Surrg.—Geology of Northern Portion of Hawke Bay. 569 
denuded off, are seen dipping at a considerable angle, forming hills which 
are quite characteristic and different in shape to the Papa hills of the over- 
lying formation. Ihave termed these beds the ** Middle Papa," to distinguish 
them from those of the same lithological characters both above and below 
them. They are composed of the same bluish marly clays, with intercalated 
seams of harder, more sandy Papa. Their general dip is about 10°, varying 
in direction from south-east, near Maungaharuru, to south and south-west 
as their northern termination is reached. Fossils are plentiful, but, as is 
usually the case when embedded in Papa, are of so fragile a nature that it is 
very difficult to preserve them. I obtained eighteen different species of Tes- 
tacea from these beds in different parts. In this formation we first see signs 
of local disturbance, which is not continued, as far as I am aware, into the 
overlying one. We must therefore suppose that the movement took place 
before the deposition of the later ones, and was confined to a small area ; 
this being very near the axis of the synclinal basin. As a general rule, the 
uniformity in amount and direction of the dip in each formation, over large 
areas, is very remarkable, and shows, I imagine, that the last elevation 
which brought the beds into their present position must have been on a 
large scale, and extending over a protracted period. It is probable that this 
Middle Papa thins out considerably towards the south, as is shown on the 
map. It is, however, I think, present at Pohue, a point on the Taupo road, 
although I did not actually see the rock itself, but a large Dentalium, which 
is a characteristic fossil of the beds, was brought to me there, and 
described to me as having been found in blue clay at the foot of the 
Titiokura Pass. 
Brown Sandstone and Conglomerate. 
Lying conformably on the Middle Papa is found a considerable thickness 
of brown soft sandstone, overlaid by beds of conglomerate formed of slaty 
pebbles cemented together by ferruginous matter. The best section of them 
is seen along the Taupo road from Rangimaipapa Hill to Te Pohue Lake. 
Both beds thin out and gradually disappear to the north. The conglomerate 
itself is very easily traced across country by the steep escarpments it pre- 
sents, especially towards the west or uptilted side. I saw no fossils in 
either of these beds. 
Esk or Upper Papa. 
We next come to the Upper Papa, which there is every reason to believe 
is not conformable to the conglomerate underneath. Of this, however, I 
cannot be certain, as I had not time to search in positions which would 
show their line of junction. This Papa is wonderfully full of fossils, of 
which I brought away 21 different species, many other larger ones being 
much too fragile to get out of their matrix, The nature of this rock is 
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