AGATHIS AUSTRALIS, Salisbury. 
THE KAURI. 
OrRDER—CONIFER&. 
TRIBE—ARAUCARIE&. 
(Plates LXXIX,, LXXX., LXXXa., and LXXXI,) 
Turis famous pine is generally known by the systematic name of Dammara aus- 
tralis, under which it was published by Lambert in the second edition of his 
“Pinetum.”’ Salisbury, however, had previously constituted the genus Agathis 
for the reception of this species and the dammar-pine of Amboyna, and had 
described the New Zealand species as Agathis australis; his name must there- 
fore take precedence on the ground of priority. A remarkable form of the plant 
has been doubtfully described by M. Richard in the absence of fruit as ? Podo- 
carpus zamiefolius: 1t must be admitted that the specific name would be well 
merited by the specimen represented on our Plate LXXX. 
The Native name “kauri” is the only common name in general use. 
When the timber was first introduced into Britain it was termed “ cowrie-’’ or 
“kowdie-pine ;”’ but the name speedily fell into disuse, although it still appears 
as the common name in some horticultural works. 
It is the monarch of the New Zealand forests, and, although it does not 
rival the giant Sequoias of North America in its extreme height and circum- 
ference, it excels them in the intrinsic value of its timber, which possesses a 
larger number of good qualities than any other pine known to commerce. 
The kauri frequently grows in rocky or broken situations, and usually forms 
large clumps or groves, mixed with other trees: although it is often the prevail- 
ing tree in extensive forests, it is comparatively seldom that it occupies large 
areas to the exclusion of other trees. The interior of a large kauri forest affords 
one of the most impressive scenes in the colony: smooth grey trunks rise on all 
sides like massive columns, perfectly straight and symmetrical to a height of 
Soft. or even tooft., with a diameter of from 4ft. to r2ft. or upwards. If growing 
in close proximity to each other they attain a greater height, but the trunk is 
less massive, and tapers gradually into the small head; if growing some distance 
apart, the trunk is of large diameter, with but little difference between the base 
and crown. The head of solitary trees is large and spreading, the main arms 
being sometimes over 2ft. in diameter. The broad, leathery ereen leaves have 
a most refreshing appearance in the driest weather, and bear no resemblance to 
the needle-like leaves which characterize the pines of the Northern Hemisphere. 
The glaucous or cinereous hue of the bark under certain atmospheric conditions 
appears to surround the trunks with an undefined haze—an effect which is only 
to be found in a kauri forest. The bark scales off in large flat flakes, and, as it 
decays, forms a mound of humus surrounding the base of cach tree, and is 
highly charged with resin, which exudes from the slightest wound in the trunk 
or leaves, all parts of the plant being excessively resinous. 
