AN EXCURSION TO THE TRELISSTC BASIN. 203 



Mount Sinclair. The whole line of the great backbone of New Zealand 

 for 150 miles was visible at once, while by merely turning round one 

 could see the coast from Cheviot to Tiraaru say 120 miles in a sweep. 

 The summit of Torlesse made a patch over Cbristchurch, but Sumner 

 was plainly visible. Lake Coleridge lay like an emerald below us and 

 two or three small lakes were visible. On the distant Canterbury 

 plains, farms, roads and plantations could be distinguished. Returning, 

 we descended over the vast slides of shingle by planting one foot in it 

 and taking giant strides covering 2,000 feet in a few minutes. 

 Attempting to quench an intolerable thirst we found nearly all the 

 streams so bitter with alum as to be nauseous. We found a large 

 mimber of interesting plants. On the vast stretches of shingle we 

 noticed the singular genera which seem to enjoy life in that inhospitable 

 region, while on the lower slopes an immense profusion of Celmisias 

 and other alpine composites prevailed. Celmisia viscosa predominated, 

 while C. sinclairii, C. haastii, C. laricifolia, C. bellidioides, C. lycdlii, and 

 a small form of the species or variety now called C. jervoisii were 

 identified. At 4,500 feet O. bellidioides is a singularly beautiful plant 

 when in flower, but it degenerates at lower levels. Senecio lyallii, 

 usually yellow as a buttercup, was found to be cream-coloured above a 

 certain height. Ascending a stream in a rocky bed I presently found 

 it white, — a few yards higher I found a very similar plant with pure 

 white flowers but with rough hairy instead of glabrous leaves. This 

 was the variety or species called Senecio scorzonerioides. 



A very interesting Raoulia or vegetable sheep was very plentiful 

 on steep rocky places, but I believe a finer species is found on Mount 

 Torlesse. I am growing one of these in a pot where it seems to do 

 well. Several which I planted on a rockery have been torn to pieces 

 for insects. It is said that the Keas tear them up with their powerful 

 beaks and that these birds learnt to eat mutton through mistaking dead 

 sheep for masses of Raoulia. 



F. R. Chapman. 



THE GEYSERS ACTION OF ROTORUA. 



BY CAMILLE MALFROY, C.E., J.P., CHEVALIER DE LA LEGION 

 D'HONNEUR. 



(Paper read before the Auckland Institute, 22nd June, 1891.) 



Being appointed engineer in charge of the Government Thermal 

 Spring District at Rotorua, immediately after the eruption of Tarawera 

 in 1886, it became part of my duty to observe and report on any 

 changes which might take place in the hot spriugs, geysers, &c. The 

 eruption seemed to have had great influence over them. Many which 

 had been quiescent and some which had been considered as dead (having 

 in the course of time become filled with rubbish and overgrown with 

 weeds and brushwood) suddenly burst into renewed activity, and almost 

 daily during ths first six weeks after the eruption I could observe some 

 ohauses in thermal action — something new here and there. 



