468 New Zealand Institute. 
Valley, the collections are as nearly as may be exhaustive. The difference 
between the fossils of the Oreti, Wairoa, and Otapiri series, which have a 
thickness of 8,000 feet, and represent the Trias formation in New Zealand, 
is far less than between the Oreti and Kaihiku series, several species found 
in the Oreti series being common to the Wairoa series, and one or two to 
the Otapiri series, while but one fossil is common to the Oreti and Kaihiku 
series, 
Ammonites of the Jurassic and Liassic types are found, with Nautilus 
reticularis, in the lowest beds of the Middle Wairoa series ; while Belemnites 
and Jurassic Terebratulide characterize the lower beds of the Otapiri series, 
the latter being again found in the lower beds of the Wairoa series. It is 
interesting to note the disappearance of Spiriferina of the S. rostrata group 
in the upper beds of the Monotis sandstone, its place being taken in the 
lower beds by the new genus Psioidea, Spiriferina again appearing in the 
Kaihiku beds as forms which in general outline closely resemble the Jurassic 
species. Not the least interesting discovery made in these beds is repre- 
sented by a collection of plants from the lowest beds of the Otapiri series, 
immediately above the Monotis sandstone, in which a species of Glossopteris 
occurs. From the Kaihiku series (Permian) exactly the same fossils have 
been obtained which were found in Southland last year, only the forms are 
larger, and altogether form a more attractive collection. 
Further collections were also made from the Carboniferous limestone, 
which has been shown to separate the Maitai slates from the Dun Mountain 
crystalline belt. Few additions to the species found last year have been 
obtained ; but a choice collection of large and well-preserved Spirifers, as 
well as further specimens of Productus and corals, have been obtained. 
In the western part of this district, the Upper Silurian rocks of the 
Baton River were largely collected from, and the following forms have been 
recognized :—Calymene blumenbachii, Homalonotus knightii, Murchisonia tere- 
bralis, Avicula subplana, Modiolopsis modiolaris, Orthonota solenoides, Nucula 
levata, Spirifera radiata, Spirifera sulcata, Hhynchonella wilsoni, Atrypa reti- 
cularis, Orthis fissicostata, Orthis protensa, Strophomena corrugitella, etc. These 
last beds rest unconformably upon a still lower fossiliferous series, from 
which Graptolites are reported to have come; but Crinoid remains, and one 
Coral, were all the fossils which could be obtained in this district. They 
must, however, from their position, be at least Lower Silurian in age. 
. A considerable collection was made from the Cretaceo-tertiary beds of 
the district, and some good specimens of Moa bones obtained from the caves - 
on the table-land west of Mount Arthur. 
The importance of correlating the geological formations of New Zealand 
with those of Australia, has rendered it necessary to devote a great deal of 
