188 Transactions.—Miscellaneous. 
grained loaf sugar, interspersed with small brown specks. The stone is 
very beautiful, and seems sufficiently hard and durable for at least orna- 
mental purposes indoors, but its general character as a building material is 
little known. 
LTaimestones. : 
The limestones proper are as varied in colour and consistency as they 
are great in numbers; they comprise every shade and hue, from dark grey 
and blue to pure white, and every texture and degree of hardness, from 
stone as hard as basalt to chalks and recent concretions that can be dug 
with a spade. There is often a difficulty in deciding as to whether certain 
stones should be called limestones or sandstones; strictly speaking, 
they should be put in the class to which their predominant ingredient 
belongs ; but, like the purely chemical arrangement referred to at the 
outset, this brings unlikely relations together; for instance, Caversham 
stone is more than half lime, though it has all the appearance and attributes 
of a sandstone. The classification of doubtful specimens is, therefore, 
made on the general resemblance as to their class rather than on a chemical 
basis. . 
Again, commencing with the hardest and most compact, we have a 
large mass of limestone at the Twelve Mile Creek, on Lake Wakatipu ; in 
colour and texture, it closely resembles ordinary green or bluestone, possibly 
a little softer, but every bit as tough. The rock seems shattered on the 
surface, and incapable of yielding anything but materials for rubble work 
and ordinary ashlar, but it is probable that large blocks will be obtained 
when the quarry is opened out. The stone has not yet been extensively 
used for building purposes, but its excellent quality, and the ease with 
which it can be quarried and shipped, cannot fail to bring it nto prominent 
notice. 
A bluish-grey granular limestone is found associated with the marble in 
the Horse Range; so far as strength, durability, and appearance is con- 
cerned, it would make an excellent building material. In all probability it 
is the best limestone for the purpose yet discovered in the province. It is 
found on the Shag Valley side of the range, but I have no information as 
to the accessibility of the rock or the size of the blocks attainable. 
There is fine limestone in the Peninsula much darker in colour, but 
closely resembling in texture the famous Bath stone of England. It has little 
or no grit, works freely, and seems durable. The colour is a peculiar tint of 
brown, rather sombre for building in a mass, but suitable for facings and 
monumental work. The stone is said to exist in large quantities, and to 
be procurable in moderately sized blocks. I am, therefore, confident it will 
