KiiiK. — On tlic Bolaiii/ cf (he Snares. 427 



gl•o^vtll of Veronica elUptica from 4ft. to 8ft. high requires some 

 exertion to force a way through, the difficulty being aggravated 

 liy the penguins, which make vicious snaps at the legs, while 

 the explorer is held fast by entangled branches above. Usually 

 a belt of open land covered with tussock occurs between the 

 Ijusli and the edge of the cliff, and a few small patches are 

 found in the central parts of the island. In places where bush 

 has been felled by sealers the ground is covered with a dense 

 growth of Veronica elliptica, intermixed with tussock. 



There is but little freshwater on the island: two small rills 

 issuing from swampy ground unite before reaching the cliff, but 

 the water is undrinkablc, owing to its being polluted by the 

 penguins ; and the two or three swamp-plants maintain their 

 existence under difficulties, being constantly flattened under 

 the broad feet of these birds, which abound everywhere ; their 

 numbers being but little reduced by the predaceous sea-hawks 

 which swoox:) down u] on unguarded eggs or young birds, and 

 appear almost ready to attack man himself. 



Approaching the island on a fine January morning, the 

 attention is at once arrested by the peculiar grey or whitish 

 tint of the foliage, flecked here and there w^ith patches of 

 green. On landing, this is found to arise from the abundance 

 of Olearia hjallii, which is the principal tree on the island, 

 and forms the greater portion of the bush : when growing 

 in level situations it is erect, with rather open spreading 

 branches, but when situate on a sloping surface exposed to 

 the ^Yind it is often inclined, or with a prostrate trunk, the 

 roots being partly torn out of the soil ; the upj)er branches, 

 rooting at the tips, give rise to new trunks, which in their 

 turn are brought to the ground and repeat the process. The 

 short tiunks in some specimens arc fully 3ft. in diameter, but 

 the majority are from 1ft. to 2ft. The extreme height of the 

 tree rarely exceeds 2(Sft. 



In the original description of this plant in the "Flora 

 Antarctica "■■'- it was united with 0. colensol; but in the " Flora 

 Nova?-Zelandia2 " ! it is treated as a distinct species, although 

 from insufficient material the description is necessarily imper- 

 fect. Botanically the two species are closely allied, 0. hjallii 

 (hffering from 0. colensoi chiefly in the more open habit, more 

 robust branches, broadly-ovate or orbicular-ovate leaves which 

 are abruptly acuminate, and especially in the involucral 

 leaves being arranged in from five to eight series. The whole 

 l)lant is more densely tomentose, fully-formed leaves being 

 white above and below : the tomentum on the upper surface is 

 floccose, and falls awa^• during the first winter. The mature 



* " Flora Antarctica," ii., p. 543. 



t " Flora Novre-Zelanclia}," i., p. 116. 



