EUROPEAN OCCUPATION 521 



The following notes regarding the partial extermination of certain 

 species are taken from Dr Petrie's paper "On the Flowering Plants 

 of Otago" (1895): 



Aciphylla squarrosa, Forst. Seedlings are readily cropped by sheep 

 and cattle, so that when the old plants die off there are few young ones 

 to take their place. 



Celmisia densiflora, Hook, f., will soon be all but exterminated through 

 burning and the attacks of stock and rabbits. 



C. coriacea 1 , Hook, f ., rapidly disappearing before the attacks of rabbits 

 and stock. 



C. discolor, Hook. f. Once abundant in Central and Western Otago, 

 but now getting rare. 



Raoulia Hectori, Hook. f. Formerly common on all high mountains 

 of Central Otago, now rapidly dying off from the drying of the ground 

 through burning and close cropping. 



Further examples are furnished by B. C. Aston in his paper on 

 " Some effects of Imported Animals on the Indigenous Vegetation." 



Senecio Greyti, Hook, f., at Mukumuku, Palliser Bay, is restricted 

 possibly chiefly owing to goats to the cliffs, where it is with great difficulty 

 that specimens can be secured. 



Lepidium tenuicaule, T. Kirk. It is feared that this species, common 

 in Titahi Bay in 1907, has been entirely eaten out. 



Ligusticum aromaticum, Hook, f., is being exterminated high up on 

 Ngauruhoe by rabbits. 



Gymnogramme leptophylla, Desv. This fern, once abundant on Wel- 

 lington coasts, is believed to have been exterminated by sheep and rabbits. 

 Being an annual it would be eaten before the spores were shed. 



Stilbocarpa polaris, A. Gray. At Campbell Island, which is inhabited 

 and farmed as a sheep-run, this plant is being eaten out by sheep. 



Pleurophyllum spectosum, Hook. f. At Port Ross, Auckland Island, in 

 January, 1909, at nooft., numerous pig-tracks were observed, and this 

 plant appeared to have been eaten out on all stations but inaccessible 

 rock-faces. 



Pleurophyllum Hookeri, Buch. On Auckland Island, in November, 

 1907, at Flat-topped Mountain, Carnley Harbour, and above the scrub 

 line, pigs had eaten freely of this species, having grubbed up the plants 

 to get at the root-stock. 



Poa littorosa, Cheesm. This grass was evidently being exterminated 

 at Enderby Island by the cattle. 



One effect of the introduction of animals has been to cause an 

 increase in the abundance of certain indigenous species of plants. 



Very few native plants are so adapted as to have their seeds 

 spread by passing animals. There being apparently no animals in 



1 Cheeseman states that in presence of rabbits C. coriacea has increased enor- 

 mously, e.g. on the Takitimo Mts., and in the Hanmer Plains area. I have observed 

 the same on Maungatua in Otago. It has succumbed to fire in many parts. 



