INTRODUCTION. 



SnrCE the Synopsis of the younger formations of New Zealand was pubHshed in 

 the Geological Kcports for last year (Geological Reports, 1871-72, p. 182), I have 

 visited the eastern parts of the Provinces of Marlborough and Nelson, and the 

 north-east part of Canterbury, which districts include most of the more important 

 localities for tertiary fossils ; and this, together with further additions to the 

 collection in the Museum, has enabled me to make several important corrections 

 in the classification there proposed. In the first place, the additional fossils from 

 Broken River, as well as the stratigraphical rearrangement by Dr. Hector of those 

 from the same locality previously in the collection, and a personal examination of 

 the Waipara and Weka Pass districts, have shown me that my Waitemata group 

 must be broken up, and the larger part of it transferred to the upper portion of 

 the Ototara group, while the remainder must go to the Hawke Bay group, or the 

 Ahuriri formation, as I now propose to call it, in order to assimilate the name with 

 those of the other formations. 



An examination in the field of the Culverden beds, shqwed me that these also 

 must be transferred to the Ototara group, and the Weka Pass building stone to the 

 lower part of the same formation. This necessitated the transference of the Cobden 

 limestone also into this formation ; thus eliminating from the Waipara formation 

 most of its tertiary looking fossils.* I have, therefore, gi'ouped all these beds 

 together under the name of the Oamaru formation, which I have divided into an 

 upper or Trelissiek group, and a lower or Ototara group. According to my present 

 views, therefore, our tertiary rocks may be divided as follows : — 



Probaljle Age. 



Formation. 



Group. 



Newer Pliocene 

 Upper Miocene 

 Lower Miocene 

 Upper Eocene 



"Wanganui formation, 7G per cent, recent. 

 Pareora formation, 31 per cent, recent 

 Ahuriri formation, 23 i^er cent, recent. 

 Oamaru formation, 9 per cent, recent. 



C Awatore group. 

 i(. Kauieri group. 



( Trelissiek group. 

 \ Ototara group. 



The following are the localities in which they are found : — 



Wanganui formation. — North Island : Shakespeare Cliff, Wanganui ; Patea. 

 Aioatere gronp. — South Island : Awatere ; Motanau (l) ; Awamoa ; Hamp- 

 den ; Port Hills, Nelson ; Mount Caverhill. 

 Kanieri group. — South Island : Kanieri ; Callaghan's Creek, Westland ; 

 Lyndon ; Waikari ; Lower Gorge of the Waipara ; Pomahaka, Otago. 



* I am, however, still of opinion that the Waipara formation belongs to the Upper Cretaceoua 

 period. 



