Hudson. — On Entomology of the Routehurn Valley. 199 



On ascending the Lake Harris track, more and more exten- 

 sive views are unfolded of this mid and interesting region, and 

 the collecting between elevations of about 2,500 ft. and the 

 end of the bush at about 3,600 ft. is extremely good. One 

 very large mountain-torrent is crossed about half-way up the 

 bush-line. On 23rd January, 1906, just before crossing this 

 stream, we were caught in a passing snowstorm. The snow 

 was seen descending from a perfectly clear sky for fully five 

 minutes after the clouds which had shed the snow had passed 

 over. This interesting phenomenon was probably caused by 

 a very strong south-west wind blowing in the upper regions of 

 the atmosphere and driving the clouds across at a great rate, 

 thus not allowing time for the relatively light snowfiakes to fall 

 through the calmer air near the surface of the earth until after 

 the clouds had disappeared. At the bush-line itself the river 

 passes over a number of fine waterfalls, and in places is divided 

 into several branches which reunite after flowing through very 

 precipitous ravines. A gorge is then traversed, and the open 

 country above 3,600 ft. fairly reached. This country, although 

 rough, is tolerably accessible, and should yield excellent collect- 

 ing in calm sunny weather, as even during periods of fitful sun- 

 shine and strong wind many interesting species were found. 

 Two or three miles of this class of country are traversed before 

 Lake Harris is reached. 



This lake is situated solemnly between vast, almost perpen- 

 dicular snow-clad mountains, and resembles in general appear- 

 ance an artificial reservoir, the outlet flowing over a solid rocky 

 dam, the bed of the lake having apparently been hollowed out 

 of the rock by glacial action. Lake Harris was, unfortimately, 

 the limit of our expeditions, the weather being so unsettled 

 during each of our visits (two days in 1905, and seven in 1906) 

 that more extended trips could not be undertaken. I had in- 

 tended to have scaled the Lake Harris saddle and descended 

 into the HoUyford Valley by way of the Martin's Bay track, 

 but had to abandon this proposed expedition on account of the 

 weather. 



The bush round the Routeburn Hut is rich in birds, and by 

 means of my small telescope I obtained many interesting views of 

 the following species, amongst others : Kea, grey duck, paradise 

 duck, sparrow-hawk, red-fronted and yellow-fronted parakeets, 

 and several species of wrens. Rabbits also were fairly abundant, 

 but as yet they do not appear to have committed very serious 

 depredations on the native flora. On the Humboldt Range, at 

 the head of Lake Wakatipu, the rabbits have unquestionably 

 very much injured the alpine flora since I first visited that 

 locality in 1894. 



