Pareóra System.

In the North Island this system is widely distributed in the north from Cape Rodney, Kawau, and Kaipara Harbour to Auckland, where it forms the cliffs round Waitemáta Harbour, and at Orakei Bay (Waitemáta Series); and extends south to the Waíkato. Its only other occurrence on the west coast is at the White Cliffs in Taranáki. On the cast coast it covers a large district between East Cape and Poverty Bay (Táwhiti Series); and commencing again at Napier, it is largely developed all down the coast to Cook's Straits (Ahuríri Series). In the centre of the island it is found in the upper parts of the Rangitiki, Wanganúi, and Waitotára Rivers. In the South Island it is found on the west coast at Nelson (the cliffs), and from Reef ton to Hokítika (Kaníeri Series). It is much better developed on the east coast; in the Awatére valley in Marlborough (Awatére Series), between the Hurinúi and Waípara rivers, in the Trelissick basin, and again in S. Canterbury and Otágo from the Rangitata to Moëraki. A few patches occur in S. Otágo and in Southland, and it is extensively developed on the cast side of Lake Te Anau. It also occurs at the Chatham Islands.

In the South Island the upper part of the system is often formed by thick beds of gravel. This is best seen near Nelson, where, in the Port Hills, gravels are distinctly interbedded with sandstone containing Parcóra fossils; and these gravels, sometimes cemented into conglomerates, pass inland to Lake Rotoiti, attaining, in the Moutére and Wai-iti hills, an elevation of 2334 feet ^*. The same may be seen in the railway-cutting on the north side of Weka Pass in Canterbury.

This system attains, in the South Island, an elevation of 3000 feet at Mt. Pleasant, near Lake Te Anau, and also in several valleys in the centre of the New-Zealand Alps. In the North Island it goes to 4000 feet between Napier and the Mohaka River. The rocks, although thrown into rolling curves, are not violently disturbed except locally, and especially in the neighbourhood of volcanic rocks. There is a remarkable instance in the cliffs near Auckland. This section is hard to understand, but it is quite clear. The Parcóra System has been shown by myself ^† and by Mr. Cox ^‡, to lie quite unconformably on the Oamarú System in the Auckland Province (fig. 4, h and g). In the East-Cape district, Dr. Hector and Mr. McKay show it unconformable to the Turan-ganúi Series ^§. In N. Canterbury no unconformity has been made out. In S. Canterbury Dr. von Haast reports unconformity between the two ^‖, and in Otágo the unconformity is usually well marked^¶.

Fig. 4.—Section from near Howivk, Auckland, to the Wairóa River.

Howick. Turanga. Wairóa River.

d. Maítai System.

g. Oamarú System.

h. Parcóra System.

The humerus of a Porpoise (Phocœnopsis Mantelli, Huxley ^*) was found by Mr. Mantell at Awamóa, near Oamarú. He also found a fragment of a bird's bone, 1½ inch in diameter, in a septarium from Hampden (=Onekakára) ^†, and this, from its size, must have belonged to a Moa. Teeth of the huge Miocene shark, Carcharodon megalodon, Owen, have been found near East Cape. But the system is chiefly characterized by its numerous species of Struthiolaria. The other interesting Mollusca are Polytropa, Siphonalia, Cominella, Turbinella, Ancillaria, Conus, Sigaretus, Xenophora, Rotella, Monodonta, Crassatella, Perna, Trigonia, Limopsis, and Solenella. Large species of Cucuttoea, Cardium spatiosum, and Turbo superbus suggest a sea warmer than at present; but with these lived several species which are now found as far south as Foveaux Straits,—e.g. Voluta pacifica, Triton Spengleri, Venus Stutchburyi, and Pectunculus laticostatus. From 20 to 45 per cent, of the species of Mollusca and Brachiopoda are recent. Fossil plants of the system are numerous near Tapanúi in Otágo. Dr. Zittel has described several Mollusca from Cape Rodney, Napier, cliffs near Nelson, and the Awatére Valley. Dr. Stoliczka has described the Bryozoa, and F. Karrer the Foraminifera from Orakei Bay.

Pectunculus globosus, Hutton, and Ostrea nelsoniana, Zittel, may also be considered as characteristic, but they occur as well in the Oamarú System. Indeed these two systems are closely connected palæontologically, and the following highly characteristic species occur equally in both, but do not occur outside, these systems:—

^* Quart Journ. Geol. Soc. xv. p. 670; and Ann. Nat. Hist. ser. 3, vol. iii. p. 509.

^† Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vi. p. 326.

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• Turritella gigantea, Hutton.
• Scalaria lyrata, Zittel.
• Dentalium giganteum, Sow.
• Cucullæa alta, Sow.
• Pecten Burnetti, Zittel.
• —polymorphoides, Zittel.
• Ostrea Wüllerstorfi, Zittel.