168 Scientific Intelligence. 
BOTANY. 
Botanical Collector in British Columbia.—Mr Robert Brown, the 
Botanical Collector sent out by the British Columbian Association, reached 
Victoria, Vancouver’s Island, on 6th May 1863, and has now commenced 
his examination of the Flora of the Island. 
Cinchona Bark.—The Red Bark grown in India, after two years’ 
growth, has been found to yield quinine in the same quantity as the same 
species ‘of Cinchona in South America. In Mr Maclvor’s report of 31st 
March 1863, it appears that there are now 146,548 Cinchona plants in 
the Nilghiri ‘Hills, 35,750 of which have been planted out. <A qualified 
gardener is about to proceed to Darjiling to superintend Cinchona planta- 
tions there. 
MISCELLANEOUS. 
Dr Hector’s Exploration of New Zealand.—The following notice has 
been contributed to the ‘Otago Daily Times” by one of Dr Hector’s 
party. It is dated “ Left Bank of the Matukituki River, March 8th, 1863.” 
After alluding to the preparations made for the expedition to the West 
Coast, he says :— 
** Proceeding up the valley of the Matukituki, we found it to preserve 
the same character for several miles, viz., a broad shingle channel, out of 
all proportion to the magnitude of the stream, and only very partially 
occupied by it. Our progress was slow, so that by the evening of the 
first day we had only accomplished seven miles. A dense fog continued 
to obscure the higher mountains from our sight. Early next morning I 
obtained my first view of the icy pinnacles of Mount Aspiring, its appa- 
rent altitude being greatly increased by the rolling mist which still en- 
shrouded its base. Mount Aspiring is one of a group of lofty mountains, 
all of which it evidently overtops by a pyramidal mass of rock almost too 
steep to allow of eternal snow resting on its surface, and which forms the 
characteristic feature by which it might be recognised almost at any 
distance. About ten miles above our main camp, the Matukituki is 
formed by the confluence of two equal-sized branches. The one from the 
north, although the shortest, may be properly considered the main stream. 
The other, which sweeps from the west, joins it through a rocky defile, 
which at first sight we anticipated would offer an obstacle to our progress. 
We were, however, surprised to find it occupied by an open flat, fringed by 
noble forests of beech, which clothe the mountain sides also to the height 
of about 2000 feet. A short distance above the junction of the two 
branches, we forded the stream. The scenery for two miles above this ford 
is extremely beautiful. The mountains on either hand are to be seen 
furrowed by impetuous torrents issuing from the snow at their summits, 
and gaining the level of the river by a succession of wild leaps. One of 
the most strikingly picturesque of these cascades descends by six pre- 
cipitous bounds from an altitude of about 1200 feet, forming graceful 
curves of white spray that are momentarily swayed into fantastic shapes 
by every gust of wind. The dark green shades of the massive beech 
forests along the base of the mountains also, are relieved at intervals by 
the pale verdure of patches of Mallow trees, which at this season were 
covered with their snowy white blossom. 
‘‘On the 13th February, we recrossed the river, and making a con- 
siderable ascent on its right bank, gained the elevated terrace which 
borders the gorge immediately below M‘Kerrow’s Flat. The tangled 
nature of the scrubby vegetation in this portion of the valley, and the 
frequent succession of deep gullies, rendered our progress so slow and 
tedious, that Dr Hector struck off to the river, and succeeded in finding a 
more practicable track by which to avoid the labour of hewing, as well as 
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