108 J. MURRAY 



bring mosses from the highest points at which they grew. Together they climbed 

 Mount Wakefield, over 6000 feet high, and got moss near the top. Dr. Michell 

 ascended to a similar height on the Sealy Range. 



Dr. Mackay made the first ascent of the hitherto maiden peak of the Nun's Veil, 

 just under 9000 feet in height. From that trip we got the most interesting biological 

 results of our whole work in New Zealand. Dr. Mackay got some moss at about 

 6000 feet, and some lichen near the top. The moss was a little scrap of a 

 Dicranum, and I am told that it is a previously unknown species. In the axils of its 

 leaves there were several species of water-bears, two of which are new to science 

 and are the only peculiar species obtained in New Zealand. 



Lake Wakatipu was next visited. The microfauna was much the same as in the 

 Mount Cook district. The water of this lake was not milky, but beautifully clear 

 and cold. In the plankton of the lake a species of the rotifer Pedalion was found. 



A journey was made by coach through the beautiful Otira Gorge to the west 

 coast. As soon as we crossed the pass and got on to the western slope we found 

 ourselves in a different world. The whole country was densely wooded, the tree-ferns 

 giving a tropical and unfamiliar look to the bush. Everything was festooned with 

 luxuriant moss. Incidentally, the torrential rains which promote the luxuriance of 

 the vegetation poured upon us all the time that we stayed on the coast. 



There was little opportunity for studying the moss fauna on the spot, though a 

 light microscope was carried with us. The fauna was poor, especially in Tarcligrada, 

 but .one or two rotifers were got which are peculiar to New Zealand. 



The available time being short, we set out on a coasting steamer for Wellington. 

 At every port we visited, from Hokotika to Nelson, we had a few hours ashore, and 

 spent them in the bush, picking mosses from the trees. No attempt could now be 

 made to examine them, and they were sent off from time to time by mail for future 

 study. 



Foggy weather delayed us, and when we reached the North Island our time was 

 almost spent. In the few days remaining it was desired to get as far north as 

 possible, so as to include in our study of the fauna as great a range in latitude as 

 might be. We went to Auckland, and on the advice of Mr. Cheeseman, of the 

 Auckland Museum, proceeded to the Waitakerei Range, a short distance to the 

 north-west of the town. Here we found the bush of similar character to that of the 

 South Island at Hokotika, but if anything moister and still more abounding in ferns. 



It was a happy hunting-ground for the student of mosses and moss faunas, 

 but we were not permitted to linger hunting there. In our limited time we. 

 collected half a dozen kinds of water-bears, which had all been previously obtained 

 in the South Island. 



When the Nimrod came back out of the south the first green-clothed land we 

 came to was Stewart Island. We had a whole day ashore there. The bush in that 

 uninhabited region was almost impenetrable, and after spending some hours and 



