Andersen. — New Zealand Bird-song. 599 



experience goes, they might have been either, or both in concert, for both 

 have notes and themes to which Captain Cook's description might apply. 

 Whilst much of the harmony heard is probably not produced intentionally. 

 I think it quite as probable that occasionally it is intentional, for I have 

 on one occasion heard a duet between a tui and a bell-bird, as recorded on 

 page 666, Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. 43. There was absolutely no doubt of the 

 fact, for both birds were in view, sitting in the same tree, and the bell-bird 

 repeatedly came in at the right moment — on the very beat. The tui sang 

 his bell notes, and at once the bell-bird sang his theme to the bass of the 

 tui's aurr aurr. 



Art. LVII. — Notes on Nothopanax arboreum, with some Reference to the 



Development of the Gametophyte. 



By Elizabeth M. Pigott, M.A. 



Communicated by Professor H. B. Kirk. 



[Read before the Wellington Philosophical Society, 28th October, 1914.] 



General Notes. 



Closely allied to the order Umbelliferae is the order Araliaceae, differing 

 from it chiefly in being arboraceous in habit and tropical in distribution, 

 though it is found in Japan, Canada, north-west America, and New Zealand. 

 Among other differences between the two orders is the presence of usually 

 three or more carpels in the ovary. In SchefpZera digitata, a New Zealand 

 species, there are five carpels. This plant also bears its flowers in strongly 

 scented racemes. In another New Zealand member of the order, however, 

 Nothopanax arboreum, the appearance of three carpels, though not un- 

 common, is not usual : it usually produces only two. Moreover, the fruit 

 does not, as in Umbelliferae, split up into separate mericarps, but remains 

 somewhat fleshy when mature. The three orders, Umbelliferae, Araliaceae, 

 and Cornaceae, agree in having the ovules solitary in each carpel. Bracts, 

 also, are absent in Nothopanax arboreum, though, indeed, they are not 

 always present in all members of Umbelliferae. There are no vittae in the 

 seed. 



Life-history of Nothopanax arboreum. 



Nothopanax arboreum usually begins life as an epiphyte on tree-ferns, 

 though one was observed growing on the felled stump of a large timber- 

 tree. Young seedlings are, however, quite able to grow on the ground, 

 and frequently do so in nature when sufficient light is available on the 

 ground. The plant was not observed to bear flowers while still an epiphvte. 

 In the epiphytic trees roots are given off often at a great height. These 

 seek the ground, clinging closely to their support. Later they completely 

 envelope the host, as in rata, and when the host dies away the plant remains 

 as a Nothopanax tree. 



