214 Transactions. — Botany. 



December, 1881, Mr. W. S. Hamilton and Mr. Goyen made the ascent of 

 Bakiaua, during which they collected an Aciphylla, the first observed on the 

 island, Raoulia goyeni and Hymenophyllum rafescens, the last being extremely 

 rare and local. 



I had the pleasure of examing the flora in January, 1882, when I 

 landed on Herekopere Island ; and again in January, 1884. Although my 

 stay on the last occasion was but short, I was able to make the ascent of 

 the Euggedy Eange, on the west coast, and of Mount Anglem, the highest 

 peak on the island, but was unable to visit the extreme north or the extreme 

 south. During my excursions a few plants new to science were discovered, 

 and much important information collected with regard to the vertical and 

 horizontal distribution of many interesting species. 



Stewart Island is about 42 miles in length from north to south-west, 

 and about 26 miles in its greatest breadth from east to west. Its area is 

 estimated at 640 square miles. It is composed chiefly of slates and granitic 

 rocks, the latter often in a highly decomposed condition, and in some 

 localities intersected by dykes. In a few instances the slates are more or 

 less metamorphosed by the overlying or interjected volcanic rocks occa- 

 sionally passing into a kind of novaculite, which is utilised for whetstones 

 by the settlers. 



On tbe eastern side the coast is deeply indented by Paterson's Inlet, a 

 fine arm of the sea, which extends half way across the island and includes 

 several secure harbours — Glory harbour, Abraham's Bosom, Glory Cove, 

 etc. At the head of the inlet a swampy valley, but slightly elevated above 

 high-water mark, runs across the island to a point between Euggedy on the 

 west coast, and the Mount Anglem range, where it is abruptly closed by 

 low hills. About six miles from the head of the inlet a break in the 

 hills on the southern side of the valley leads into Mason's Bay, where a large 

 extent of flat land of good quality is sheltered from the sea by hills of blown 

 sand, now more or less covered with low forests, although in some places 

 advancing inland. From Mason's Bay a considerable extent of undulating 

 table-land extends southward to Port Pegasus at an elevation of from 1,200 

 to 1,700 feet. To the north the country is much broken and rugged, 

 culminating in Mount Anglem at an elevation of 3,200 feet. 



Between seven and eight miles from the head of Paterson's Inlet the 

 main valley rises somewhat rapidly, and a grand system of river terraces 

 comes almost suddenly into view ; the terraces are two in number and are 

 carried along each side of the valley ; at a point where the valley is two 

 miles wide the lower terrace is about 45 feet high and the upper about 40. 

 Near the base of Euggedy they form two branches, one running along the 

 southwestern flank, the other along the northern ; both branches appear to 



