466 New Zealand Institute. 
greenstone, by Mr. J. White; and specimens of Japanese paper-string, etc., 
by Mr. H. S. Tiffen, of Napier. 
Minerals.—During the past year, about 800 specimens of minerals and 
rocks have been collected by the officers of the Geological Department. 
Among them are collections obtained by the Director, illustrating the progress 
of various mining ventures on the West Coast; from the Thames Gold-field, 
White Island, and Tuhua ; and from the newly-discovered coal-fields on the 
west coast of the North Island. The Director also collected a number of 
mineral specimens of considerable interest during an examination of the 
auriferous district north of the Wakatipu Lake, in which quartz-reefing 
evinces a renewal of its former activity. Mr. Cox brought a collection of 
rocks from the Greenstone River, on Lake Wakatipu, and also several 
specimens of copper ore and magnetite from D’Urville Island. A very 
interesting and unique form of copper ore has also been obtained from 
Aniseed Valley, in connection with the Dun Mountain mineral belt, consist- 
ing of a granular serpentine, containing about 5 per cent. of metallic copper, 
dispersed through the mass of the rock in fine grains. This discovery, if 
followed up, may perhaps lead to some rich copper deposit, but at present 
it does not appear to be of much commercial importance. The greater 
number of the remaining specimens were collected by Mr. McKay from the 
mountainous district lying between Nelson and the Wairau River, and from 
various points along the Mount Arthur range. Amongst these are some 
valuable specimens of brown hematite from Mount Peel, containing 54 
per cent. of metallic iron. This ore is associated with fine-grained breccias, 
dark slates, weathering white, and heavy beds ofc pact bl ystalline lime 
stone, which overlie the great series of breccia beds and conglomerates which 
form the western part of the Mount Arthur range. It is largely developed 
in a north-westerly direction from Mount Arthur, striking in the direction 
of the ranges west of the Takaka Valley. At the place where the specimens 
were obtained, the bed might be about 50 feet thick, besides which isolated 
masses 10 feet to 15 feet across were observed occurring in the dark slates. 
North of the Takaka River a much greater development of the ore takes 
place, and diggers who have visited the locality report the deposit as being 
about a mile in width. It is probable that this deposit of brown hematite is 
a continuation of the Parapara ore; and, the specimens brought being taken 
from the surface, this ore when sunk upon will most probably change to red 
hematite, which, when pure, would contain about 70 per cent. of iron. 
Mr. M‘Kay followed up this deposit for about three miles. Marbles of 
various qualities are represented from the Mount Arthur range, together 
with granites, hornblendic, eruptive, and serpentinous rocks associated with 
the Upper and Lower Silurian beds. To the same period should probably 
