286 Transactions. — Zoolugij. 



Art. XXXII. — Observations on the Mokohinou Islands and 

 the Birds ichich visit them. 



Bv F. Saxdager. 



[Read before the Otarjo Institute, 11th June, V.V.b'P.j 



The Mokoliiuou group consists of a number of islands, 

 situated about twelve miles to the north-west of the Great 

 Barrier Island, all of volcanic formation, more or less pre- 

 cipitous, and divided from each other by narrow — rarely deep 

 — channels ; the two largest islands being deeply indented 

 and one of them almost bisected by the constant action of 

 the sea. The vegetation of the several islands consists princi- 

 pally of flax {Pliormimn tena.r), grasses, fern (Pteris aq^iiUna, 

 var. esculcnta, and Adiantnm (etliiopicuni), cyperaceous plants, 

 Mesemhryanthcmitm, Veronica, Coprosnia, Myojwitnn, Mctro- 

 sidcros, Pittosimrnvi, native broom {CarmichceUa sp.), and 

 Olearia sp., all the last-mentioned being more or less scat- 

 tered, and, owing to the absence of shelter, stunted. The 

 tuatara lizard is found in abundance on two of the islands, 

 and I have noted the occurrence of six other species, but in 

 no case more than two kinds on any one island. When it 

 is considered that species of insects and plants found on one 

 are often entirely absent from others close adjacent, each 

 island might almost be said to possess a distinct fauna and 

 flora of its own. Out of 130 species of Coleoptera collected 

 fully one-third proved new, and have for the greater part been 

 described by Captain Thomas Broun. M.E.S. Amongst other 

 interesting insects found is a trap-door spider that forms a 

 very pretty nest on the bark of a species of Coj^vosma. The 

 young are hatched in the nest, where they remain for a con- 

 siderable time together with the female. Nest and lid are 

 invariably constructed in such a manner that only the closest 

 scrutiny can distinguish them from the surrounding bark, for 

 if the bark is covered with moss or lichoiis the nest is made to 

 correspond. 



Numerous birds visit the islands annually for breeding 

 or other purposes ; and, before proceeding to give a list of 

 these, I will mention that for over a year after the light 

 was first exhibited many sea-birds used to strike the 

 lantern almost every night. This, year after year, has hap- 

 pened less frequently, for whereas formerly dozens of birds 

 might be observed circling round and round the light, in 

 a direction contrary to that in which the apparatus revolved, 

 till at last they became dazzled, it rarely occurs now (after 

 a lapse of close upon six years), if I except two species, 



