169 



shells flourished, there was no " Oamaru Cape," which now gives a friendly- 

 shelter to our coasting fleet ; as it is also tolerably plain that a spacious 

 harbour or inlet then existed, where the waters of the Waitangi now traverse 

 an extensive agricultural district. 



The following, I think, to a common mind — perhaps not to a trained 

 geological one — -seems to bear further testimony to the age of these shells :— 



In various parts of this coast the face of an old sea-beach is seen, often 

 elevated considerably above the present one, and supplying the shingle from 

 which the present coast is formed. This is covered by many feet of silt. The 

 inference surely is, that since this old beach was formed, we have had at least 

 one considerable depression (to allow of the uniform deposition of such a depth 

 of clay over many miles of surface) and one subsequent elevation. 



If, in our day, there is little or no sensible movement going on in this 

 part of New Zealand, we may surely conclude that the two movements, 

 referred to, represent a very lengthened period. Yet the fossil shells in this 

 old beach seem precisely similar to those now living ; then, how immensely 

 old, by comparison, must this group of shells be, in which only a few bear any 

 close resemblance to those we now find. As bearing on this, and because we 

 often hear it assumed that the coast is rising, the following may be worthy of 

 note : — 



A I the mouth of the Awamoa, and, I believe, at various creeks on the 

 coast, we find evidence of old Maori repasts, where moa bones (many of them 

 broken, and the fractures still sharp, not waterworn) are associated with those 

 of the seal, marine shells, such as Maoris still collect for food, chert flakes, etc., 

 in a black soil, apparently a mixture of sand and charcoal. I believe those 

 who have studied the matter consider that it is a long time since Maoris 

 feasted on moa flesh, and that these particular deposits are amongst the earliest 

 records of human life in these islands. Yet while exploring at this place with 

 spade and pick, I was on two occasions " washed out of my diggings " by the 

 sea at spring tide, showing that the deposit is now only slightly above high- 

 water mark, while we may safely assume, that, if lower by only a foot or two, 

 such a friable soil could not long withstand the violence of the sea on an 

 exposed coast. While taking out some egg shells (moa) at this place, I found, 

 at about twelve inches below the surface, a small bit of ivory resembling one 

 half of a long squarish bead, split down the centre longitudinally. I am not 

 aware of any hollow ivory tusk it coidd be made of, and it is difficult to 

 conceive how the hole could be bored without the use of an iron tool. I shall 

 enclose wax impressions, which may interest Mr. Man tell, — like showing him a 

 nugget from his old diggings.* 



Art. XLI. — Account of a visit to a Hot Spring called " Te Puia," near 

 Wangape lake, Central Waikato, Auckland; in August, 1868. By 

 It. Gillies. 



[Read before the Otago Institute, November 2, 1869.] 



Most of you are aware that in the North Island of New Zealand a series of 

 natural wonders exists, such as are unequalled in any other part of the known 

 world, in the shape of thousands of hot springs, fumaroles, mud-volcanoes and 

 solfataras. Some of them are of the grandest and most beautiful character, 

 and will yet, when the Maori difficulty is effectually disposed of, draw to our 

 shores crowds of scientific and delighted observers. The district in which 

 these principally occur extends from the active volcano of Tongariro, in the 



* See Mantell, loc. cit. sup. Also "Trans. N. Z. Inst.," Vol. i., p. 18. — Ed. 



