THE NATURALIST. 



REMARKS ON THE NATURAL HISTORY, SCENERY, AND 

 MANNERS OF NEW ZEALAND. 



By Thomas Kier Short, Esq. 



It is with great pleasure that I perceive you have introduced some papers on 

 foreign Natural History in your valuable work, The Naturalist. In the first 

 place, I consider it a great acquisition to your periodical, as it will doubtless 

 induce many to purchase it who would not be satisfied with articles treating 

 exclusively of the natural productions of our own country. In the second 

 place, it is opening a channel for many who cannot procure more expensive 

 works. But to enter upon my subject without further preface. 



It has been my lot to be one of the few who have circumnavigated, the globe, 

 and to have visited its four quarters in pursuit of Natural History. The subject 

 of my present essay is New Zealand, and, if it is considered worthy of insertion 

 in The Naturalist, it shall be followed by others, on Vandieman's Land, South 

 America, and the Brazils. 



I left Launceston, Vandieman's Land, for New Zealand, in the brig Brazil 

 Packet, March 26, 1836, and first made land at day-break on the 5th of April. 

 We entered the mouth of the river Hookeangah at nine o'clock, a. m., and 

 dropped anchor at noon of the same day. 



New Zealand is situated between 34 and 47 degrees south latitude, and from 

 166 to about 180 east longitude. It was first discovered by Tasman, in 1642. 

 In 1770 the coast was explored by Captain Cooke, who sailed between the two 

 large islands, and gave the name " Cooke's Strait" to the channel. New Zealand 

 forms the southern boundary of Polynesia, and comprises two large and several 

 small islands. The appearance of the coast is bold and rocky, the land is high 

 and rugged ; and the southern mountains are occasionally covered with snow. 



In the large northern island, where the principal if not the only settlements 

 of Europeans are situated, the climate is salubrious, the thermometer ranging 

 between 40 and 80 degrees, avoiding the heat of a tropical climate, yet warmer 

 than most temperate latitudes, generally equable, and seldom experiencing those 

 sudden vicissitudes so frequent and injurious in the variable climate of England. 

 The soil is in many parts fertile, and though possessing few indigenous articles 

 of food, yet these, when once introduced, grow spontaneously. 



Thunder-storms are frequent and violent in New Zealand, particularly in the 

 winter months, when they are generally attended by torrents of rain. The 



vol. in. — NO. XVI. B 



