Cox. — On the Mineralogy of Neiv Zealand. 397 



Serpentine, Mg 3 Si 2 + 2 H. — This mineral is somewhat widely dis- 

 tributed in New Zealand, occupying as a rule the junction line or there- 

 abouts between the Lower Carboniferous and Upper Devonian rocks, but it 

 is also found associated with nephrite at Milford Sound. Dr. Hector says 

 (Jurors' Eep. N.Z. Ex., 1865, p. 412) : — " This mineral occurs in New 

 Zealand in two forms — Common Serpentine, that forms extensive rock-masses 

 characteristic of the mineral ground in various parts of the South Island 

 in the provinces of both Nelson and Otago ; and Noble Serpentine, which 

 occurs in thin veins associated with the jade or greenstone of the Maoris, 

 by whom it is distinguished by the name of Tangiwai.'' 



The principal development of the common serpentine is in Nelson, 

 where what is known as the mineral belt may be traced down D'Urville 

 Island through the Dun Mountain to Aniseed Valley, an isolated patch 

 occurring again at Eed Hill. It is alluded to by several observers, such as 

 Dr. v. Hochstetter, Dr. Hector, Mr. E. H. Davis, Mr. A. McKay, and myself, 

 in reports made from time to time on various parts of the district, and is 

 described by Mr. E. H. Davis (Geol. Eep., 1870-71, p. Ill) thus :— " Dun 

 Mountain serpentine as a rule is of a poor variety, generally a dark green, 

 almost black colour, appearing lighter by transmitted light : translucent at 

 the edges and rather brittle." 



It is mentioned by Mr. J. C. Crawford as occurring in small quantities 

 in the paleozoic rocks of Wellington (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. L, p. 4), and 

 again at Euamahunga (Trans. N.Z. Inst. vol. ii., p. 345) ; by Dr. v. Haast 

 as veins in the Mt. Cook range and some other localities in the Southern 

 Alps (Jurors' Eep. N.Z. Ex., 1865, p. 257); by Mr. J. Buchanan in the 

 Awatere Eiver, Marlborough (Geol. Eep., 1866-67, p. 35) and by Mr. D. 

 Macfarlane at Jackson's Bay (Geol. Eep., 1876-77, p. 27). Specimens have 

 also been forwarded to the Colonial Museum from Island Bay, Wellington, 

 by Mr. W. F. Barraud ; from Southland (Windly Creek) by Captain 

 Hutton ; from Auckland by Mr. J. B. Gillies ; from Pelorus Sound by Mr. 

 Duncan ; and from the Dart Eiver by the Hon. Captain Fraser. 



Noble serpentine, as before mentioned, occurs at Milford Sound, and is 

 described by Dr. Hector (Jurors' Eep. N.Z. Ex., 1865, p. 412) as follows : — 

 "It occurs as boulders of various sizes, and generally much water-worn. 

 Some of the smaller pieces when cut and polished are very attractive on 

 account of their beautiful deep sea-green colour, their translucency, their 

 purity, and remarkable closeness of grain. This mineral is somewhat soft, 

 and, breaking readily, is capable of being worked into any shape with the 

 greatest ease, and for ornamental work generally is well adapted. Its 

 general characters are as follow : Colour, dull green and mottled black 

 lustre, slightly resinous ; fracture, splintery ; streak, dirty white ; hardness 



