92 Transactions. 
of the consistently high humidity of the forest-interior. H. multifidum is 
by far the most abundant species, occurring in the rata forest in its 
ordinary mesophytic form. On Campbell des there is no forest, its 
place being taken by a dense scrub-association. The only Hymenophyllaceae 
here occurring are H. villosum and the mountain form of multifidum, 
the latter occurring, as in the Auckland Islands, in large abundant 
patches both in the subalpine meadow and on subalpine rocks. On the 
Antipodes Island H. multifidum alone has been found, while on Macquarie 
Island, where woody plants are altogether wanting, even this species seems 
to be absent. Cockayne points out (12, p. 271) that these Subantarctic 
Islands can be arranged in a series affording an instructive example 
of how arborescent plant-formations, even in a rain-forest climate, are 
inhibited by frequent and violent winds, and thefr place taken by meadow 
growths, which, notwithstanding the winds, are so stimulated by the 
moisture as to be of very great luxuriance. In the same way this series 
indicates H. villosum and H. multifidum as being the hardiest species of 
the Hymenophyllaceae, as also they are seen to be on the mainland of 
New Zealand. 
ПІ. GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 
. The NE reached as to the altitudinal distribution of 
de "Hymenophyllace in Westland, set forth in Part I of these 
Studies (18), are bonis out by their behaviour in the drier parts of the 
uth Island, and in other parts of the New Zealand Biological Region, 
except that northward the lowland species attain progressively higher 
Leod 
2. The conclusions reached as to the vertical distribution of the 
species in the Westland forests (18) are also borne out by their behaviour 
in other parts of the New Zealand Biological Region, except that 
uo do they so thoroughly adopt the epiphytic habit as they do in 
estland. 
comparative study of the fern floras of the forests of different 
localities shows that the extent to which the ferns generally and the 
Hymenophyllaceae in particular adopt the epiphytie habit is a reliable 
indication as to how far the high humidities in the forest-interior can 
be proe as consistent. 
Those species which in the comparatively dry Eastern District of 
the “South Island have the widest altitudinal range—viz., H. villosum and 
Н. multifidum—and which, along with H. peltatum and H. n 
must be reckoned to occur there bog = abundantly, are always t 
to begin to adopt the epiphytic ha 
4. The comparison of the ees mixed-taxad and the pure southern- 
beech types of forest in localities where, as in the vicinity of Reefton, 
these occur in close proximity shows that the latter, on account of its 
poverty in large- -leaved shrubs and shrubby trees and tree-ferns, is unable 
to preserve in its interior, except perhaps at or near the floor, a constantly 
high atmospheric humidity even when the rainfall and the number of 
rainy days experienced is large; and also that it is unable to afford 
land also do not show such an abundant filmy-fern flora as do the forests 
