1850.] MANTELL ON THE GEOLOGY OF NEW ZEALAND. 343 



Note on Fossiliferous Deposits m the Middle Island ©/"New 

 Zealand. By Prof. E. Forbes, F.R.S. 



Mr. Hugh Cuming, the eminent conchologist, has lately received 

 from Mr. F. Manse a small collection of fossils from two localities in 

 the Middle Island of New Zealand. Though in a very bad state of 

 preservation, they are sufficiently perfect to enable us to determine 

 the genera, and to pronounce whether or not they are identical with 

 or different from known New Zealand fossils, or animals now existing 

 in the neighbouring seas. 



The one locality is at Banks' river. The fossils are imbedded in a 

 greenish grey sandstone. They consist of shells of the genera Sole- 

 curtuSy one species ; Tellina, one species ; Lucina, three species ; 

 Cardita, one species ; Artemis, one species ; Pectunculus, one spe- 

 cies ; Crenella ? one large species ; Modiola, coated with Memhrani- 

 pora ; Turritella, one species very abundant ; Calyjptrcea, one spe- 

 cies ; and Trochus, one species. 



The other locahty is at the cliffs of Blind Bay. The fossils are 

 imbedded in a greenish conglomerate of small pebbles. They con- 

 sist of a Lucina, a large species of Area, a Cardita distinct from that 

 at Banks' river ; one species of each of the following genera, Turho, 

 Fusus ? Acmcea, Bulla, Tornatella ? and a Haliotis-\ike shell ; also 

 two fragmentary corals, apparently belonging to the genera Turhinolia 

 and Dendrophyllia. 



None of the fossils in either locality can be identified with any re- 

 cent species. Their general aspect recalls very strongly that of eocene 

 shells from the Bognor beds. The specimens have been presented 

 by Mr. Cuming to the Museum of Practical Geology. 



