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Report on the Geology & Gold Fields of Otago

Recent Deposits*

page 73

Recent Deposits*

Under this head I arrange all the gravel and silt beds now being formed by the various rivers (fig. 8, a), or by other causes still, or quite lately, in operation; such as the sand dunes at the mouths of the rivers, the peat beds often, as at Hamilton, containing moa bones, the raised estuarine mud round the head of Dunedin Harbour, Inch-Clutha, &c., and also the Cave deposits in various parts of the Province. It is only in the uppermost parts of these deposits that we find any trace of the human race, and of terrestrial mammalia, which latter are, however, limited to the dog and rat. Associated with these, and evidently contemporaneous, we also find many remains of the moa, the species of which appear to be identical with those found in the pleistocene deposits. From the peat at Hamilton I obtained species of land and fresh water shells, which have been sent to Dr. Dohrn for determination, but I have not yet received any reply from him. The following species of extinct birds have been found in the recent deposits of Otago:—Harpa gornis moorei, Haast; Cnemiornis calcitrans, Owen; Dinornis didiformis, Owen (?); D. rheides, Owen; D. gravis, Owen; D. casuarinus, Owen; D. crassus, Owen; D. elephantopus, Owen; D. struthioides, Owen; D. ingens, Owen; D. robustus, Owen; and D. maximus, Owen. In addition remains of the Tuatara Lizard (Sphenodon punctatum, Gray), which is now extinct in the Province, are also found, as well as of many smaller birds, which have not yet been examined.

* These are not represented in the map.