876 Transactions.—Geology. 
These are only hydrous shales containing a certain percentage of carbona- 
ceous matter, and are not of any use for the distillation of oil. 
Carbonaceous Mineral, Whangarei.—This is described by Captain Hutton 
(Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. ii., p. 250) as follows :—'** Colour black, with 
shining resinous lustre; streak and powder, black ; very brittle, but does 
not dirty the fingers. H. about 2. In the flame of a spirit lamp it burns 
to a white ash without altering its shape, and without giving off any odour 
or smoke, but it will not burn if taken out of the flame. It appears to be 
nearly pure carbon without any admixture of bitumen. Dr. Hector gives 
the following composition for this mineral :— 
Fixed carbon .. = es : 0420 
Hydro-carbon .. i E vc ATO 
ater .. = V me v. cB OD 
Ash tes UE ae A (e. IO 00 
100 
from which it appears to be a non-caking lignite approaching jet, burning 
with difficulty, giving but little flame, and a white ash. 
laterite (Elastic Bitumen), CH,.— The occurrence of this mineral on 
the coast of the North Island is mentioned by Dr. Hector (Jurors’ Rep. N.Z. 
Ex., 1865, p. 425) as easily impressed by the nail, and perfectly free from 
any impurities. Prof. Liversidge (Trans. N.Z, Inst., vol. x., p. 491) again 
mentions its occurrence at Poverty Bay, the following being his deseription 
of the specimen -—* The exterior surface is of a brown colour, within it is 
blaek, burns with a luminous smoky flame, emitting a bituminous odour ; 
leaves a small quantity of white ash; breaks with conchoidal fraeture; very 
brittle ; possesses bituminous odour.” 
It has only up to the present time been found as pieces on the East 
Coast of the North Island, and on the Island of Kawau, and may possibly 
Mr. Skey has, in a paper on the, mineral oils of New Zealand (Trans. 
N.Z. Inst., vol. vi., p. 253), given a very good description of their physical 
characters. 
1. Sugar Loaves, Taranaki.—A very remarkable oil having sp. gr. -960 
to "964 at 60? Fahr., dirty green colour by reflected light ; opaque, except in 
thin films, when it has a deep red colour by transmitted light. At 60? 
Fahr. is quite liquid, and though at lower temperature it has considerable 
consistency, yet when reduced to 5? Fahr. it does not become solid. Has 
