AUSTBALA81A. 151 



rocks. A younger sedimentary formation is represented by a few 

 isolated brown-coal deposits. Two of these occur in depressions in 

 the quartz-porphyrj', whilst a third rests on the flanks of the older 

 sedimentary formation in the Lake-Huron Plains. Concludes with 

 the description of a limestone unconnected with the Brown-coal 

 series, but only the remains of a formation of Middle Tertiary age 

 which once covered an extent of low country, but now, owing to the 

 action of glaciers and to fluviatile denudation, is much restricted. 



K. E., Jun. 



Ha AST, Dr. J. Notes to accompany a Geological Map and Sections of the 

 Shag-Point District, Province of Otago. Reports of Geological 

 Explorations during 1872-3 ; Geol. Surv. N. Zealand, pp. 19-26 

 (with map and sections). 8vo. Wellington. 



The Shag-Point Coal Measures (Cretaceous) occur in a thick series 

 of beds of littoral origin, termed the " Older Conglomerate" or " Shag- 

 Point Series." The lower part consists of shales and conglomerates, 

 with small seams of pitch-coal, the last increasing in thickness and 

 importance in the upper part of the formation. From certain shales, 

 sandstones, and iron-stones, dicotyledonous leaves, ferns, and a few 

 conifers have been obtained. After these beds had been subjected to 

 much subaerial and littoral denudation, depression took place, and 

 the " Younger Conglomerate and Septaria Formation," consisting of 

 conglomerates and ferruginous sandstone, altering to Septaria clays, 

 was deposited ; with the lower beds of this series are a few seams 

 of brown coal. The Septaria formation is overlain by a great thick- 

 ness of greensand-beds, becoming glauconitic, and during the deposi- 

 tion of which basalt-eruptions took place ; these are called the 

 " Greensands and Basalt Group," and are again overlain by a " Cal- 

 careous Series," consisting of sandy clays with bands of calcareous 

 rock containing Crassatella, Scalaria, Pectunculus laticostatics^ &c. In 

 the valley of the Shag occurs a series of smaU hills of micaceous sandy 

 shale, probably of lacustrine or estuarine origin. R. E., Jun. 



. E^esearches and Excavations carried on in and near the 



Moa-bone-Point Cave, Sumner Uoad, Banks Peninsula, in the 

 Year 1872. Pp. 21. 8vo. Christchurch, N. Z. Phil. Inst. 

 Canterbury, N. Z. (Sept. 1874.) 



The cave is in dolerite lava : its entrance is 13-64 feet above high- 

 water mark, whilst the floor of the innermost of the three chambers 

 is only 8 feet above that level. In the first and largest chamber the 

 chief excavations wore made, of which the following section is a 

 general example : — 1. Beds of European occupation ; 2. Ash-bed 

 with pieces of flax &c., indicating Maori occupation ; 3. SheU-beds 

 with species now living in the neighbouring estuary ; 4. Ash-beds 

 with Moa-bones ; 5. Agglomerate of fallen pieces of the roof ; 6. 

 Another ash-bed with Moa-bones ; 7. Marino sands with large stones 

 blackened and split by fire, probably the remains of an " oven" of 

 the old Moa-hunting population, and near which wore obtained frag- 



