192 



AUSTRALIA 



timber, pastures, and agricultural land, and the pleasant- 

 ness of the climate, make New Caledonia a little inde- 

 pendent world capable of the highest development, like 

 New Zealand and Tasmania. 



New Zealand is entirely situated in the temperate 

 latitudes, corresponding to those of southern Europe, 

 and enjoys, on the whole, a very mild equable climate. 



Fig. 69. Kauri Logs and Furest, N. Zealand. 



Only the upper reaches of the southern Alps rise to the 

 cold belt and possess permanent glaciers. 



The distribution of the rainfall over the North Island 

 and the northern point of South Island is fairly uniform 

 and abundant throughout the year. This combination 

 of an equable and mild climate with a plentiful moisture 

 is ideal for the development of the temperate rain-forest, 

 which finds here a luxuriant expression. One or two 



