Kirk. — Botany and Cmichology of Great Omaha. 365 



certain seasons. In 1863 it was growing near the mouth of the harbour in a 

 peculiar manner, the blown sand gathering about the plant formed little 

 hummocks through which the branches pushed their way to the surface, so 

 that at a short distance the low white mounds appeared dotted over with 

 green rosettes. A change in the outline of the beach in 1864 destroyed the 

 plant in this part, and I have only seen it at the further end of the beach 

 during recent visits. About the middle of the beach, but far back from high 

 water-mark, is a clump of noble specimens of the pohutukawa and the tarata 

 {FittospoTum crassifolium) which doubtless mark the site of the old margin. 

 A peculiar variety of Carex raoulii has arched and procumbent culms some- 

 times more than six feet in length, and accompanies a slender sub-erect form 

 of Pratia angulata. 



The preceding sketch of the chief physical characteristics of the district, and 

 of the more prominent features of its vegetation, although very far indeed 

 from being complete, is yet sufficient to show that the district is well adapted 

 to support a large variety of molluscous life, and such is found to be the 

 case. The enumeration at the close of this paper is not offered as a complete 

 account of the shells to be found within its boundaries, but is the result of a 

 cursory examination made nine or ten years ago, supplemented by a few 

 species collected during recent visits, and especially by additions made by 

 Mr. Charles Matthews, who is well acquainted with the plants and shells of 

 the district, and to whom I take this opportunity of acknowledging my 

 indebtedness for many rare specimens and much valuable information relative 

 to habitats, etc. 



The beach at Whangatau is exposed to the force of north-east gales, after 

 which high water-mark is fringed with large specimens of Turbo cookii, Feciun- 

 culus laticostatus, Struthiolaria paputosa. Cassis pyrum, Pecten laticostatus, 

 with more rarely the fine Triton australis and others. Spirula pero'aii is 

 washed or rather blown amongst the sand-hills in countless thousands, whilst 

 the beautiful Janthina exigua, and numbers of smaller shells, mark the 

 extreme limits of the waves. Still more rarely Imperator heliotropiv/m and 

 the large Janthina communis may be collected. Mactra discors and M. ven- 

 tricosa are not uncommon, and may be procured by digging beyond low water- 

 mark. In the calmest weather, Mesodesma cuneata may be picked up between 

 tide marks, and the common long pipi, M. chemnitzii, below low water-mark. 

 Pecten laticostatus formerly occurred on a shoal accessible at neap tides, but 

 the site is now covered by deep water, and the shell is found only after gales. 

 The pretty P. zealandicus is frequently thrown on the beach, often associated 

 with another interesting shell, Scalaria zelehori. Solenomya australis, the 

 representative of the European razor-shells, with its periostraca produced 

 beyond the margin of the shell, is often thrown up, but 1 never obtained 



