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Geology of the Provinces of Canterbury and Westland, New Zealand : a report comprising the results of official explorations

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I have already alluded to the fact that the volcanic system of Banks' Peninsula having doubtless remained above the sea level since its formation, and being at the same time not subjected to fluviatile denudation possessed most favourable conditions for deposition of loess. In the north of the province the downs rising from the Canterbury plains at the foot of Mount Grey and reaching as far as the Ashley and the Moeraki Downs, are capped by these beds under review. In the Malvern Hills they are also well represented. More to the south page 370they appear again on the southern banks of the Orari, stretching to the Timaru plateau. They also cover the coulées of volcanic rocks, of which this plateau is formed. They reach to near the summit of Mount Horrible and gradually thin out, as we follow them from the sea. Some of the cliffs, formed entirely of loess are 70 to 80 feet high, and exhibit throughout the whole section exposed along the sea, and in railway cuttings, the same characteristic features. South of Timaru they again overlie younger tertiary sedimentary strata and form undulating downs reaching several miles below the Waihao, after which they have generally been destroyed by fluviatile action. An outlier is situated about 15 miles above the mouth of the Waitaki, south of Elephant Hill. In some localities they cap the shingle formation of the Canterbury plains to a thickness of ten feet. In Westland, in some sheltered localities, beds of loess have also been noted by me.

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