a 
T. Kmx.—On the Botany of Islands in the Hauraki Gulf. 446 
In this paper I purpose to offer a brief account of the chief characteristics 
of the vegetation of these islands, and to draw attention to those features 
which have been most strongly developed by their respective physical 
peculiarities, 
The largest island of the group is Waiheke, about thirteen miles in 
length, with a mean breadth of three and a-half miles, although in some 
places much wider, It is estimated to comprise 23,200 acres, of which 
1,500 are laid down in grass. It consists chiefly of stiff clays, sandstones, 
and slates, and in its altitude and general characteristics bears considerable 
resemblance to the island of Kawau. The hills are low, nowhere exceeding 
750 feet in altitude, the valleys are chiefly of an open character, and there 
are few deep ravines ; most of the coast line is rocky; in fact, there are 
only one or two short pieces of sandy beach on the entire coast, and there 
are no extensive swamps. Manganese crops out on the surface in several 
localities, and is now worked in one or two places, forming an article of 
export. At the present time, partly from actual clearing of forest land and 
laying down in grass, and partly from the destruction effected by the 
constant browsing of cattle, coupled with frequent burning of the fern and 
manuka in the open country, the relative proportion between different 
species has become greatly altered, but there is no reason to suppose that 
even a single species has been extirpated. 
The forest vegetation is usually of considerable luxuriance, although, as 
a rule, not remarkable for timber of large dimensions; to this however there 
are some notable exceptions. The kauri ( Dammara australis) was formerly 
plentiful in several localities, but has become extremely rare; as on tho 
Great Darrier Island, so on Waiheke, it specially affected soils derived from 
the older rocks. The tooth-leaved beech (Fagus fusca) occurs in con- 
siderable quantity at the sea level, occasionally of large size; the rimu 
(Dacrydium cupressinum ) also frequently attains large dimensions, but the 
totara ( Podocarpus totara) is rare and always small; the maire (P. ferruginea) 
is rather more plentiful, and the matai ( P. spicata) decidedly rare; I did 
not observe a single specimen of large size. The tawa ( Nesodaphne tawa) 
forms a large portion of the forest in many places, while the taraire ( N. 
taraire) is comparatively rare; the pukatea (Atherosperma nova-zealandig ), 
white pine (Podocarpus daerydioides;y, and tanekaha ( Phyllocladus tricho- 
manoides) are not infrequent; puriri /Vitev littoralis), rata (Metrosideros 
robusta), hinau ( Eleocarpus dentatus), kowhai / Sophora tetraptera), ma- 
ngiao (Tetranthera calicaris), kohe-kohe ( Dysoxylum spectabile ), titoki ( Alec- 
tryon excelsum), toro (Persoonia toro), tipau (Myrsine salicina), mapau 
( M. australis), and others affording useful woods are found in most forest 
districts, although nowhere abundant. Que of the most strongly marked 
