in New Zealand. 
255 
to the effect that it is never dry in these parts), and go; 
indeed, it came to pass. After we had proceeded for 
about two hours, it began to pour down in torrents; no 
shelter being at hand we were obliged to continue on in 
the cold and pelting rain. I much regretted the state 
of the weather, as I had every reason to expect many 
new and rare plants in these elevated regions. The 
trees and shrubs, large and small, were all beautifully 
festooned and draperied with Jungermannia and Musci, 
as if done with fairy fingers; evidencing the eternal 
humidity of these forests. The family of Filices, too, 
presented the most lovely spectacle, this day, I ever 
witnessed. In these deeply-shaded recesses, my en¬ 
chanting Totedea superba, and graceful Lomaria rotun- 
difolia, flourished in perfection; the densely-crowded 
and dark green fronds of the former, contrasting so 
beautifully with the light-coloured, elegant and mem¬ 
branaceous ones of the latter. The fronds of these ferns 
were grouped in ever-living circles of green, from five 
to six feet in diameter; many single fronds of either 
plant measuring upwards of three feet in length. With 
them grew two species of Aspidium; one, A. pulc.hcr- 
rimum, a truly fine plant, is one of the most lovely ferns 
in New Zealand. Many of its gracefully flaccid fronds 
measured upwards of four feet in length, llie other, 
A. Waiharense, is also a handsome fern, though smaller, 
and more rigid in its growth and habit than the pre¬ 
ceding. Another new species of Lomaria ( L. latifolia), 
I also found growing in these spots. Notwithstanding 
the warring of the elements, I gazed entranced upon 
these beautiful productions of Nature, and wished much 
to secure good specimens. I was obliged, however, 
under existing circumstances, to content myself with a 
