198 The’ Biology of the High Mountain Plants. 
and they will transport many seeds &c. which though having no special adap- 
tations for that end may adhere to their feet or plumage, in fact it seems pro- 
bable that the bird is in large measure responsible for the plant-covering of 
such an isolated mountain as Mt. Egmont‘). Seeds such as those of Veronica 
can hardly travel from one mountain-range to another by any other means, 
#. Seasonal changes. 
If only the upper subalpine and alpine belts be considered, the period of 
‚blooming cannot extend much longer than 3 months for any Iocaiy and within 
that space of time many species flower and ripen their fruits, but taking New 
Zealand, as a a, it commences about the second hide in November and 
of herbs and the later part: by that of shrubs. and the fruiting of the early 
 flowering herbs. During April pril and to a lesser degree in May, the majority 
of the trees and shrubs are either ripening or still carry their fruit. Almost 
a ‚soon as the snow has melted, or even before it is quite away, some species 
come into ae ©. & — Caltha novae-zelandiae, Ranunculus Buchanani. 
eh species to come into blossom are the following: 
| Chrzsobactron Hooken, Nothofagus cliffortioides, er en, ob- 
thus acicula: aris, Ranunculus Lyalli, R. -Tobulatus, R. ae . NOvae-zea, 
‚ Notothlaspi rosulatum, 
