Go to National Library of New Zealand Te Puna Mātauranga o Aotearoa
Volume 58, 1928
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2. Description of Fossiliferous Localities.

(1)

Momoe-a-toa.
The most northerly point of Chatham Island is Cape Young, one mile to the south-west of which projects Momoe-a-toa. The fossils occur in a tufaceous limestone between two lava-flows, on the northern side and well out towards the point.
(2)

Tioriori.
The fossiliferous locality is about four miles south along the coast from Momoe-a-toa, and about half a mile north-east of Tioriori and Tutuiri Creek. The fossiliferous bed is a soft bryozoan limestone with occasional quartz pebbles, and is exposed in the sea cliffs which are about 50 feet high. The limestone rests disconformably on green unfossiliferous tuffs.
(3)

Titirangi.
Titirangi is a bluff about 75 feet high, half way along the southern shore of the north-western extension of Te Whanga Lagoon known as Muriwhenua. The bluff can be seen from afar, for it is crowned by a karaka grove. The fossils are found on the northern or lake side.
(4)

Waikaripi.
The Wireless Station stands on high country about one mile south-west of Waitangi, and in the sea cliffs south-west, below the Wireless Station, are two bands of fossiliferous, tuffaceous limestone separated by unfossiliferous, calcareous tuffs.
(5)

Flower-pot Harbour, Pitt Island.
This locality is on the northern bay of Pitt Island. The fossiliferous tuffs occur at Onoua, on the eastern side of the harbour, and unconformably overlie a bryozoan limestone.
(6)

Whenuataru Peninsula, Pitt Island.
Whenuataru Peninsula forms the north-west corner of Pitt Island, and is about one mile west of the Flower-pot. The richly

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  • fossiliferous tuffs outcrop on the south side of the Peninsula, and, as at the Flower-pot, unconformably overlie a bryozoan limestone.

The fossils at all of these localities except No. 3, Titirangi, are associated with a relatively extensive group of limestones and tuffs which Mr. Allan has named the Wharekauri-Waitangi Series. These rocks cover a considerable part of the islands and are of mid-Tertiary age. At Titirangi the fossiliferous beds are unconsolidated shell sands of restricted occurrence and obviously belong to the late Tertiary.

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