Adams. — On the Botany of the Thames Goldfields. 389 



There are at least fifty plants of the two first-mentioned to one of Ptero- 

 stylis squamata. This plant grows amongst tea-tree (Leptospermum scopanum) 

 and always near the summit of low hills. 



Very few of the flowers come to maturity, as they are destroyed by 

 minute insects before the flowers open. Another enemy to it is fire, as the 

 vegetation is annually burnt off the hills where it grows. t This year I could 

 find it only in those places that escaped the fire last year ; and as its ex- 

 tinction is not improbable, I enclose a painting of it in full bloom. 



Whilst these are in bloom on the bare hills, Pterostylis graminea is in 

 flower on the ridges of steep bush-land hills. 



In the beginning of October Pterostylis banksii begins to flower in the 

 woods whilst Thelymitra imberbis and Caladenia minor have taken the place 

 of Pterostylis puberula and Cyrtostylis oblonga on the low hills. 



Towards the end of the month Thelymitra longifolia is also in flower, and 

 Chiloglottis comuta is found on steep ridges where no bush fires have been. 



The commonest orchids appear in November. They are Microtis porri- 

 folia and Orthoceras solandri. These plants, together with Thelymitra longi- 

 folia, are so abundant on some hillsides near native settlements that pigs 

 turn over the soil in large patches for the sake of getting at the tubers. 

 Sarchochilns adversus that blooms in the same month and grows on the boles 

 of trees is not by any means common. 



These plants with Bolbophyllum pygmmim flourish through the month of 

 December. 



The orchids of January are Gastrodia cunninghamii and Thelymitra pul- 

 chella. The former though a large plant is extremely difficult to see, and 

 the latter I found only once, and that near the summit of Pakirarahi. 



Earina autumnalis begins to flower in February, and can be found in 

 flower for a couple of months. 



The last orchid of the year that I found was Prasophyllum pumilum. 

 It flowers in the middle of March, and is not only rare but also easily over- 

 looked in the low tea-tree where it grows. 



My collection of orchids at the Thames numbers twenty-seven, and the 

 whole number peculiar to New Zealand is forty. I do not include in this 

 number Adenochilus gracilis, for although it appears in Mr. Kirk's list I have 

 not been able to find it here. 



I have been equally unsuccessful in the search for Dracophyllum traversii, 

 Lomaria vulcanica and Dactylanthus sp. My friend Mr. Cheeseman, F.L.S., 

 who knows the district well, has not been more successful in his search for 

 these plants, although he has made a very large addition to Mr. Kirk's list. 

 I have to thank him for the valuable assistance he has given me in the 

 progress of my researches, and I believe he takes as much interest in my 

 collection as I do myself. 



