AND OTHER BIRDS 13 



branched nettle, well named Ferox. Three or 

 four kinds of fern, the New Zealand spinach, 

 trailing rankly where an overhead gap affords 

 light and air, make up with a few other plants 

 the little-varied undergrowth. 



Ferns, however, in these Mutton Bird islands 

 never seem to me to be happy. They can tolerate, 

 but cannot enjoy the salt of the blown spray 

 and the hot stimulus of bird-droppings. 



The whole southern slope of the island, often 

 precipitous, and everywhere cumbered with 

 slabs of granite, is a tangle of black vine, 

 stranded, knotted and coiled, whilst amongst 

 and above it grow clumps of veronica with 

 green wood only at the top. 



Near the whares, and possibly where a 

 clearing may have been once attempted, grows 

 a dense meadow of the strong, handsome island 

 grass. Another patch of this grass, less dense 

 and rank, has taken possession of the eastern 

 headland of the island, where some years ago 

 the peat was accidentally fired, and where it 

 continued for some days to smoulder. 



Elsewhere the uplands of peat sustain a crop 

 of low cut leaf bracken, its growth different 

 indeed from the magnificent pea-green shoots 

 that in spring uncurl alike on the edges of the 

 hot water creeks of the volcanic area and on the 

 high cold beech woods of the Motu and Mangatu. 

 Amongst this bracken's miserable short fronds, 

 apart from one another and with ample room 

 for each to develop his handsome habit, and 

 unaffected on top or side shoot even by the 

 tremendous gales of these regions, grow 

 groundsel trees scattered in park-like isolation. 

 Mutton Bird scrub is its island name, and even 



