Carse. — Flora of the Mauku District. 371 



gap narrows to a mere track, which reaches the beach at the 

 mouth of the creek above mentioned. Here a grassy fiat 

 affords a uood place to allow our horses to have a rest and 

 feed before proceeding along the beach, and good water and an 

 abundant supply of watercress suggest the advisability of 

 boiling the " billv " for lunch. 



I regret that I have not been able to devote as much time 

 as I could wish to this interesting part of the district ; but, 

 still, I have explored to some extent. On the drier parts of 

 the cliffs, and not unfrequentiv ou blown sand, Mesembryan- 

 themum australe is plentiful. Where water drips I noted 

 Sonciius asper var. Itttoralis in great abundance, and here and 

 there Cutula dioica occurs. Such plants as Apium australe, 

 Sunolus repens, Selliera radtcans, Lobelia anceps, and Triglo- 

 chiib triandritm are abundant. In wet sand, usually at the tops 

 of the cliffs, are large matted patches of Gu»nera arenaria. In 

 drier sandv spots Goprosma acerosa, Linum monogynum, Tillcea 

 sieberiana, Muhlenbechia compiexa, Cassiuia retorta, Zoysia 

 pungens, and Seuecio lautus are common, as also are Pimelea 

 arenaria and P. Icevigata. In rather damp places between the 

 cliffs and the beach stunted forms of Curynocarpus Icevigata 

 are of frequent occurrence, intermixed with Pseudopanax 

 lessonii, Goprosma baueriana, and often as an undergrowth 

 large patches of Pteris comans. In some places Tetragonia 

 trigyna climbs 6 ft. or 7 ft. up the shrubs, and T. expansa 

 is often met with. Parietaria debilis also occurs in shady 

 places. In sandy spots Carex pumila, G testacea, and Spinifex 

 nirsutus are of frequent occurrence. In a few damp spots I 

 noted P<>a austraiis var. Icevis. and on the low cliffs the 

 beautiful renga lily (Arthropodium cirrhatum) is of frquent 

 occurrence. 



I have ridden along the splendidly smooth beach as far as 

 the Manukau Heads, but as it was in the teeth of a howling 

 nor'-wester, accompanied by heavy rain, I was unable to do 

 much botanically. I noted a large group of pohutukawas 

 with straight trunks, very unlike the usual gnarled and 

 ♦twisted forms so familiar all along the coast. I understand 

 from Mr. Petrie that Myriophyllum peduneulatum and Dis- 

 caria toumatou occur among sandhills near Waikato Head, 

 but I have not yet been able to look up that part of the 

 coast. 



Another very interesting botanical excursion is to the 

 Lower Waikato. This is about seven miles from Mauku. A 

 considerable part of the way lies along what is known as 

 " The Tram." Before the railwaywas formed it was proposed 

 to connect the Waikato district with Auckland by means of 

 a tramway joining the Manukau to the W'aikato River. 

 Goods were to be sent from Onehunga up the Mauku branch 



