169 



so-called Weka Pass beds. When, some years ago (in 1864), I paid a flying 

 visit to the Waipara, I concluded, from a hurried examination, that the beds, 

 under review, were lying between the Weka Pass beds and the Ped crag 

 beds, which form the Deans, but Dr Hector, who visited the locality some time 

 afterwards, pointed out to me, that according to his views, the beds in 

 question, were underlying unconformably. Since then, I have examined, 

 carefully, this and some other localities, in which similar formations occur, 

 and have found that Dr. Hector's views are correct, and that to him, 

 therefore, belongs the credit of having first pointed out the true position of these 

 beds, a fact which is of the 'highest importance in New Zealand geology.* 



The large Ostrea beds are thus very important as showing us the exact 

 position of the upper and lower beds. 



To show only one instance of the importance of this fact, I may point out 

 that the qiiartzose trachytes of the Malvern Hills, which, hitherto, we con- 

 sidered to be old tertiary, must now be classified as of secondary age, and 

 the name quartzose porphyries will be more appropriate to them. The 

 importance of the subject under review is, I trust, sufficient excuse for my 

 transgression. In the small seams of brown coal and shale, which occur in the 

 same region, has been found the only vertebra of a proccelian character. 



The term proccelian (hollow in front) has been selected by Professor 

 Owen for vertebras, of which the front surface is concave, and the hind one 

 convex. 



The centie of the vertebra, in question, is 3 inches high, and 3 J inches 

 broad, of course without reckoning the neural arch and the pleurapophyses, 

 and consequently belongs to an animal of considerable age, having, doubtless, 

 the same habits as the crocodiles of the present clay. There was also, what 1 

 consider to be, the distal or lower portion of the femur, which, judging from the 

 articulation, evidently had some affinities with teiTestrial remains, such as the 

 Iguanodon a herbivorous terrestrial reptile, of enormous size, and living in the 

 Northern Hemisphere, in the wealden and greensand (cretaceous) period. The 

 proccelian remains were first found in the Northern Hemisphere, both in 

 America and Europe, in Eocene tertiary strata, and principally in fresh-water 

 beds ; and I may here add that the procoelian vertebrae of the Waipara have 

 also been discovered in lignite beds, which are either of fresh-water or littoral 

 origin. 



I am well aware that these notes are very imperfect, owing to the short 

 time allowed to me to study the interesting remains under review, and as I 

 had not the necessary works for comparison and reference, I have, therefore, 

 to crave your indulgence. 



I may, finally, be allowed to express my sincere regret, that such a 

 valuable collection has left the Province and New Zealand ; however, the fact 

 that they will come, doubtless, into the hands of Professor Owen, is some slight- 

 satisfaction to me, because we can, with certainty, expect that that illustrious 

 comparative anatomist, will afford us a classical description of them, which 

 will form the basis of reference and work for all future New Zealand 

 Palaeontologists. 



* See "Geological Report," 1868-9, p. xi.— En. 



