﻿AucMand Institute. 393 



3. " On the Botany of the Titirangi District of the Province of Anckland," 

 by T. F. Cheeseman. (See Transactions, p. 270.) This paper describes the 

 chief physical features of the district, and the principal characteristics of its flora. 



Mi-. Kirk considered the paper a valuable contribution to our knowledo-e 

 of the botany of the north. As compared with the remainder of the country 

 north of the Auckland isthmus, the flora of the Titirangi district exhibited but 

 few peculiarities, the most striking being the presence of Viola filicaulis, 

 Myriophillum pedunculatum, Myostis australis, M. Forsteri, and the absence 

 of the beech [Fagus fusca), and one' or two other trees. The peculiar dis- 

 tribution of the beech in this province was worthy of a passing remark. From 

 the East Cape southwards to Otago it occurred frequently in forests, but to 

 the north it was entirely absent from laj-ge areas ; it occurred at the Thames, 

 Waihekei, and Wairoa, but was entirely absent from the isthmus and from 

 the Titirangi district, and was not known to occur in the Kaipara ; it occurred 

 sparingly at Wainui, the Kawau, and more freely at Omaha, but was absent 

 in the Great Banler Island. It appeared again at Vfhangarei, which was the 

 most northern locality known on the East Coast ; although on the West Coast 

 it was said to be abundant in the Hokianga ranges, and again at Kaitaia. It 

 seemed highly probable that in former periods the beech occupied a more 

 prominent position in the flora of the north than it held at the present time. 

 The minute Hymenoj^hyllum, now described for the first time, was an interesting 

 plant. On examining some of the specimens collected by Mr. Cheeseman, he 

 was at first inclined to consider it a form of H. minimuin ; but from further 

 specimens received from Mr. Springall, who collected it on fallen trees at the 

 Great Barrier, he foxmd it was a new species. He believed it had been 

 disco vei-ed in other localities, and would probably prove to be widely distributed, 

 although easily overlooked from its small size, or entirely missed from its 

 habitat being frequently on lofty trees ; in general appearance it resembled its 

 southern congener IVichomanes armstrongii. 



Mr. Cheeseman's remai'ks with regard to the number of plants enumerated 

 by him as indigenious in the district being considerably larger than had 

 hitherto been enumerated from any disti'ict of similar area, must be received 

 with some qualification, as the number recorded from the Auckland Isthmus 

 and North Shore, a district having an area less than one-fifth of that now 

 under consideration, is nearly identical. 



4. "siiote on Megajwditos pritchardi, Gray," by Captain F. W. Hutton, 

 F.G.S. (See Transactions, p. 165). This paper treats of a megapode in the 

 Auckland Museum, previously described by Mr. Buller at page 14 of 

 Transactions of the IST. Z. Institute, Yol. III., as a new species, which he 

 proposed to call M. huttoni. Captain Hutton considers it identical with 

 If. pritchardi, Gray. A specimen of the bird was exhibited, also one of its eggs. 



