17 
difficult nature. On the whole, I am inclined to think that it is a Middle Jurassic 
flora. In Tceniopteris vittata we have a plant which, in Britain, is commonly asso¬ 
ciated with Coniopteris hymenophylloides in the Middle Jurassic of Yorkshire. Podo- 
zamites is also found in beds of similar age in various parts of the world. In the Middle 
Jurassic floras of India Ptilophyllum acutifolium and Elatocladus conferta both occur. 
On the other hand, in Thinnfeldia Feistmantdi we have a fossil which probably, 
or perhaps certainly, occurs in beds elsewhere of somewhat older age than the Middle 
Jurassic. It is, however, not necessary to assume that it is restricted to the older 
horizons. It may have had a wide range in Jurassic time. 
Our knowledge of Upper Jurassic floras is at present very limited, and it is 
difficult to say exactly how far that flora differed from that of the Middle Jurassic. 
On the whole, I have little doubt that, on the present evidence, the Waikawa flora 
is best regarded as of Middle Jurassic age. 
Age. —Middle Jurassic. 
I. The Neocomian Flora op Waikato Heads, Auckland. 
Locality. —The Waikato Heads lie on the south side of the estuary of the River 
Waikato, in Auckland (see map, fig. 8). The plant-bearing beds here have been 
described by Cox(l). 
The Collections. —I have seen only two small but very interesting collections 
from this locality. Most of the specimens in these were gathered by Hector in 1866(2). 
One of these collections belongs to the New Zealand Geological Survey; the other 
has been in the British Museum for many years past. Some plants, however, 
had been collected from this locality at an earlier date by members of the Novara 
Expedition, but I have not seen this collection. 
Previous Records. —Unger(3) in 1864 figured a single specimen from this locality 
under the name Polypodium Hochstetteri sp. nov. This I regard as Cladopldebis 
australis (Morr.). 
Fig. 8. Sketch-map of a Part of North Island, showing the Position of the Neocomian 
Plant-bearing Beds at Waikato Heads. 
Previous Opinion as to the Age of the Beds.- —A considerable number of formations 
are represented near the Waikato Heads(4). Unger(5) regarded the plant-beds as 
(1) Cox (1877), p. 19. (3) Unger (1864), p. 5, pi. ii, figs. 1, 2. 
(2) Cox (ibid. p. 19) stated in 1877 (.hat he (4) Cox (1877), map opposite p. 16. 
could find very few specimens, and did (5) Unger (1864), p. 5. 
not think that he could add any fresh 
species to those already known. 
2—Mes. Florae. 
