CHAP. VII.] MOUNT EGMONT. 143 



to an open spot, several square miles in extent, 

 probably cleared by natives, but now grown over 

 with the highest Phormirm tenax I ever saw. The 

 leaves in many instances were twelve, and the flower- 

 stalks twenty, feet long ; their flowers contain a kind 

 of sweet liquid in considerable quantities, the ex- 

 traction of which forms a favourite occupation among 

 the New Zealand children. The cryptogamous 

 plants, ferns, jungermanmas, and mosses, bear in 

 New Zealand rather an undue proportion to the 

 phanerogomous a circumstance which is unfavour- 

 able to the rearing of bees. I am not aware that 

 there is any native bee in New Zealand, but in cer- 

 tain seasons the European bee would find a great 

 quantity of honey and wax in the Phormium tenax. 

 Bees have been introduced into New Zealand from 

 New South Wales : my excellent friend, the Rev. 

 Richard Taylor, at Waimate, had a hive, and they 

 were thriving remarkably well ; but in that neigh- 

 bourhood many European plants had been intro- 

 duced. 



The country began now to rise a little, but the 

 elevation was so slight as to be scarcely perceptible. 

 Everywhere vegetation appeared most vigorous, and 

 the primeval forest was often almost impenetrable, 

 on account of thick creepers, and the thorns, tata- 

 ramoa (rubus), of which several species are found, 

 and which tore our hands and faces severely. We 

 scarcely ever obtained a view of the sun, and the 

 shade of the trees produced a delightful coolness, 



