306 Transactions. 



broad valley shown in Plate XIX, fig. 1, lying to the north of the landing 

 for Rotomahana Lake, and on the second visit landing on Kuaehape Beach, 

 and, after examining the Metrosideros forest, proceeding to a point about 

 1,700 ft. above sea immediately above the beach. 



In the midsummer of 1915-16 the author again twice visited Tarawera, 

 on the first occasion ascending the range by the route taken in 1913, travers- 

 ing the summits of Tarawera and Ruawahia, and returning from the sand 

 crater by the scoria slope separating Ruawahia from Wahanga, and on the 

 second occasion visiting the area called for convenience the northern face, 

 which is separated from the area called the north-west face by a compara- 

 tively unbroken scoria slope which was traversed on the previous visit, 

 descending from the sand crater to the lake.* 



At Kuaehape Beach within a chain of the lake there are two beach-levels, 

 the lower consisting of white pumice, barren of plant-life, but mixed with 

 driftwood, and the upper beach, a few feet higher, composed of red pumice 

 and sand with patches of Raoulia australis dotted about, while growing 

 at the edge of the beach are bushes of Veronica salicijolia var. and Coriaria 

 ruscifolia. Scattered about are young plants of a naturalized Erigeron. 

 Shrubs of Myrsine Urvillei, Cyathodes acerosa, and Muehlenhechia complexa 

 are near at hand, and the herb Hydrocotyle asiatica also occurs. A little 

 to the right of the beach are lava cliffs about 250 ft. high, which are covered 

 with a growth of young Metrosideros tomentosa forest, fringed at its margin 

 with Coriaria ruscifolia and Veronica salicijolia var., and containing also 

 the following : Knightia excelsa, Coprosma lucida, Leptospermum ericoides, 

 Panax arhoreum, Pittosporum tenuifolimn, P. Colensoi, Geniostoma ligustri- 

 Jolium, Leucopogon fasciculatum, Gaidtheria antipoda var., Cyathodes acerosa, 

 Halorrhagis erecta, Poa anceps. Where the forest reaches the shore there 

 are many dead stumps of Metrosideros tomentosa which had been killed by 

 the eruption. Plate XX, fig. 2, gives a very good idea of the vigorous 

 young growth on the lake-side. 



In the broad valleys of the lower slopes, where the soil is better, the 

 dominant plant is Coriaria ruscifolia, forming pure shrubberies, 15 ft. to 

 20 ft. high, the plants having numerous trunks, 6 in. to 8 in. in diameter, 

 springing from the ground. On the gravels of temporary watercourses 

 patches of Raoulia australis are attempting to form a covering. In the more 

 exposed situations, where the soil is poorer and not so moist and the alti- 

 tude greater, the Coriaria is replaced wholly or in part by Leptospernnim 

 scoparium (see Plate XXI, fig. 1). 



Ascending a deep gully above Kuaehape Beach, where surface waters 

 had cut the beds of ash into a vertical-walled ravine, the following were 

 noticed between lake-level (1,04:0 ft.) and 1,500 ft. above sea-level : Shrubs 

 or young trees — Metrosideros tomentosa, Weinmannia racemosa, Pittosporum 

 tenuifolium, Leptospermum scoparium, Veronica salicijolia var., Olearia 

 jurjuracea, Fuchsia excorticata, Melicytus ramiflorus, Griselinia littoralis, 

 Leucopogon jasciculatus, L. Fraseri, Gaultheria oppositijolia (in large masses 

 6 ft. across on the walls of the gorge), Pimelea laevigata, Solanum aviculare, 

 Coprosma rohusta, Melicytus ramijlorus, Muehlenhechia axillaris; lianes — 

 Ruhus australis, Muehlenhechia australis; herbs — Anagallis arvensis (natu- 

 raUzed), Epilohium rotundijolimn, Dianella intermedia, Gahnia paucijlora, 

 Cladium Vauthiera, Acaena Sanguisorhae var. ; ferns — Pteris esculenta, P. 



* The author is much indebted to Judge Brown, Mr. Tai Mitchell (Government 

 Surveyor), and Mr. L. D. Foster for their company and assistance in one or more of 

 these journeys, and to Mr. Warbrick (in charge of the tourist traffic on the lake) for 

 assistance in landing at different points. 



