CFRIOSITY-SHOP BED IN CANTERBTJHT, NEW ZEALAND. 



561 



whether the Awatere series is the equivalent of the Awamoa series. 

 'Now neither Dr. Hector nor Mr. M'^Kay gives any proof of this 

 land-surface ; but Mr. M'^Kay told me that his reason for assuming its 

 existence was the scoriaceous nature of some of the rocks, which is 

 quite insufficient. Also I fail to see in Mr. McKay's Report any 

 evidence at all of an unconformity. He certainly gives a section 

 (No. 3) showing an unconformity ; but there must be some mistake, 

 as the unconformity is j^laced between the Hutchinson' s-quarry bed 

 and volcanic tuffs which underlie the Ototara limestone, while the 

 argument is founded on the assumption that the tuff's overlie the 

 Ototara limestone. ^Yhen I examined Ototara Cape in 1873 I did 

 not notice any unconformity ; but I have had no opportunity of 

 examining the locality since Mr, M'^Kay's Eeport was published. 

 Cape Oamaru is formed by an old volcano, which has broken through 

 the Ototara limestone and was active when the marine beds of 

 Hutchinson's quarry were being deposited. Also the outlier of the 

 Awamoa series on the " Cretaceo-Tertiary greensands and coal-grits," 

 in the Waireka Yalley, proves an unconformity between the Awamoa 

 series and the Hutchinson's-quarry beds (which are missing), and 



Pig. 2. — Majp of the Valley of the Waitaki mid neighbouring region. 



Alluvia. W^ Pareora System. |||||||||| Limestones. 



I I Tertiary, uncertain. ^^^ Schists and Slates, 



1. Waihao Limestone. 



2. Otakaika Limestone. 



3. Maerewhenua Limestone. 



4. Ototara Limestone. 



2e2 



