98 Proce('diii(i><. 



P A P E R S. 



1. Glaciated Surfaces and Boulder-clay near Bealey. By K. Speiglit, M.Sc, 

 FAt.S. (Read before the Pliildsuphical Institiite of Canterbur\-, 

 7th December, 1910.) 



Glaciated surfaces where actual striae still remain clearly visible have not been 

 often recorded as occurring in this country, nevertheless a caieful inspection of 

 likely places shows that they are by no means infrequent. During a visit to the 

 Bealey I had opportunity to examine minutely several places where ice was likely 

 to leave its traces, and specially the large roche. moufonnee near which the Bealey 

 Hotel is situated. This is in all probability an outlying fragment of a former spur 

 which has been almost entirely removed by the erosion of the great valley glacier 

 which occupied the Waimakariri Valley in former times, and its surface exhibits 

 in many places the characteristic striae and flutings due to glacier erosion. These 

 have remained hidden for years, but recent heavy rains have removed the covering 

 of soil and clay and exposed the surface of the solid rock to view for over 3 chains 

 along the roadside. The flutings and striae are not parallel to the axis of the 

 valley, but make a small angle with it. The general surface of the mound shows 

 the dimples usually as.sociated with glacier-eroded surfaces. Similar dimples are 

 to be observed on Goldney's Saddle, about seven miles below the Bealey near the 

 junction of the Cass with the Waimakariri. In order that these forms may be well 

 preserved, they must be protected from the disintegrating action of frost, which 

 (juickly breaks up any exposed surface in this region. The rapidity of this mode 

 of disintegration is well shown on the surfaces of rocks on Goldney's Saddle, where 

 they have been deprived of their blanket of clay, loess, or peat. The completeness 

 of this protective covering accounts for the surface markings being so well preserved 

 at the Bealey. On close examination this appears to be composed of an upper layer 

 of loose material, yellowish-brown in colour, closely jcsembling loess, but not a true 

 loess. The actual thickness is doubtful, and no doubt highly variable, but where 

 exposed on the roadside it is from 4 ft. to o ft. thick. This poi'tion owes its origin 

 partly to material contained in the ice and left behind when it melted, partly to 

 material weathered at higher levels and carried down by the action of water, snow. 

 &c., and partly to the fine rock-flour which has been swept by strong winds from 

 the dry river-beds left exposed as the ice retreated. The most interesting part, 

 however, is the bottom layer of about 18 in. thick. This consists of a stiff clay 

 containing subangular stones which are frequently striated — that is, it is a true 

 l)oulder-clay, the first recorded from New Zealand which exhibits all its special 

 characters. Such clays have been reported, but without the presence of scratched 

 stones. In this case they are common, and a dozen good examples were collected 

 in the course of two forenoons. It must be stated, however, in order to prevent 

 possible misunderstanding, that a portion of the upper surface of the roche. wou- 

 fontiee had been ploughed, and scratched stones were turned up in this part of it. 

 It might be urged that the scratches on the stones were marks produced by the 

 ploughshare wei'e not equally good specimens found in the clay on that part of the 

 hill which had not been broken up. No doidit this clay collected in some of the 

 hollows formed in the rock-surface by the erosive action of the glacier. 



Striated surfaces are also to be seen in the locality on the side of the road just 

 past the hotel, and a very well-marked occurrence was pointed out to me by Mr. 

 Patterson, the Public Works Engineer, about six miles below the Bealey, on the 

 W^aimakariri cutting near the site of the projected railway-bridge over the river. 

 Curiosity-hunters are rapidly destroying this surface in the desire to obtain speci- 

 mens. 



Both these occvu'rences owe their preservation to the protection afforded V)y the 

 suiface layer of loose material, and they have only been recently exposed. 



2. Notes on the Discovery of Dactylanthus Taylori. By James Grant. 

 B.A. ; coniiiuniicatetl by Mr. T. W. Dowiies. (Read l)efore tlic 

 WelliiiL-toi) Plnlo.sophical Society, 7th September, 1910.) 



In Vol. xli of the "Transactions of the New Zealand Institute" Mr. H. Hill, 

 in describing the I)actyl(inthu.< Tai/Ioii. quotes a letter he received from Mr. D. H. 

 Williamson, in whi<'h that writer claims that his father, the late Francis Williamson. 



