418 Transactions. — Botany. 



The narrative then goes on to say that on the following morn- 

 ing two boats with water-casks were sent to the shore, and 

 that on nearing it many armed natives were seen, whose 

 demeanour was by no means pacific. The surf was heavy, 

 and landing would have been dangerous ; so that after a con- 

 sultation among the officers the attempt was abandoned, and 

 the boats returned to the ships, which immediately took their 

 departure. Tasman's w^ords, " where fresh water came in 

 abundance from a high mountain," can only apply to this bay, 

 for there is no other place on the island where a permanent 

 stream discharges into the sea. The gradual ascent up the 

 cliffs which we noticed would be the one made use of by the 

 Maoris from their landing-place, and the shelving rock on the 

 beach is one of the few places where a canoe could have been 

 safely drawn up. 



The eastern portion of the Great King is much less in- 

 teresting, and needs little description. Its highest point is 

 also on the north-west, and from thence it slopes evenly and 

 gradually to the south-east. It is mainly covered with short 

 tea-tree, flax, common fern, and a few sedges. K shallow 

 gully takes a southerly direction to the edge of the cliffs, and 

 may have w'ater in it during the winter months, but it was 

 quite dry at the time of our visit. 



In many parts of the island the cliffs have a good deal of 

 vegetation growing on them ; but their inaccessibility precludes 

 an examination, except near the landing-places and one or 

 two other localities. The curious Veronica collected on the 

 Western King was seen in small quantity. Pittosporum fair- 

 childi was not uncommon, growing in a much more compact 

 form than in the gullies. A few karaka-trees (Corijnocarjyus) 

 were scattered in sheltered nooks. Pohutukawas are seen all 

 round the island, but in small numbers, and are dwarfed and 

 stunted compared with their usual size on the mainland. A 

 remarkable variety of the titoki (Alcctryon cxcelsum), with 

 leaves three or four times the size of the type, was gathered. 

 It is so different in appearance that it might be distinguished 

 as variety granclis. Here and there may be seen small clumps 

 of the parapara {Pisonia brunoniana), with its viscid fruit, 

 which frequently catches small birds which are so unfor- 

 tunate as to come in contact with it. Several other note- 

 worthy plants occur on the cliffs ; but as they are all men- 

 tioned in the appended catalogue, it is hardly necessary to 

 particularize them here. 



The land-bird most frequently seen on the Great King is 

 the bell-bird {Antliornis), which is present in great numbers. 

 It was most pleasing to listen once more to its song^" like a 

 chime of silver bells " — so familiar to all old colonists, but 

 now, alas ! to be heard no more on the mainland of the North 



