THE 



SUBANTARCTIC ISLANDS OF NEW ZEALAND. 



AKTICM-: XiX.-ON THK SYSTEMATIC BOTANY OF THE ISLANDS 

 TO THE SOUTH OF NEW ZEALAND. 



Bv T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.S., F.Z.S., Curator of the Auckland Museum. 



I. INTRODUCTORY. 



The islands to the south of New Zealand consist of six widely separated groups, 

 situated between the parallels of 48° and 55° S. lat. and 159° and 179° E. long. Their 

 physiography and geology are fully described by Dr. Marshall and Mr. Speight in 

 separate memoirs, so that all that need be done here is to briefly indicate their posi- 

 tion and size. 



The most northerly group is that known by the name of the Snares, its nearest 

 point being within sixty-five miles of the South Cape of Stewart Island. It consists 

 of two main islands, one much larger than the other, and a number of storm-swept 

 rocks of small size. The larger of the two islands is barely more than a mile and 

 a half in greatest diameter, and its extreme altitude does not exceed 500 ft. It is 

 surrounded by precipitous cliffs, landing being possible only in a little boat- 

 liarbour on the north-east side, and in one or two indentations on the coast-line. 



Next in distance to New Zealand is the well-known group to which the name of 

 the Lord Auckland Islands has been applied. It is situated about 190 miles S.S.W. 

 from Stewart Island ; Port Ross, at the northern end of the group, being in S. lat. 

 50° 32'. The entire group is under thirty-two miles in length, and has a greatest 

 breadth of about fifteen miles. It consists of two large islands of unequal size — 

 Auckland Island and Adams Island — separated by a narrow and somewhat tortuous 

 strait ; and a considerable number of smaller ones, of which Disappointment Island 

 on the west, and Enderby, Rose, and Ewing Islands to the north, are the most im- 

 portant. The western side of the two main islands forms an almost unbroken line 

 of precipitous cliffs, which in the south of Adams Island attain a vertical height 

 of 1,400 ft., but which sink to a much lower elevation in the north of the group. 

 The eastern side is cut up into many deep inlets, forming excellent harbours, some 

 of them advancing to within a few miles of the western coast. The whole island is 

 hilly, but the hills nowhere exceed 2,000 ft., and are usually much less. The lower 

 part of the island, especially on the eastern side, is mainly covered with forest ; the 

 upper portion is composed of open meadow or tussock. 



Campbell Island lies about 140 miles to the south-east of the Auckland Islands, 

 or, in round numbers, 330 miles from Stewart Island, its exact position being S. lat. 



