428 Transactions. 



an alimentary substance to the inhabitants of these regions. 

 The Phanerogams are little varied compared to the ferns ; the 

 season was too advanced, few of them offering either flowers 

 or fruit. It is the same with the trees, many of which are re- 

 markable for the elegance of their forms and the beauty and 

 solidity of the wood. Amongst the parasites I observed the 

 beautiful Epidendrum, or Dendrobium ; but no root of Phormium 

 was seen. No species of coleopterous insects, except tne Cicin- 

 dele sabulicole ; no butterflies animated the scene. There are, 

 nevertheless, a number of birds ; I shot seven or eight species, 

 and saw many others I could not get. It is worthy of remark 

 that they are all wild, with the exception of a moucherolle [? black 

 robin], which is excessively familiar. Directly one stops in any 

 part of the forest, one is sure to see appear at least one or two 

 of these birds around one. They look at you in silence and with 

 curiosity ; if you remain quiet they push their confidence so 

 far as to alight on the barrel of your gun. The beautiful merle 

 d cravate (Ceathia circinata of Forster) [tui] is common in the 

 woods. A rat was the only species of quadruped I saw. 



The sky became overcast at 4 p.m., and soon the rain fell, 

 and continued until midnight. 



18th January. — The weather continued overcast, and rain re- 

 commenced at daylight, and continued until noon. 



Another canoe arrived, and those on board united with 

 the others. They came on board from time to time to continue 

 their barter, as peacefully as usual, and returned to their huts 

 as the rain came on. 



Although it still continued to rain heavily, at 7.30 a.m. I 

 landed on the beach that is beyond the observatory to the south, 

 and, accompanied only by Simonet, I walked towards the interior. 

 After having followed a stream for some distance, which runs 

 in the bottom of a ravine occupied by fine ferns and beautiful 

 trees, I climbed, with much trouble, the bluff which dominates 

 the coast. As soon as one arrives at 50 or 60 fathoms above 

 the level of the sea the soil is very dry, and almost completely 

 covered with the edible fern, of which the interlaced branches 

 Eormed thickets often 5 ft. or 6 ft. high, and almost impene- 

 trable. Some Lepstospermiim and two or three other species 

 of shrubs are seen here and there in these parts. No birds, no 

 insects, or reptiles: that absence of all animated species, that 

 profound silence has something of solemnity and sadness. In 

 walking over these solitary bluffs one believes one's-self trans- 

 ported to that age of the world where nature, after having pro- 

 duced the vegetable kingdom, waited the Eternal command 

 to bring forth the animated races. To complete the illusion, 

 one does not encounter any human traces on these heights. 



