S14 Msaj/s. 



JlicJcs Bay, near the Bay of Plenty. THs description will leave room for 

 the tertiaries and- probable secondaries, wlncb, altbongli forming ridges of 

 an average height of perhaps 1,000 feet, or rather more, can barely be called 

 mountainous, nor can they be considered as the continuation of the Southern 

 Alps. 



In the Southern part of the island the general character of the tertiaries 

 is as follows : — 



On the eastern side the upper beds are calcareous, the middle beds are 

 arenaceous and argillaceous. 



On the western side the upper "Whanganui beds are arenaceous, the 

 middle calcareous and argillaceous, and the lower argillaceous. 



With regard to the Auckland tertiaries, Hochstetter writes as follows : — 

 " The various tertiary strata are found for the most part in a horizontal 

 position. A remarkable fact, from which we may conclude that even the 

 numerous volcanic eruptions which took place during and after the period of 

 their deposition had not power enough to dislocate the whole system, but 

 merely to produce local disturbances. 



" The tertiary period must be divided into two distinct formations, which 

 may perhaps correspond to the European eocene and miocene. There is an 

 older formation which is found principally on the west coast and in the 

 interior on both sides of the jirimary ranges, and a newer one which may be 

 called the Auckland tertiary formation.'''' After' a description of the brown 

 coal of the Auckland Province, the same Avriter goes on to state : " I now 

 come to another series of the older tertiary strata, examples of which are 

 found occurring in great regularity on the west coast from "Waikato to 

 Kawhia. The lowest are argillaceous, the middle calcareous, and the upper 

 arenaceous. The characteristics of the first clayey strata are a light grey 

 colour, very few fossils, small crystals of iron pyrites, and glauconitic grains, 

 which give these clay marls a similarity to the gault and greensands of the 

 cretaceous formation in Europe. They are found on the eastern branches of 

 AYhaingaroa, Aotea, and Kawhia Harbours. 



" Of greater interest and importance are the calcareous strata, consisting ' 

 of tabular limestone, sometimes of conglomerate nature, sometimes more 

 crystalline, the whole mass of which is formed of fragments of shells, corals, 

 and foraminifera?, interspersed with perfect specimens of terebratulse, 

 oysters, pectens, and other shells. The limestone when burnt makes 

 excellent lime, and may be wrought and polished for architectural purposes." 

 Beds of limestone in the "Wairoa district, as Avell as rich fossiliferous strata 

 from the Waikato Heads towards Kawhia Harbour, also columnar blocks of 

 the same adorning the entrance to Whaingaroa Harbour, and the fine caves 

 of the Eakaunui branch of Kawhia Harbour-, are then described. 



