■406 TrfnisacfioDs. 



Zealand where the members of one series rest on another with a develop- 

 ment in any way approaching their normal character. This statement 

 is true even if the unconformities described by different authors be 

 accepted. 



It is asserted bv several geologists that one series has its typical develop- 

 ment in the Oamaru area, and that another series is typically developed at 

 the VVaipara. There is no locality yet described where a series resembling 

 that at (!)an:iaru even in a general way can be found resting upon the lower 

 or Cretaceous portion of the series at Waipara or Amuii. The same is true 

 ill a lesser degree of the other systems described. 



When the numerous excellent sections in different parts of the country 

 are considered, this remarkable fact appears to the authors to strongly 

 support the view that is here adopted — namely, that there is a single series, 

 of which the upper members overlap the lower, and hence in many places 

 the series is restricted and the upper horizons only are represented. 



It is noticeable that in all the bulletins issued )>y the reorganized Geo- 

 logical Survey under Dr. Bell it has not been found practical)le to divide 

 the younger rock-series into two or more systems. 



VI. Correlation with European Horizons. 



Any correlation of this nature must be purely tentative, except in regard 

 to the lowest rocks at Amuri. The different correlations that have hitherto 

 been made have been based on the percentage of Recent Mollusca among 

 the fossil forms in different members of the series. This is wholly un- 

 satisfactory, because (1) we do not even know wuth any exactness the 

 jvreserit molluscan famia. though this difficulty will disappear when Mr. 

 Suter's "Manual of New Zealand Mollusca" appears ; and (2) many mem- 

 bers of the series, especially the greensands and limestones, were deposited 

 iu deep water, and our knowledge of the Recent fauna off the coast of 

 New Zealand is, at most, fragmentary. The only comparisons that can 

 be of any value are those between the littoral fauna of different strata. 



It is not certain that we have at present a description of the famia of 

 the basement beds throughout the overlapping series, and it is therefore 

 impossible to trace the changes that took place as time went on. 



Some time must elapse before this can be remedied, for in the great 

 majority of localities these beds do not contain fossils. Where fossils have 

 been found they are of a very different nature in the various places. Thus, 

 at Amuri Bluff and Waipara the lowest beds appear to contain no Recent 

 species. The same is true of the Malvern Hills and Brighton, though here 

 there are very few fossil species. At Black Pohit, in the Waitaki Valley, 

 however, the number of Recent species is considerable. As previously 

 stated, we believe that the series was deposited during a great lapse of time. 

 The lowest beds are, at the latest. Eocene, and perhaps Upper Cretaceous ; 

 the highest of the conformable series are Upper Miocene or Pliocene. 



If, as is here suggested, the limestone is of the same age throughout 

 the country, it should be possible to come to a definite conclusion as to 

 what that age is. The fauna that it contains are mainly ^-chinoderms, 

 Polyzoa, corals, Foraminifera, and sponge-spicules. Collections of each of 

 these groups have been examined by specialists, and the following state- 

 ments have been made by them : — 



Tate said of the echinoderms, ■' There is no doubt that the Oamaru 

 formation is correlative with the Lower MurraA'ian of Austi'alia." This, 



