122 Transactions. 



but in seven cases the species could not be determined. Mr. Cheeseman's 

 conclusions are, — (1) The Kermadec Islands have received their plants from 

 two sources : there have been two opposite streams of colonisation — one, 

 much the larger and more important, from NeAv Zealand ; the other, much 

 less conspicuous, from the Polynesian islands. (2.) The nature and com- 

 position of the flora, the relationship to those of New Zealand and Polynesia, 

 and the peculiarities generally, are best explained on the supposition that 

 the islands have been slowly stocked with their plants by chance migrations 

 across the ocean. 



Since the publication of the above, two other papers dealing with the 

 flora of the Kermadecs have appeared in the " Transactions of the New 

 Zealand Institute " (2 and 7), in which four new species are described. Only 

 one, however, Poa polyphylla, is an addition to the flora, the others being 

 included in Mr. Cheeseman's list. 



Mr. Cheeseman in his " Manual of the New Zealand Flora " includes 

 the names of 104 species of plants as occurring in the Kermadec Islands. 

 From the list given in vol. xx of the Transactions he omits one as being 

 introduced {Polypogon monspeliensis), and seven others, the omission of 

 three of which {Mariscus ustulatus, Paspalum scrobiculatum, Dichelachne 

 sciurea) is probably due to an oversight. Diplazium japonicum, and three 

 species (including Poa polyphylla) collected by Miss Shakespear, are added. 

 This brings the n^^mber of species recorded to 107, if the three above omis- 

 sions be included. 



Early in 1907 Mr. W. L. Wallace, of Timaru, and myself made arrange- 

 ments to visit and stay for a year on Sunday Island for the purpose of 

 studying plant and animal life. Subsequently Messrs. T. Iredale, C. E. 

 Warden, and S. R. Oliver joined the expedition. We left Auckland in 

 the New Zealand Government steamer " Hinemoa " on the 28th December, 

 1907, and landed our provisions, instruments, &c., in Denham Bay on the 

 31st December. From a camp in Denham Bay and another near Fleetwood 

 Blufi as bases the whole island was explored, while a motor-launch was 

 used to visit the outlying rocks. The " Hinemoa " called again on the 

 7th November, 1908, but owing to bad weather we were not able to ship 

 our goods until the 11th. We landed on Macauley Island, Curtis Island, 

 and French Rock on the voyage back, and reached Auckland on the 16th 

 November. 



The Kermadec Islands were chosen as the object of our investigation 

 on account of their being in ce.rt.ain respects a little-known portion of the 

 New Zealand biological region. Our collections included specimens of rocks, 

 plants, and animals ; while meteorological observations were taken daily 

 for a period of nine months. Besides collecting specimens, I paid much 

 attention to the plant formations existing on the islands. Following are 

 some of the results of my investigations. 



The number of species of plants added to the flora is fourteen : — 



Trichomanes humile, Dichelachne crinita, 



Hymenophyllum flahellatum, Heleocharis acuta, 



Cyathea kerniadecensis, n. sp., Kyllinga brevifoUa, 



Nephrolepis cordijolia, Carex lucida, 



Histiopteris incisa, Juncics effusus, 



Lycopodium voluhile, J. pauciflorus, 



Danthonia pilosa, Erechthites prenanthoides. 



