414 Transactions. — Botany. 



^vith a spreading crosvn of branches 16ft. in diameter, and 

 v.dtb a trunk 21in. in circumference at the base. Many of the 

 leaves (inchiding the petiole) are quite 2ft. Gin. in length. 



The other shrubby plants noticed were tire ngaio (JSIyopo- 

 runi hetniii), the tv.'o kinds of tea-tree {Lcptospcrnmm ericoides 

 and L. scoimriuvi), the wharangi {Molicopc tcrnata), and my 

 two new species, Cojnvsma macrocarpa and Paratropliis smithii. 

 The last inentioned was particularly abundant, especially 

 tow^ards the sunniiit of the island, forming a bush a few feet 

 in height, with flexuous and closely-interlaced branches, and 

 presenting a very different appearance from the tall, slender, 

 sparingly-branched form seen in the gullies of the Great 

 King, aud described in my previous paper. The climbing- 

 plants \Yere the common kaihu {Parsonsia alhiflora), MuJilen- 

 bcchia adv/ressa, and Sicijos angulatus. The undergrowth was 

 mainly composed of ferns, Pterls comans and Asplenium lucl- 

 diiin being the species most a;buudant. Davallia tasinani was 

 plentiful, attaining a greater size than on the main island of 

 the group. A few sedges and grasses were also occasionally 

 seen. The extreme summit of the island is i-ocky and almost 

 bare of vegetation. 



The bell-bird (Antlioynu) was the only land-bird really 

 plentiful, but it was present in great numbers. Fantails, 

 grey-warblers, aud white-eyes were all seen, but were com- 

 paratively scarce. Two or three moreporks were started from 

 the deep shade of the puka-trees ; and in a large patch of 

 toetoe grass our sailors found a, hawk's nest containing some 

 fledglings, nearly full grown, which they took on board the 

 steamer. Several petrels breed on the island, digging out bur- 

 rows among the roots of the puka. From one of them I dis- 

 lodged a specimen of the small shearw-ater {ruffinus assimilis). 

 The locality seems a likely one for the tuatara lizard, hub un- 

 fortunately we neglected to take a spade ashore with us, and 

 were therefore unable to examine the burrows. 



After spending the greater part of the morning oii shore, 

 we were recalled by the whistle of the "Hinemoa." The 

 afternoon and the whole of the next day were given to the ex- 

 ploration of the Great King, which is separated from the West 

 King by a deep-water channel, free of all danger, of tvro or 

 three miles in width. 



The Great King is much the largest of tlie group. It is 

 about a mile and tliree quarters in greatest length, measuring 

 in an east-and-west direction, and its greatest breadth is over 

 three-quarters of a mile. The outline given in the Admiralty 

 charts is most erroneous, and it is difiicult to suppose, that it 

 can have been based on a real survey. It is there shown of 

 the shape of an equilateral triangle ; but its real outline is very 

 <]ifferent, and nnich more irregular. A broad and deep bay 



