220 THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 
have been appointed representatives to the forthcoming meet- 
ing in Australia of the British Association. As this meeting, 
which will be held in August, 1914, will be a most important 
event in the history of Science in Australia, it is hoped that 
our members will do their utmost in every way to further 
the objects of the Association. 
The Council has given attention to the formation of 
Student Branches and the resuscitation of Country Branches 
ang arrangements have been made for the receipt of branch 
instead of individual subscriptions. It has also been ar- 
aoe to assist the Girls’ Realm Guild of N.S. Wales in 
their Wild Flower Show to be held i in the Town Hall, Sydney, 
in SPRATT, IQI4. 
EDWIN CHEEL, 
Hon. Secretary. 
NOTES ON FLORA OF NEW ZEALAND. 
By Miss F. Sulman. 
New Zealand is noted for the great variety and betty 
of its scenery, from the Kauri Forests, Hot Lakes and vol- 
canoes of the North Island to the Glaciers, Sub-alpine 
Meadows, Cold Lakes,and Sounds in the South. It is not 
surprising therefore to find a very varied native flora among 
such extremes of climate and local conditions. A great 
proportion of the plants are endemic, which is probably 
due to the geclogical age, long isolation, and nature of the 
floras from which they originated. Australia and South 
America are considered the chief outside sources. An ancient 
land connection has been traced extending north-west by 
Norfolk Island and New Caledonia to Queensland, a route 
still used by migratory birds, and S. America is believed to 
liave been connected by a sub-antarcti¢c route. 
The following interesting statistics are taken from the 
excellent ‘(Manual of the New Zealand Flora’’ (1906) by 
T. F. Cheeseman, F.L.8., F.Z.S. 
N.Z. has 1571 species, 1415 phaenogams, 156 cryptogams 
. T1435, or nearly % are peculiar to N:Z. 
ROO mass extend to Australia 
IQs, 10 », 8. America, 
789 ,, are found in both Islands 
456 ,, peculiar to South Island 
Driay, 335 a », North Island 
eeLOv, > ,, outlying Islands 
‘The family Compositae constitutes 1/7 of the whole flora 
with 221 species (Celmisia 43 sp. Olearia 35 sp. and Seneceio 
O sp. 
: ihe Scrophularinae has 113 species (Veronica 84 sp-). 
“Plants of New Zealand’’ (1907) by L. R. M. Laing, 
B.S8c.,; is the well-known popular guide to the Flora, illus- 
