266 
Memoranda of an Excursion 
At a very early hour the next morning we re-com¬ 
menced our journey. Crossing the rapid river Rangi- 
taiki, at the end of the plain (which, at the fording- 
place, we Found to be breast deep, and which we were 
obliged to cross in an oblique direction that we might 
not be swept down with its strong current), we travelled 
over a country more sterile, if possible, than that of 
yesterday. An interminable succession of dry and barren 
hills of broken lava, pumice, ashes, and other volcanic 
matter, where the stunted vegetation was all but quite 
burnt up with the exceeding heat of the sun's rays, 
afforded but a very scanty gleaning to the botanist. 1 
was, however, rewarded with a few new plants,* among 
which were—a fine species of erect Cardamine , which 
I found at Mangamako, a little wood through which 
we passed—a graceful species of fragrant-scented Era- 
cophyllufn , a small shrub 2-4 feet in height; which 
grew sparingly in the little dells between the hills— 
and two curious and minute species of Composite, 
which grew in dense patches upon the dry and broken 
pumice. These interesting little plants were scarcely 
above an inch in height, presenting quite a unique ap¬ 
pearance with their brown and hoary leaves closely im¬ 
bricated and decussated, and terminal receptacles of 
yellow silky flowers. I had previously obtained (through 
a friend) specimens of one of these species, which was 
procured from a mountainous spot in the vicinity of 
Taupo; these I sent to Sir W. J. Hooker. Here, in 
these sultry hollows, the insect tribes were very numer¬ 
ous. Brilliant Libellulce darted about in every direc¬ 
tion. I captured one fine fellow, dappled with bur¬ 
nished gold, measuring nearly four inches in length; 
others, having filiform attenuated bodies, were carmine- 
