476 
NEW ZEALAND 
Removing bark from dead wood was an unprofitable occupation, 
producing nothing beyond * Adelium harpaloides , White, and count¬ 
less Bugs of the genus Neuroctenus . 
It is a good rule when collecting near the coast to make for the 
sea-shore, and when collecting among mountains to make for the 
higher levels. Accordingly our first expedition was up the slopes of 
Mt. Earnslaw. 
To reach the upper limit of the bush involved a climb of about 
3000 ft. Although there was not even the pretence of a path it was 
wonderfully easy going for primaeval forest. The trees are practi¬ 
cally confined to a species of mountain Beech, almost universally 
spoken of as Birch. There are several species of these Southern 
beeches ( Fagus , the Nothofagus of some authors), which all have 
small, somewhat leathery leaves, and are for the most part evergreen. 
It seems reasonable to assume that this peculiar foliage is specially 
adapted to throw off the snow, for no signs of branches having been 
torn off are seen. At the lower edge of the bush the trees were large, 
many of them truly noble specimens, but they decrease in size with 
the altitude until the quite sharply defined upper limit is reached. 
As with their Northern allies, these beeches like to have the ground 
to themselves, and there is little undergrowth save young plants of 
the same species. Bush Lawyers are fortunately few and far between, 
so that one walked or scrambled over velvety moss with little inter¬ 
ruption. Eerns were insignificant in comparison with the North 
Island. 
Above the limit of trees, but before the grassy slopes were reached, 
was a belt of small scrub through which it was quite difficult to 
force one’s way, and in which it was impossible to catch the few 
moths that were flying rapidly in the sun. These Mr. Howes 
believed to be * Dasyuris partheniata, a Geometer allied to, but 
larger and less brightly coloured than * Notoreas brephosata. We saw 
a single *Pyrameis gonerilla, near the top of the wood, a species which 
Mr. Howes says is not nearly so common in the Wakatipu district 
as it is about Christchurch. 
The greatest height that I attained we estimated to be about 
3700 ft. above the flat, say 5000 ft. above the sea. The most exalted 
insect that I came across was the familiar Blow-fly, Calliphora 
erythrocephala, together with some Beetles and a Grasshopper as yet 
undetermined. There was also a rare Plume, * Stenoptilia orites , 
Meyrk., of which Mr. J. H. Durrant had previously seen the unique 
type only, A little lower down a Syr pirns, not in the National 
Collection, was taken. Not a very distinguished company to find 
