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examples of a few forms of graptolites, an order that peculiarly distinguishes Lower Silurian rock. It is curious that the proofs of the existence in New Zealand of Lower Silurian rocks should only as yet have been discovered on the north-west and south-west extremities of the South Island. Gold was known to occur in the district of Preservation Inlet, and on the northern shore of Foveaux Strait, as early as 1863, but it was not till about the middle of 1889 that payable workings were opened out on Coal Island, and at slightly later dates on Steep-to Island (Crayfish Island), and on the mainland at Wilson River, where, subsequently, the working of the river-bed led to the discovery of the gold-bearing reef within the Golden Site Claim. There is some uncertainty as to dates, and even as to who were the actual discoverers, rival claims for a reward being made. In the application of Payne, Wilson, and Davis, it is stated " that, within twelve months of their commencing work, there were at least five hundred miners on the field." The workings on Coal Island that proved remunerative being confined to parts of the beach at the eastern and north-eastern end of the island, and to the valleys of the creeks that cut through the glacier-drifts which even now cover the greater part of the island ; the extent of the more concentrated alluvial wash being limited did not afford scope for the operations of a large mining community, who were also hampered in their efforts by a scarcity of water for mining purposes. The result, in spite of some very encouraging returns, has been that the mining population here and on Steep-to Island, has gradually dwindled to less than a score during the summer of 1895. At Wilson River, from the same cause, precisely the same results have ensued, and at the present time there are not more than twelve or fifteen miners on this part of the field. The discovery of the Golden Site quartz lode in the gorge of the Wilson River, owing to the rich specimens it at first afforded, seemed to give promise of a great future for this field, and this being followed by the discovery of the Morning Star line of reef at Long Beach, there for a time seemed to be no doubt but that success was assured. Unfortunately, at the Golden Site, on being followed but a short distance to the south, the lode was cut off by a throw, or fault; and, though it is said the same reef has been found a little distance further down the gorge, its auriferous character would appear to be less, and little has been done to prove its value. Beneath where the rich stone appeared at the surface, the reef has been mined on to a depth of 40ft., to which depth good payable stone was found, but not equal to the surface stone; and, by some inadvertence, mining was carried on too near the surface, thus admitting water from the river into the workings, rendering them for the time being, and with present appliances, unworkable. On the northern bank of the river the reef was followed, at and below the level of the river, a short distance into the hill, when, less auriferous in character, it broke up into a number of leaders, which led to the supposition that the real body of stone had taken another course. Prospecting work has since been carried on at higher levels on the northern side of the river, and in two adits quartz reefs have been found, but up till the present these have not yielded payable stone. Under these discouraging circumstances, work has for the present ceased; but it is to be hoped that capital and energy will again be provided to thoroughly prospect this lode. The Morning Star is the principal claim on a line of lode at Long Beach, a general description of which has been already given. This at first gave very encouraging returns, and a considerable body of payable stone was discovered in the northern part of the workings. But on the works being pushed south at three different levels the stone became poor in gold, and scarcely paid to crush; in fact, the first or northern shoot of gold was passed through, and, while the stone as a reef maintained itself without on the average any diminution in thickness, and is easily traceable, it has not been followed; attention being turned to that part of the mine in which payable stone was known to exist. In the No. 2 level the last stone taken out prior to the commencement of the present year yielded at the rate of 6dwt. to the ton, which was an improvement on the yield of stone previously taken from the same drive. On consultation with the writer of this report, the directors determined to push No. 2 level some distance ahead, in the hope that another and distinct shoot of gold had been touched, as indicated by the improved returns obtained from the last parcel of stone from this level that had been crushed. There is reasonable hope to believe that such is the case ; and should the results of the carrying forward of this level be as it is hoped it will be, the work now being done will go far to establish the permanence of this mine, and the lode or line of reef as being worthy the attention of mining speculators. There are a number of other claims situated on this line on the mainland. But little prospecting on most of these has been done, and the location of some of them is unknown to me. The same line of reef trends north through Steep-to Island, at both ends of which indications of reefs were discovered. These indications were prospected, and an adit was driven from the east into the southern end of the island, without, however, cutting any reef. At the northern end rich gold-bearing specimens were found imbedded in a vein or deposit of "pug," but prior to January last this lead had been worked out, and it could not be determined whether these occurred in situ or not. A patch of quartz, lying at a low angle, was also found to be gold-bearing, and these indications led to a considerable amount of prospecting by driving into the spur in search of a continuous body of stone. These works were conducted on behalf of a company, by Mr. Trent, and finally ended during April last in the cutting of a body of stone which proved non-auriferous, or but feebly auriferous, and in appearance not promising. The works have, consequently, been discontinued. At Cuttle Cove there are a number of reefs, some of which have been prospected. The most southerly of these shows in a cavern, on the shore-line, outside Cuttle Cove, in the direction of Cavern Head. Three or four feet of stone shows on the southern wall of the cave, but the thickness of the lode is irregular, and the average thickness will not exceed the amount stated. This, or another lode, shows on a rocky bank a few yards to the south, and a small leader appears on the beach about a chain to the east. The two principal bodies of stone are nearly vertical, and are encased in dark graphitic mica-schist. To the north of the landing at Cuttle Cove a number of