238 Scientific Intelligence. 



north island of New Zealand. The fossils collected in this area 

 have been studied by Professor Marshall of Otago University. 

 He finds that out of a total of forty-four species of mollusca 

 recent species number twelve, and the conclusion is reached that 

 the strata are. Upper Miocene in age rather than partly Cretace- 

 ous, as previously assumed. In the Whatatutu area the terraces 

 developed along the streams at 200 and 400 feet give a clue as to 

 the amount of elevation since the end of Miocene time. A much 

 dissected coastal plain at an elevation of 3000 feet is indicated by 

 the structure and attitude of Tutamoe ridge. Owing to the 

 economic importance of this field the structure has been studied 

 in detail. It is found that the rocks have been folded into broad 

 anticlines and that accompanying the folds are faults of slight dis- 

 location. The existence of fourteen oil seeps attracted attention 

 to the Waitangi hill as early as 18*74, but later developments have 

 not led to discoveries of oil or gas in quantities sufficiently large 

 to be of commercial importance. 



Bulletin No. 10 [New Series), The Geology of the Thames 

 Subdivisions, Hauralci, Auckland; by Colin Fraser. 1910. 

 Pp. iii and 129, 9 ills., 19 maps and sections. — The Thames section 

 in the northern island of New Zealand was brought into promi- 

 nence by tbe discovery of gold in 1865. By 1871 the production 

 had reached about $5,940,000, and this largely from one bonanza. 

 The production at the present time is below the $500,000 mark, 

 and the main hope is in exploiting lower levels. The oldest 

 rocks of the area, the Tokatea Hill series, consist of argillites and 

 graywackes of pre-Jurassic age. The Manaia Hill series (Jurassic) 

 overlies uncomformably the older terranes. A long interval, dur- 

 ing which folding and faulting occurred and a submarine topog- 

 raphy was developed, elapsed between the Jurassic and the Eocene. 

 Three periods of volcanic eruptions are revealed by an examina- 

 tion of the Tertiary strata. The upper Eocene and Miocene 

 volcanics consist of andesitic and dacitic tuffs, breccias, con- 

 glomerates and lavas, while the Pliocene eruptions were rhyolitic 

 in nature. Large and small folds have been observed in the dis- 

 trict, and have been found to be of direct economic importance. 

 The great Moanataiari fault with a down-thrust of 595 feet is 

 represented topographically by a partially dissected fault scarp. 

 Pages 50-115 of this report are devoted to detailed descriptions 

 of existing mines and mining areas. h. e. g. 



8. Geological Survey of Western Australia. Bulletin No. 

 33, Geological Investigations in parts of the Gascoyne, Ashbur- 

 ton and West Pilbara Goldflelds ; by A. Gibb Maitland. 1909. 

 Pp. 11, 13 maps and 65 figures. — The area covered by this report 

 is the extreme western portion of Australia including the coast 

 line from Port Hedland to the mouth of the Wooramel River. 

 The geological sketch-map shows the Gascoyne beds (Carbonifer- 

 ous) well developed in the lower Gascoyne River ; the Bangemall 

 beds (Nullagine ?) from Frederick River to Mount Flora ; and 

 the Ashburton beds (age undetermined), chiefly in the neighbor- 

 hood of Ashburton and Hardey Rivers. There are also small 



