Warming, E. 1909. " Oecology of Plants." 



Art. XXXVIII. — The Younger Rock-series of Neiv Zealand. 



By P. Marshall, D.Sc, F.G.S., Professor of Geology, Otago University; 

 R. Speight, M.Sc, F.G.S., Lecturer on Geology, Canterbury College ; 

 and C. A. Cotton, M.Sc, Lecturer on Geology, Victoria College. 



[Bead before the Otago Institute, 1st November, 1910.] 



Plate VIII. 



[Note. — This paper has been mainly written by the first author. The observations 

 uj^on which it is based were made conjointly by the three authors in the typical districts 

 of North Canterbury. Other districts referred to have been examined by only two or 

 by one of the authors, but in each case the observations made have been referred in 

 detail to the others, and the authors are in complete agreement in regard to all the critical 

 points set forth in the paper. The critical account of the stratigraphical relations of 

 the Waitemata series has been kindly furnished by Mr. E. de C. Clarke, of the University 

 College, Auckland, and the authors are specially indebted to him for the description of 

 this important localitv.] 



Table of Contents. 



I. Introchiction. 

 II. Classifications emploved by different geologists. 

 (a.) Hochstetter'(1864). 

 (6.) Hutton (1885). 

 (c.) Haast (1879). 

 (d.) Hector (1886). 

 (e.) Park (1910). 

 (/.) Comparisons of these opinions. 



III. Classification proposed bj^ the authors. 



(«.) Discussion of Waipara Gorge and Weka Pass sections. 



(b.) Amuri Bluff. 



(c.) Other " Cretaceous " localities. 



{d.) Oamaru district. 



(c.) West coast of the North Island. 



(/.) North Aucldand. 



((J. ) Waitemata. 



IV. Deposition of rocks of the series. 



(a.) Ceneral nature of palaeontological evidence. 

 (b.) Explanation of apparent rapid change of life-forms. 

 (1.) Isolation of New Zealand coast -line. 

 (2.) An archaic fauna. 

 (3.) Slow rate of deposition, 

 (i.) Conglomerates, 

 (ii.) Coals, 

 (iii.) Greensands. 

 (iv.) Limestones and later beds. 

 V. Correlation of members of the series, 

 VI. Correlation with European horizons. 

 VII. Summary and conclusions. 



