22 Papers. 



Rats (both the grey and the black), by eating the seeds, undoubtedly 

 influence the spread of many species. The grey rat has a fondness foi 

 the seeds of the New Zealand passion-flower (Passiflora tetrandra), the 

 fruit of the kiekie (Freycinetia Banksii), and nikau-palm (Rhopalostylis 

 sapida). Possibly the introduced birds may assist in the spread of the 

 indigenous plants having edible fruits, such as the wineberry (Aristotelia 

 racemosa). Ftichsia excorticata, poroporo (Solanum aviculare), and bramble 

 (Rubus australis). 



No one who has seen sheep covered with Acaena " burrs " (piripiri) can 

 hesitate to admit the large part which that animal plays in the spread of 

 this nativ weed. 



Pigs are most partial to the seed of the hinau (Elaeocarpus dentatus,. 

 family Tilioceae), on which they fatten, and the roots of bracken (Ptcris 

 aquilina). The native arrowroot fern (Marattia fraxinea) is fast being killed 

 out by pigs on account of its large starchy rhizome. 



The spread of clovers and other leguminous seed by animals must be 

 a considerable factor in altering vegetation. At Palliser Bay gravel-fans, 

 covering in some cases many acres, are formed by heavy rainfalls. The 

 first plant to establish itself on the finer detritus is Raoulia australis, forming- 

 large depressed patches. Ultimately a certain amount of organic matter 

 is formed by these patches of vegetation, and in October, 1907, clovers and 

 other introduced leguminous plants were noted to be growing out of these 

 patches. It is possible that they may in time displace the Raoidia, as in 

 older but similarly formed land in the vicinity a close sward of Leauminosae 

 monopolizes the soil. 



The partiality which stock exhibit for certain shrubs such as the mahoe 

 or hinahina, the so-called " cow-tree " of the settler (Melicytus ramiflorus,. 

 family Violaceae), the karamu (Coprosma grandifolia and C. tenuifolia, family 

 Rubiaceae), and the broadleaf (Griselinia littoralis, family Cornaceae) have 

 led to the practice among stockmen of cutting the shrubs down for 

 fodder in times of scarcity. Another shrub evidently much relished is the 

 mangrove (Avicennia officinalis, family Verbenaccae). Travellers along the 

 Thames railway-line may see the lower branches of the fine mangrove shrubs 

 of the estuaries trimmed off by cattle in the same way as they do the weep- 

 ing willows in the meadows, no branches appearing below a certain level- — 

 the limit of the cattle's reach. In the Rotorua district I am informed that 

 tawa (Beilschmiedia tawa, family Lauraceae) leaves are readily eaten by 

 stock. Cattle greedily eat karaka-leaves (Corynocarpus laevigata, family 

 Anacardiaceae). The fruit, poisonous to some animals, causes in pigs only 

 a partial paralysis of the hind legs. 



Central Otago, which contains such excellent examples of the effects of 

 overstocking and of the rabbits on the indigenous vegetation, has furnished 

 me with a few notes. On the Rock and Pillar Range (Middlemarch side) 

 in December, 1908, Hymcnanthcra crassifolia* (family Violaceae) was found 

 to be eaten down by rabbits. (This effect has also been largely observed on 

 the raised beaches at Turakirae Head. Palliser Bay.) Celmisia Lyalln 

 (family Compositae) was almost eaten out except on a few inaccessible rocks 

 at 3,700 ft. At Gimmcrburn, on a dry hillside above the Government 

 nursery, the ground was bare save for a few scattered plants of Agropyrmu 

 pcdinatum (naturalized) and Koelcria Kurtzii. These two grasses had 

 been nibbled down very short, but were surviving, and the former was 

 producing seed in quantity. 



* Mr. Cheeseman thinks this may be //. dmiata var alpina. 



