1896.1 



191 



these one can easily get around witli comfort in dry weather, but not 

 without a thorough drenching in or after rain. In the inaccessible* 

 ravines and those which are difficult to ascend, numbers of other trees 

 and plants are found, many of which no doubt grew freely on the flats 

 and ridges before the cattle had destroyed them. Chief among them 

 are the " wauke " (Broussonetia), a food-plant of the native Vanessa, 

 several superb ai'borescent Lobeliacece, the creeping Smilax now out 

 in full bloom, the fragrant " Maile " {Ah/xia), and the beautiful pink 

 or white-flowered Begonia, the " Puamakanui " (flower with the big 

 eyes) of the natives, Hillehrandia sandwicensis of botanists. 



A thousand feet or so lower down there is considerable change in 

 the vegetation. " Koa" and "Ohia" remain, but the "Akala" becomes 

 scarcer, and a softer fern appears. " Koolea " {ISLyrsine) and " Pua " 

 {Olea sandwicensis) are abundant, and " Opiko" (Sfraussia), " Naio " 

 (Myoporum = h&steivd sandal), " Papala " {Pisonia, one oi the trees 

 from which the old natives procured their birdlime), climbing " leie " 

 {Freycinetia), and scattered tree-ferns are evident. Further along 

 the windward side of the Island the interior is more boggy with 

 luxuriant growth of " Painiu " (Astelia) and Cyperaceae, but this 

 ground I visited in 1894 and left alone on the present occasion. 



Several species of Lepidoptera were abundant enough, chiefly 

 Micros and Pyralidina. The beautiful native Vanessa flew gracefully 

 around, its thick-set spiny larva feeding on the " wauke " trees in the 

 gulches. P. cardui swarmed as larva and imago amongst a tall hand- 

 some introduced thistle, already become a plague, and P. Huntera was 

 in the open country. Lyccena hoetica was noticed as high as 6000 

 feet, and occasionally in the forest the little hair-streak (Holocheila 

 Blachhurni). 



A few species of Noctuce came freely to the wet decaying ferns 

 forming the ends of my house, feeding on the moisture. On exposing 

 a light they dropped to the ground, quite incapable of flight. All were 

 Agrotis- and Leucania-\ike species, amongst the crowd some very nice 

 varieties. Hypcenoides, several Pyralids, and a number of Micros were 

 amongst these. With the dry weather, however, they entirely ceased 

 to come. 



Of Geometridcs two or three species of Eupithecia came to light 

 or were netted in the brief twilight, and a few species of Boarmidce. 

 One of these, an obscure species, had entirely destroyed the foliage 

 of the Koa trees through miles and miles of forest, so that at first 

 sight they appeared all dead, and gave a remarkable appearance to the 



