246 Transactions. — Botany. 



stream of considerable size from the adjacent rugged moun- 

 tain also adds its quota to the moisture of the atmosphere. 

 The remarkable broad-leaved form of Polypodiuvi australe — 

 P. rigichmi, Homb. and Jacq. — is here abundant. The plants 

 collected by me seem to match those figured in " Voyage 

 au Pole Sud " (45, pi. ii., Monocot. Vase). The fronds 

 measure + 14-5 cm. x + 2 cm., are given off from a stout 

 rhizome + 4 mm. in diameter, and form tufts on the tree- 

 trunks. This plant is very different in appearance from the 

 typical species, also abundant in the same forest, nor did I 

 notice any "intermediate forms." In this forest Mr. W. 

 Joss made a most interesting discovery — viz., one plant of 

 the common New Zealand tree-fern Hemitelia smithii, tree- 

 ferns, if we except Aspidmm vestitum, not having been pre- 

 viously observed in any of the Southern Islands. This 

 important discovery extends the range of tree-ferns very 

 much further to the south than was previously known." Un- 

 fortunately, I had no time to pay the plant a visit, so only 

 saw the specimens which Mr. Joss had just collected. The 

 general character of this part of the rata forest is very similar 

 to ihat next to be dealt with, so to avoid needless repetition 

 no more need be said here. 



Passing into Carnley Harbour at first a dense belt of forest 

 clothes either shore, extending up the steep mountain-slopes 

 for perhaps 150m. ; but after the Western Arm is reached the 

 upper meadow comes lower, until finally it descends to sea- 

 level, alternate bands of forest and meadow clothing the slopes. 

 Such grassy spurs offer a most excellent opportunity for reach- 

 ing the higher ground of Adams Island, doing away with the 

 laborious climb through the forest necessary in most parts of 

 Auckland Island before the subalpine region can be reached. 

 I had no opportunity to examine the xAdams Island forest, but 

 several hours in the neighbourhood of Camp Cove aflbrded 

 me facilities to examine the forest in the south of Auckland 

 Island. 



At Camp Cove the trees come right down to the edge 

 of the water, into which the leaves of DracopJt.yUtim longi- 

 folmm almost dip. Here Mctrosideros liicida, as usual the 

 dominant plant, grows with spreading gnarled branches, 

 but hardly to the same degree as in the more wind-swept 

 forest of Ewing Island. The accompanying photograph 

 (PI. XIII.) gives, however, only a poor idea of the interior of a 

 rata forest, since in order to get near and distant objects into 

 focus a rather open part of the forest had to be selected. 

 Mixed with the rata is Panax simplex and Dracophylhmi 



• Mr. W. Hotting Hemsley, F.R.S., has kindiv informed me that the 

 previously recorded limit of iiee-femH was tiiac of Alsopliilti prumnta, at 

 about 47^ S., in Port Otway, Patagonia. 



