308 Essays. 



widtli of about four miles, and form a succession of gigantic " hog-lDacks," 

 rising from Cook Strait to an extreme elevation of over 5,000 feet nearly 

 opposite the Horovrhenua river and lake. At this latter place they attain 

 the greatest width, and afterwards sink to an altitude of 1,300 or 1,400 feet, 

 and at the gorge of the Manawatu their breadth is deci-eased to four or five 

 miles. Here the striking feature is observed of a I'iver (the Manawatu) 

 rising on the eastern side of the main range, passing through a narrow 

 gorge, and falling into the sea on the western side of the island. This 

 phenomenon also occurs in the opposite direction, viz. from west to east, 

 with various Hav/ke Bay rivers. The mountains vv'hich may be regarded as 

 the southernmost group of the main range, pass under the general names 

 of Tararua and Eimutaka, but have various spurs and offshoots bearing- 

 subordinate denominations. 



Erom the northern side of the Manawatu Gorge, the main range, which 

 is composed of rocks of a similar geological character, continues its course 

 to the N.N.E., under the name of Suahine, attaining an elevation of 5,000 

 or 6,000 feet, and, like the above described more southern group, drops again 

 to the northward, to be succeeded by the Kaweka range, and that again by 

 other ranges continuing the line to Hicks Bay, westward of the East Cape. 

 These ranges in the latter part of their course have never been surveyed 

 nor even examined, but their general character has been roughly determined 

 by observation in passing along the coast. 



Parallel ranges of palseozoie rocks are found both east and west of this 

 line, but none of them, like the above described mountains, traverse the 

 island from end to end. 



The rocks of these ranges consist of sandstones of different kinds, vary- 

 ing from a soft decomposing texture and yellow colour, to a hard comjDact 

 blue and grey semi- crystalline rock, plant beds, tentaculite beds, slates, 

 (some being pyritous), diorite schist, jasperoid rocks, and a Utile serpentine. 



More modern eruptive rocks also appear to penetrate the ranges, as seen 

 at Mnkamuka and elsewhere, consisting of amygdaloidal trap and basalt. 



The line of strike of these eruptive rocks will probably be found to be 

 shown by the jasperoid rocks, supposing these to have been metamorphosed 

 into their present state by the effect of the intrusive dykes. 



The fossils that have been found in the paleozoic ranges are few and 

 indistinct, and, as far as we know, are confined to those discovered by myself 

 in the neighbourhood of Wellington. One from Belmont Hill, above the 

 western entrance of the Hutt Yalley, is supposed to be either Theca or 

 Dentalium ; and some vermiform casts, probably Tentaculites, have been 

 found at the same place. 



The most frequent remains of organic life, however, are to be found as 



