468 New Zealand Institute. 



Valley, the collections are as nearly as may be exhaustive. The difference 

 between the fossils of the Oreti, Wairoa, and Otapiri series, which have a 

 thickness of 8,000 feet, and represent the Trias formation in New Zealand, 

 is far less than between the Oreti and Kailiiku series, several species found 

 in the Oreti series being common to the Wairoa series, and one or two to 

 the Otapiri series, while but one fossil is common to the Oreti and Kaihiku 

 series. 



Ammonites of the Jurassic and Liassic types are found, with Nautilus 

 reticularis, in the lowest beds of the Middle Wahoa series ; while Belemnites 

 and Jurassic Terebratulidse characterize the lower beds of the Otapiri series, 

 the latter being again found in the lower beds of the Wairoa series. It is 

 interesting to note the disappearance of Spiriferina of the S. rostrata group 

 in the upper beds of the Monotis sandstone, its place being taken in the 

 lower beds by the new genus Psioidea, Spiriferina again appearing in the 

 Kaihiku beds as forms which in general outline closely resemble the Jurassic 

 species. Not the least interesting discovery made in these beds is repre- 

 sented by a collection of plants from the lowest beds of the Otapiri series, 

 immediately above the Monotis sandstone, in which a species of Glossopteris 

 occm's. From the Kaihiku series (Permian) exactly the same fossils have 

 been obtained which were found in Southland last year, only the forms are 

 larger, and altogether form a more attractive collection. 



Further collections were also made from the Carboniferous limestone, 

 which has been shown to separate the Maitai slates from the Dun Mountain 

 crystalline belt. Few additions to the species found last year have been 

 obtained ; but a choice collection of large and well-preserved Spirifers, as 

 well as further specimens of Productus and corals, have been obtained. 



In the western part of this district, the Upper Silmian rocks of the 

 Baton Eiver were largely collected from, and the following forms have been 

 recognized : — Calymene bkcmenbachii, Homalonotus knightii, Murchisonia tere- 

 brans, Avicula subjdana, Modiolopsis modiolaris, Orthonota solenoides, Nucula 

 levata, Spirifera radiata, Spirifera sulcata, Rhynchonella ivilsoni, Atrypa reti- 

 cularis, Ortkisjissicostata, Orthis protensa, Strophomena corrugitella,e,iQ. These 

 last beds rest unconformably upon a still lower fossiliferous series, from 

 which Graptolites are reported to have come ; but Crinoid remains, and one 

 Coral, were all the fossils which could be obtained in this district. They 

 must, however, from their position, be at least Lower Silurian in age. 



A considerable collection was made from the Cretaceo-tertiary beds of 

 the district, and some good specimens of Moa bones obtained from the caves 

 on the table-land west of Mount Arthur. 



The importance of correlating the geological formations of New Zealand 

 with those of Australia, has rendered it necessary to devote a great deal of 



