582 Capt. F. W. Hutton — A Glacial Epoch in S. Hemisphere 



northern and southern extremities to exhibit migration by change of 

 climate ; and of course it is at the centre, or Cook Straits, where we 

 could best trace these migrations. 



Now it so happens that at Wanganui, in Cook Straits, we have the 

 most extensive Pleistocene shell-bearing bed in New Zealand, and 

 as the fossils are well preserved and easily extracted, it has been 

 pretty thoroughly worked. From this bed 91 species of shells are 

 known, of which 81 are still living in the seas of New Zealand. 

 Of these 



Monilea egena, Gould. 



Pholadidea tridens, Gray. 

 Zenatia acinaces, Quoy. 

 Venus Zealandicus, Gray. 

 Chione Yatei, Gray. 

 Callista disrupta, Desh. 

 Mysia Zealandica, Gray. 



Murex octogonus, Quoy. 

 Trophon Pavict, Crosse. 

 Fusus Zealandicus, Quoy. 

 Neptunoza triton, Lesson. 



nodosus, Quoy. 



Cassis pyrum, Lain. 

 Turritella vittata, Hutt. 

 Crypta contorta, Quoy. 



are not now known to live on the coasts of Otago, although all are, 

 I believe, still found in Cook Straits. On the other hand, Pecten 

 radiatus, Hutt., which at present has only been found living in 

 Foveaux Straits, occurs fossil in the Wanganui Pleistocene bed. 

 There is therefore here no evidence of reduction of temperature in 

 the early part of the Pleistocene period. 



Below this Pleistocene bed at Wanganui a blue clay is found, 

 from which 98 species of shells have been obtained. Of these, 77 

 species still inhabit the seas of New Zealand, and consequently I 

 consider this clay to belong to the newer Pliocene Period. Among 

 the recent shells found in it are 



Murex Zealandicus, Quoy. 



octogonus, Quoy. 



Trophon Pavice, Crosse. 

 Fusus pensum, Hutt. 



caudatus, Quoy. 



Zealandicus, Quoy. 



mandarinus, Duclos. 



dilatatus, Quoy. 



Futhria littorinoides , Reeve. 

 Neptuncea triton, Less. 



nodosus, Quoy. 



Firillia Novae- Zealandice, Reeve. 



Cassis pyrum, Lam. 

 Turritella vittata, Hutt. 

 Crypta costata, Desh. 



profunda, Hutt. 



Buccinulus Kirki, Hutt. 



alba, Hutt. 



Pholadidea tridens, Gray. 

 Zenatia acinaces, Quoy. 

 Venus Zealandica, Gray. 

 Callista disrupta, Desh. 

 Dosinia lambata, Gould. 

 Mysia Zealandica, Gray. 



Buchanani, Hutt. 



— all of which live north of Cook Straits, but none of them are known 

 from Otago. However, in the same bed Drillia Icevis, Hutt., 1 and 

 Pecten radiatus, Hutt., also occur, which at present are only known 

 to live in Foveaux Straits. I have also travelled over, and mapped, 

 the whole of the Province of Otago, and have met with no stratified 

 till, nor any marine beds intercalated between glacial or glacier 

 deposits ; although since the Pleistocene Period the land has been 

 undergoing elevation. On the whole, therefore, the evidence is 

 decidedly against the idea that a colder climate formerly obtained 

 in New Zealand. 2 



1 A minute shell dredged in Foveaux Straits, which may have heen overlooked in 

 the north. 



2 Dr. Hector, F.R.S., Director of the Geological Survey of New Zealand, was the 



