﻿138 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



ported on the six outer piles, the centre one being relieved of nearly all direct 

 weight, and serving to take the thrust of the other through the bracing, when 

 the building is subjected to high winds. The area of each screw is 8-38 feet, 

 and 1*2 tons thus fall to be borne by each square foot of surface, an amount 

 shown by the screwing foi-ce to be far within the limits of safety. The interiors 

 of the piles are filled with good cement mortar, to preserve the iron from 

 rust, and the heads and nuts of the joint bolts are imbedded in the same. 

 Tubular cast iron braces, and the lower timber frame, three feet above high 

 water, complete the foundation which has answered all expectations in the 

 recent exceptionally stormy season. 



Art. XII. — Work for Field Naturalists. By P. Thomson. 



[Read he/ore the Otago Institute, l&th September, 1871.] 



It must be evident to all the members of our Institute, that in a district like this, 

 with such a diversified surface, where mountain and valley, hill and dale, land 

 and water, forest, scrub, flax, and gi*ass, are to be found in almost every pos- 

 sible condition, there is a very extensive field for the study of nearly all the 

 natural sciences, and more particularly those which require work in the field. 

 In the vicinity of the town, and within the reach of an easy hour or two's walk, 

 lie many scenes of considerable beauty and grandeur, while the views to be had 

 from the various hill-tops are not to be surpassed anywhere. In laying the 

 following remarks before you, it is my object to specify a few of the more 

 interesting localities in our neighbourhood which present facilities for out-door 

 study. Without making any pretence to exhaust the subject, I will merely 

 mention a few of the things to be seen in the different places. 



And first, as to the geology of the district. Some very fine sections have 

 been opened along the line of the Port Chalmers railway, and the line of the 

 Southern Trunk promises some very interesting cuttings through the Caversham 

 and Lookout Point hills, as well as that more distant range the Chain hills. 

 Some very curious sand deposits have been lately cut into at Anderson's Bay ; 

 and along the beach at Yauxhall, the igneous rocks have overlain the clay and 

 turned it brick-red in the process. (This phenomenon may be seen in a small 

 cutting in the Town Belt, nearly opposite the foot of Howe-street.) In the 

 valley of the Leith there are many curious places. About two miles from 

 town there is a long steep-sided mound, probably a terminal moraine, and about 

 two miles further up, opposite the foot of Nichol's Creek, there is another very 

 large accumulation of rolled stones, evidently the result of a similar caiise. In 

 the Town Belt, at the back of Boyal Terrace, there are some veiy large 

 peculiarly worn rocks, which look as if they had long been exposed to the wash 



