Page:Transactions NZ Institute Volume 15.djvu/498

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Hills, Timaru, etc., (Jurors' Rep. N.Z. Ex., 1865, p. 257, and Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xi., p. 499), probably only in very small quantities as an accessory mineral, or the rocks would necessarily become andesites, and as large concretions in basaltic rocks of the Chatham Islands (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. i., p. 180); by Mr. Buchanan, as fine specimens with serpentine from the Awatere River (Geol. Rep., 1866–67, p. 35); by Mr. E. H. Davis, at Dun Mountain (Geol. Rep., 1870–71, p. 112); and by Prof. Liversidge, at Lake McKerrow, West Coast, Kakanui Mountains, Dun Mountain, and Dunedin (Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. x., p. 496), besides which there are some fine specimens in the collection of the Colonial Museum from syenitic gneiss of the Baton River, Nelson.

Tremolite.—Some beautiful dendritic groups of tremolite, in quartzite, from Kanieri, Hokitika, of a dark green colour, are in the collection of the Colonial Museum, as well as some fine greenish-white radiating crystals from Parapara, Collingwood, and some bright green radiating crystals from the same locality. The occurrence of the mineral in Milford Sound is also mentioned by Dr. Hector (Jurors' Rep. N.Z. Ex., 1865, pp. 267, 438).

Actinolite.—The occurrence of this mineral in New Zealand is noted by Dr. v. Haast in metamorphic schists of the West Coast (Jurors' Rep. N.Z. Ex, 1865, p. 257); by Mr. Buchanan in the Awatere River (Geol. Rep., 1866–67, p. 35); and by myself as radiating fan-shaped crystals in the river-beds of the West Coast south of Mt. Cook, where they are much decomposed (Geol. Rep., 1874–76, p. 73).

Anthophyllite.—Specimens of this mineral have been collected from the Dun Mountain from time to time, the first specimens having been brought by Mr. E. H. Davis in 1871. It occurs in a massive laminated form of a leek-green colour, with a pearly lustre and a faint bronze hue on the cleavage planes.

Nephrite, Ṙ S̈i.—The occurrence of this mineral, commonly known as “Maori greenstone,” is mentioned by Dr. Hector (Jurors' Rep. N.Z. Ex., 1865, pp. 266, 412, 437)^[1] from Milford Sound, and also as a single rolled fragment, which had probably been carried there, from Silverstream, Dunedin; by Dr. v. Haast (Jurors Rep. N.Z. Ex., 1865, p. 257) as rolled pieces on the beach of the West Coast; and by the late Mr. E. H. Davi (Geol. Rep., 1870–71, p. 112) as white nephrite from Dun Mountain. The only locality where it has been found in situ is at Milford Sound, where it

↑ The first notice of this and the other Otago minerals is to be found in Dr. Hector's reports on the geology of Otago, published in the Provincial Government Gazette for 1862–64, but these being now difficult of access, the reference (Jurors' Rep. N.Z. Ex., 1865) has been adopted throughout this paper, as in that publication Dr. Hector included a list of all minerals which had been noted in his reports up to that date.

[1] The first notice of this and the other Otago minerals is to be found in Dr. Hector's reports on the geology of Otago, published in the Provincial Government Gazette for 1862–64, but these being now difficult of access, the reference (Jurors' Rep. N.Z. Ex., 1865) has been adopted throughout this paper, as in that publication Dr. Hector included a list of all minerals which had been noted in his reports up to that date.

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