BAD HABITS. 



99 



the northern half of the South Island, at an altitude of from 

 4,000 feet to 6,000 feet above sea-level. 



Dr. L. Cockayne makes the following comment upon 

 them: — "The rocks of the alpine summits weathering away, 

 and the rain not being sufficient to bear all the debris down 

 into the valleys, an enormous quantity of angular stones collects 

 on the mountain sides in many places, which may form steep 

 slopes for thousands of feet. As the climber wearily ascends 





THE VEGETABLE SHEEP iRaouUa e.riuiia), Mt. Torlesse, 

 Canterbury. 



these shingle slips, as they are called, progress is slow ; the 

 tones continually slip beneath his feet, and slide down the 

 slope. No place could seem more unlikely to support vegetable 



life. It is in truth a veritable alpine desert On 



these shingle slips the wonderful vegetable sheep are 

 encountered. These grow, not on the shingle, but on the 

 rocks which the stones have nearly buried. Large examples 

 form great hummocks six feet long by three feet across, or 



