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feeling that I should make some remarks upon
this subject, I will endeavour to explain the
opinion I have formed from specimens and
communications.
It is well known that the high peaks of the
Kaikoras, covered with perpetual snow, are of
volcanic origin. My friend Haast describes
the aspect of the three gigantic cones visible
from the Awatere valley as most magnificent;
they are Mount Egmonts, one behind the other;
the first one, Tapuanenuku (or Mount Odin)
9,700 feet high, a closed and rounded dome
similar in shape to a cupola; the second one,
further to the south, a truncated-bifurcated
cone, the bifurcation undoubtedly the indica-
tion of a crater on the summit. From that
peculiar form it has acquired the common name
of the "Nest Mountain;" and the third gigan-
tic peak, pyramidal in form like Mount
Egmont.
Almost equal in height to those
landward Kaikoras is the lofty range which
rises on the seaward side of the Clarence river,
the principal points of which have been named
Mount Thor and Mount Freya. Around these
just mentioned Scandinavian monarchs of the
mass, are ranged several smaller volcanic
mountains, which I hope may have the right
to maintain their Maori names.
It is not at all surprising that accounts have
been received of newly-discovered hot springs
in this volcanic region, in the Hanmer Plains, at
the foot of the Kaikoras.
Specimens forwarded to me by gentlemen,
some from the Kaikores, and some boulders
from the Awatere, prove that the principal
rocks in this district are basaltic and trachytic
lavas.
Following the southerly direction indicated
by the relative position of the two Kaikora
groups, we come next to Banks' Peninsula,
undoubtedly an extinct volcanic system, rising
like an island out from the sea and level
plains.
In the same line, farther south, lies a third

• At this house (Top-house), I met some gentle-
  men, newly arrived and stopped on their road by the
  river. One had made the journey from Port Cooper,
  and he gave me an account of hot-springs which he
  had discovered on the Hanmer Plains, under the shel-
  ter of a range of snow hills. He observed what seemed
  to him a remarkable fog, and, upon leaving his track
  to examine, he discovered some holes, which were
  filled with water of a temperature varying from milk-
  warm to almost boiling. The largest of them con-
  tained the hottest spring, and although he attempted
  to sound the depth with all the rope he could pro-
  cure, he was unable to find the bottom. The cir-
  cumference of the largest was about fifteen or eighteen
  yards. This is, I believe, the only instance of hot-
  springs yet discovered in the Middle Island, and, if
  corroborated, may tend to throw some light on the
  volcanic connection between this district and the
  Northern Island.—"A Walk from the Wairau," from
  the Nelson Examiner, May 25, 1859.

group of volcanic hills, forming the peninsula
at Otago.
These three points doubtless indicate a line
of volcanic action, running parallel to the great
middle range or backbone of the Middle Island,
on the eastern side of it. A closer examination,
especially of the Otago Province, would no
doubt furnish us with more and similar ex-
amples of volcanic hills on that line. It is
remarkable, that—whilst the parallel zones of
volcanic action on the Northern Island (the
Tongariro zone, the Auckland and the Bay of
Islands zone) all run on the western side of
the backbone range between Wellington and
the East Cape—the great volcanic line of the
Middle Island takes the eastern side.
Many peculiarities in the physical features
of the Middle Island, and also many interesting
facts respecting the earthquakes in New Zea-
land, can be explained by the different position
of the line of volcanic action in the two
islands.
Reserving, however, for my future publica-
tions, this interesting subject, which I regret
I have not now time to enter upon, I will, in
conclusion, offer a few

GENERAL REMARKS.

In the earlier geological era of New Zea-
land, we may assume that both islands were
connected, and that one backbone ran conti-
nuously from the South Cape to the East
Cape. In the present map of New Zealand
the integrity of this backbone is broken at
Cook Strait, and a closer inspection will show
that there has been not only a simple break of
continuity, but a lateral dislocation. Cook
Strait is, to use a miner's expression, a true
fault. It is evident, from the rocks being
of the same geological formation, that at one
period the Pelorus ranges were a continuation
of the Wellington ranges. The position of
the strata in the eastern ranges of Nelson
prove, that whilst the Northern Island seems
to have remained stationary, some gigantic
force has pressed the great mass of the Middle
Island to the westward. The given descrip-
tion of the tertiary formation, extending be-
tween the ranges far up the valleys, sounds,
and bays leading towards Cook Strait on both
sides, farther proves that the first act of this
great convulsion of nature took place prior to
the tertiary period, and the second and subse-
quent acts may be coeval with the period of
volcanic action in the Islands.
While the tertiary sea was depositing the
strata which now fill the valleys, and which
rise in some parts to an altitude of 2,000 feet,
the higher ranges of New Zealand only were
above water.
Since the tertiary period, these islands have
been gradually rising, and that rising has been