84 Transactions. — Miscellaneous. 



had travelled over every portion of it, was of opinion that in 

 the neighbourhood of the Black Kocks, situate at the head of 

 the Kaitoke Stream, there are remains of terraces similar in 

 formation to the far-famed Pink and White of Eotomahana, 

 only on a far grander scale. Having had little or no time for 

 exploration where my duties did not take me, I was unable 

 to determine their site ; moreover, not being an expert 

 in the matter, I might not have been able to recognise 

 them. 



Not being anything of a botanist, I cannot describe the 

 forest technically, but I think most of the trees found on the 

 mainland grow^ on the island, and there are one or two 

 peculiar to it — namely, the Barrier pine, which, when young, 

 resembles very closely in appearance the macrocarpa, but 

 when it grows up it loses this resemblance. 



Of birds, the tui and pigeon are the most numerous, and it 

 is a curious fact, which perhaps has been noticed elsewhere, 

 that the note of the former differs to a certain extent in dif- 

 ferent parts of the island. The sound of many tuis acting in 

 concert in the dense forest on a bright morning has a very 

 charming effect. We saw and heard a pair of bell-birds at the 

 head of Whangaparapara Harbour, but they seemed to be very 

 scarce. The pukeko also is heard, but very seldom seen, in 

 the swamp at the northern base of Ahumata. This bird, 

 which is apparently very weak on the wing, and flies with its 

 legs dangling, is the most ubiquitous of all birds, as it is, I be- 

 lieve, found throughout Australasia ; and its means of transit 

 are as much a puzzle as that of the wingless waterfowl which 

 inhabit most of our small lakes. 



My party found some bones on the beach at Owena which 

 turned out to be those of a small species of moa, but how they 

 came there it is impossible to say. This is interesting, as 

 having been the first instance known of moa-remains being 

 found off the mainland. 



To conclude, with all the advantages of climate, scenery, 

 hot springs, and picturesque harbours, I cannot but think that 

 in the future this island must become a sanatorium for over- 

 worked Aucklanders. At present there are not any roads, and 

 the tracks are of the very roughest description ; but all this 

 will be remedied with an increasing population. 



