NOTES AND QUERIES. 
187 
Nearly all the primary ranges arc covered with dense virgin forests, which 
enterprise of future years to discover and develope the mmeral riches, the ex- 
istence of which appears to be probable, not only from the geological charac- 
teristics of the country, but also from some few specimens of lead and copper- 
ores that have from time to time been picked up by the natives. 
It is remarkable that, while one of the oldest members of the Primary for- 
mation is found so extensively in New Zealand, the later strata, as the Devo- 
nian, Carboniferous and Permian, appear to be altogether wanting ; while, on 
the otlier hand, in the neighbom-ing continent of Australia these members of 
the Primary period, together with plutonic and metamorphie rocks, constitute, 
as far as we know, almost the prmcipal part of the continent. 
A very wide interval occurs between the primary rocks of the Northern 
Island and the next sedimentary strata met with. Not only the upper 
members of the primary series are absent, but also nearly the whole of the 
secondary formations. The only instance of secondary strata met witli consists 
of very regular and highly-inclined beds of marl alternating with micaceous 
sandstone, extending to a thickness of more than one thousand feet — first 
seen on the south head of the Waikato, and afterwards met with on the 
western shore of Kawhia harbour. 
These rocks possess great interest from the fact that they contaia remark- 
able specimens of marine fossils, wliich belong exclusively to the secondary 
period, especially cephalopods of the genera Ammonites and Belenmites, several 
species of the Belemidtes belonging to the family of the Canatieulati. These 
are the first specimens of those genera which have been discovered in. the 
regions of Australasia. Both fossils have been known for centiiries by our 
ancestors in the Old World — the ammonite as the horn of Jupiter Amnion, 
and the belemnite as the bolts of the God of Thunder; the latter, though 
now first seen in the antipodes by Europeans, have long been known to the 
natives of Kawhia by a much less dignified name. 
Secondary rocks may probably be found in some other parts of the west 
coast, and occur-, according to the Rev. A. G. Purchas, in the harbour of Ho- 
kianga, but everywhere are of limited superficial extent. 
The Doctor next speaks of the Tertiary strata which, under very various 
characters, occupy a large portion of the Northern Island. The various 
tertiary strata are found for the most part in a horizontal position — a remark- 
able fact, from which we may conclude that even the munerous volcanic 
eruptions which took place during and after the period of their deposition had 
not power enough to dislocate the whole system, but merely to produce local 
disturbances. 
The Tertiary period must here be divided into two distinct eras, which may 
perhaps correspond to the European Eocene and Miocene. There is an older 
formation which is found principally on the west coast, and in the interior on 
both sides of the primary ranges ; and a newer one which may be called the 
Auckland Tertiary Pormation. 
It will probably be interesting to give some more minute description of the 
different strata of the older of these formations, as to it belongs the " Brown- 
Coal" seams, to the discovery of wliich Dr. Hochstetter is indebted for tlie 
opportmiity of investigatmg the geology of Auckland, and on the proper 
working of which he believes much of the future welfare of that province 
depends. 
The Brown-Coal formation is of very considerable extent both in the 
northern and middle islands of New Zealand, and is everywhere of similar 
character. 
The Drury coal, in the Drury and Hunua districts, belongs to a very good 
It must be left to the labotir and 
