288 
Memoranda of an Excursion 
grew. The whole appearance of the country in this 
neighbourhood is of a highly volcanic character. Several 
abruptly rising isolated hills, partly covered with scoriae, 
having their sides peculiarly terraced (which, though 
doubtless augmented by art, # attest their volcanic 
origin), are here scattered about. On the northern side 
of the bay, and about a mile distant, scoriae abounds; 
the ground being in some places as if entirely composed 
of it, in massy flat and continuous layers. This isthmus 
is very narrow, being only about three quarters of a 
mile across, and that over an almost level plain, a few 
feet only above the level of the sea. There are not any 
forests in this locality; the eye wanders over a succes¬ 
sion of low volcanic hills, bearing nothing but the mo¬ 
notonous brown fern, with here and there a shrub of 
Coriaria sarmentosa rising a few feet above the common 
denizen of the soil, by which it is every where sur¬ 
rounded. Here, among the fern brakes, the New Zea¬ 
land quail ( Cotumix -) is found. This bird, once 
(according to the natives) very common in this island, 
has become somewhat scarce, owing, no doubt, to the 
increasing number of its introduced foes—dogs, cats, 
andjrats. The natives used to take this bird with nets; 
their name for it is Koitareke. It is a shy bird, being 
but seldom seen; their cry, however, is often heard. 
From the dry hills, I obtained two new species of ferns; 
one, an elegant little Gymnogramma ( G . Nova Zea - 
landia , W. C.) only two or three inches high, I found 
growing on the scoria among the grass; the other, a 
species of Aspleniwn ( A . oblongifolium , W. C.), I gained 
* The natives made places of defence for themselves, when attacked, of 
these hills, before the introduction of fire-arms. Some of them bear 
evident signs of having been long inhabited. 
