THE VECETATIOX OF THE COAST. 83 



to the cabbage-garden. This forest is quite a remarkable one, and 

 such portion as still remains should be preserved from further destruc- 

 tion. It consists chiefly of the kohekohe (Dysoxylum spectabile), 

 Paratrophis opaca, Macropiper cxcelsum, and Rhapalostylis sapidn 

 (the nikau palm). The trees are stunted, have many spreading 

 branches, and are garlanded by the fern Blechnum fili 'forme (fig. 37). 



Open Bay Island, off the coast of south Westland, is in its virgin 

 state. It would be an unpleasant experience to pass a night there, 

 since in its peaty soil, honeycombed by the holes of petrels, veritable 

 leeches and wetas of huge size and formidable aspect abound. The 

 vegetation consists of a most impenetrable sciub of kiekie (Freycinetia 

 Banksii), almost the last survivor of a forest which must have clothed 

 these islands long ago, when connected with the mainland of Westland. 

 Very interesting, too, must be the Three Kings, where Mr. T. F. Cheese- 

 man found abundance of that magnificent tree, supposed to be almost 

 extinct, the puka (Meryta Sinclair ii}. 



Only a brief reference can be made to the Poor Knights, recently 

 visited for the first time by Captain Bollons and the author, where 

 the big snail, Placostylis Hongii, is still abundant, and where the 

 arborescent vegetation consists largely of Suttonia divaricata, an 

 unexpected plant. Nor can the coastal meadows of Southland, white 

 with gentian and eyebright, be described, nor the cliff vegetation of 

 the Nuggets, where an alpine celmisia clothes the barren rock : nor 

 many other charming spots, lapped by the many-voiced ocean. Suf- 

 ficient, however, has been said to show that we need not climb into the 

 clouds to find our wild flowers, and that those who are wont to take 

 their pleasure sadlv bv the seashore mav find there a field of new 



4- t v i/ 



interest. 



