Thomson. — Plant-acclimatisation in Ncio Zealand. 315 



have become very rare or have altogether disappeared, as- 

 some other large conspicuous plants have done, had it not 

 been that the natives sowed the seeds in the vicinity of their 

 pas for the sake of the flowers, which they used to stick in 

 their hair or their ears for ornament. Why I suggest the 

 disappearance is that the plant is probably edible and nutri- 

 tious, and there would seem to have been some form or forms 

 of animal life introduced since the development of the species- 

 which was tending to exterminate it. 



A case somewhat corresponding to this is actually fur- 

 nished by the large forget-me-not, misnamed the Chatham 

 Island lily (Myosotidium nobile). This handsome plant is 

 much more nearly allied to Australian species of Cynoglossum- 

 than to any existing New Zealand genus. I think, therefore,, 

 that it must formerly have been spread over these Islands, 

 but that it has died out, or, more probably, been eaten out by 

 some more recent form of animal life, perhaps by moas, which 

 were formerly enormously abundant, and were vegetable- 

 feeders. 



The real history of plant-naturalisation here dates from 

 Cook's first visit to the Islands. 



The modes by which the naturalised plants of any country 

 are introduced may be considered under four heads — (1) The 

 deliberate scattering of seeds in the open ground or in selected 

 localities ; (2) as escapes from cultivation in gardens, orchards,, 

 or fields ; (3) accidental, along with other seeds, or with hay, 

 straw, packing, &c, with introduced varieties of plants or 

 animals, or in ballast of ships ; and (4) by wind, birds, &c. 



(1.) In regard to the first of these modes, the remarkable 

 thing is not the number of species of plants which have been 

 introduced and naturalised in this manner, but rather the 

 smallness of the number of those which have so established 

 themselves as compared with the number of those which it 

 has been sought to introduce. Hooker records in the " Hand- 

 book of the New Zealand Flora," page 757, that " the 

 late Mr. Bidwill habitually scattered Australian seeds during 

 his extensive travels in New Zealand. If this be true, it is- 

 remarkable how few Australian plants have naturalised them- 

 selves in the Islands, considering both this circumstance and 

 the extensive commerce between these countries." The same 

 experience has accompanied very numerous attempts since 

 Bidwill's time to introduce what were considered desirable 

 species. I do not know that it is possible to point with 

 certainty to a single species which has thus become esta- 

 blished in this part of the colony. It is just possible that the 

 watercress (Nasturtutm officinale) was so introduced by the 

 early settlers into the Canterbury Plains, though I have no 

 information to that effect, while it is equally possible that. 



