Vol. XIII. 

 1913 



] Oliver, Bird-Life on White Island (N.Z.) 87 



breeding-place for sea-birds under conditions — namely, in the 

 presence of poisonous fumes — scarcely paralleled elsewhere. I 

 considered myself fortunate, therefore, when, through the courtesy 

 of Mr. J. G. Magee, manager of the White Island Sulphur Co., 

 I was permitted to visit White Island during December, 1912. 

 Leaving Opotiki in the company's launch at 3 a.m. on the 6th, a 

 course nearly due north was steered for the island, which, though 

 35 miles out in the Bay of Plenty, was clearly visible, and easily 

 attracted attention by the white steam cloud resting over it. 

 Viewed from the sea at close quarters, it was a magnificent sight. 

 The sun, rising from near the south-east, made the island stand 

 out like a jewel against the clear blue sky and deeper blue of the 

 calm waters. The island itself is of a light pink colour, clothed 

 at its base and western end with dark green vegetation. Where 

 the crater wall is broken away (as it is at the eastern end, where 

 we landed), the sulphur-coloured cliffs of the interior are- visible, 

 and over all rests a huge cloud of steam, from which the island 

 receives its name. We landed at 7.40 a.m. in Crater Bay, near 

 where the overflow from the crater lake discharges. The sea 

 water here is discoloured, and no life is found for some distance 

 on either side. 



White Island is only i^ miles in length, but it rises to a height 

 of 1,075 feet above sea-level. It is a volcanic cone, with a 

 central crater, which has steep outer and precipitous inner faces, 

 but is broken away almost to sea-level at the eastern end, where 

 a landing may be effected in fine weather. Within the crater 

 is a large lake of greenish-yellow water, boiling in several places, 

 and containing, among other chemicals, over 5 per cent, of free 

 hydrochloric acid. The outer slopes of the crater are very steep, 

 difficult and dangerous to walk over, as the stones give way 

 at every step, and deeply furrowed by innumerable channels, 

 often impassable on account of their precipitous sides of loose, 

 detachable material. An immense quantity of steam is discharged 

 from the crater at all times. Issuing from three large and innumer- 

 able small blow-holes near the level of the lake, it usually ascends 

 to the top of the island, where it is caught by the wind and carried 

 away. Apparently all steam issuing from the White Island crater 

 is charged with poisonous fumes, that from the lake being par- 

 ticularly noxious. It has a choking effect, and even in mild 

 doses, such as one can scarcely avoid when exploring the crater, 

 causes constant coughing, and colours the saliva pink. It is the 

 presence in the atmosphere of poisonous fumes which inhibits 

 (except at places remote from the crater) the growth of vegetation 

 on the island. It also occasionally disturbs the sea-birds, but, 

 apparently, does not interfere with the rearing of their young. 



I spent three days on White Island, during the whole of which 

 time the weather was fine. Fearing a change, however, I decided 

 to return to Opotiki in a launch owned by a Maori, who came 

 over for the day to collect young Mutton-Birds for eating. 

 Trusting to a ' compass which was evidently affected by a lamp 



