396 Transactions. — Botany. 



This grass is no doubt a true Agropyrum, in spite of its 

 branching rachis and pedicellate spikelets. The species is 

 named in compliment to Mr. Cox, who has done a great deal 

 to advance our knowledge of the interesting flora of the Chat- 

 ham Islands, where he has long been resident. 



Art. XXXVI. — The Vegetable Caterpillar (Cordiceps 



robertsii). 



By H. Hill, B.A., F.G.S. 



[Read before the Hawke's Bay Philosophical Institute, 21st October, 



1901.] 



Plate XXI. 



There is a small company of active scientific inquirers along 

 the east coast of this North Island. In order to put down 

 their thoughts and gain information from others of like tastes 

 to themselves they issue a newspaper in manuscript, known 

 as the "East Coast Naturalist." In one of the numbers of 

 this interesting publication appears a letter signed " W. M.," 

 in which the writer calls attention to an article by James 

 Buckland on the " Vegetable Caterpillar." " W. M. " does 

 not say where the article appears, but mention is made of the 

 differences between the generally accepted information con- 

 cerning the caterpillar (Cordiceps robertsii) and the informa- 

 tion given by Mr. Buckland. No doubt there is a good deal 

 of misapprehension with respect to this curious product, and 

 it may be that a study of its life-history will even prove of 

 benefit to the students of bacteria in relation to their effects 

 on animal organisms. 



Comparatively little appears to be known concerning the 

 vegetable caterpillar beyond the fact that it is found in cer- 

 tain places in the North Island of New Zealand. The first 

 published account of the caterpillar is in the " Tasmanian 

 Journal of Science" for the year 1842. In vol. i., pages 307, 

 308. there is an account, accompanied by two illustrations, of 

 the bulrush caterpillar (Sphceria robertsii), native name 

 " aweto-hotehe," by the Bev. B. Taylor, Waimate, New 

 Zealand. " This singular plant " — so runs the account — 

 " which is a native of New Zealand, may be classed amongst 

 the most remarkable productions of the vegetable king- 

 dom. . . . The aweto is only found at the root of a 

 particular tree — the rata. The female pohutakara (sic), the 

 root of the plant which in every instance exactly fills the 



