530 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [May 16, 



colour is brownish-black, with a faint lustre on the surface ; its 

 fracture is earthy, imperfectly conchoidal ; it somewhat resembles 

 the Bovey coal of Devonshire. It is found near the top of a saddle- 

 shaped hill, in a horizontal bed, which is exposed to the depth of 

 1 feet, covered by strata of soft shales about 4 feet thick in all ; 

 the whole covered by the yellow clay soil which is almost universal 

 in the district. In the coal-seam water-worn pebbles of quartz of an 

 elongated form have been found. Masses of a schistose rock, of a 

 greyish-fawn colour, are found on the hill side, but there is no suffi- 

 cient section by which to form an opinion of the nature of the sub- 

 jacent rocks. 



Under the flame of the blow-pipe this coal takes fire readily, 

 burning with a rather feeble yellowish-red flame, and a greyish- 

 coloured smoke, which is soon dissipated, leaving a charcoal-like 

 cinder, which gives a clear reddish-white light, and considerable 

 heat. This cinder gradually disappears under the continued action 

 of the blow-pipe, a small quantity of white ash forming on its surface. 

 A peculiar odour, somewhat sulphurous, at times was perceptible. 

 The residue of 210 grs., thus consumed, resembles a coarse powdery 

 charcoal, and weighs 28 grs., 182 grs. being volatilized in the process. 



In the results of the examination of this coal, there is a close ap- 

 proximation to that from Waikato, the difl'erences being as near as 

 can be judged, that in the latter there was a greater quantity of 

 smoke and less heat developed than in the former ; the amount of 

 residue may be considered as alike in both, 4 grs. being all the 

 difference between them. 



4. On the Geology of the Port Nicholson District, New 

 Zealand. By James C. Crawford, Esq. 



(Communicated by the President.) 



[Abridged.] 



In the southern end of the Northern Island, metamorphic or grey- 

 wacke rocks bound the shores of the harbour of Port Nicholson, and 

 constitute the range, from 500 to perhaps 2500 feet high, running to 

 the N.N.E. from Port Nicholson, and forming abrupt mountains with 

 precipitous and narrow gorges. The stratification is irregular, con- 

 torted, and sometimes nearly perpendicular. The rock is frequently 

 siliceous, sometimes argillaceous, and is often traversed by veins of 

 quartz and by igneous rocks. This range is continued also to the 

 S.S.W. in the Middle Island, on the other side of Cook's Straits, and 

 appears to form its central ridge. 



Between the greywacke range at Port Nicholson and the western 

 coast are tertiary sands and clays, probably resting on the greywacke 

 rocks. This country is low and level, until reaching Wanganni, 

 110 miles from Wellington. The level of the country from thence 

 to Taranahi is higher, forming cliffs, in which the strata are distinct 

 and fossil trees are found protruding from them. 



