es 
BOTANICAL DISCOVERY. XXI1il 
In it Cunningham enumerates the whole of the species published by 
Forster and A. Richard, including also some of Banks and Solander’s 
plants which had been described by other botanists. To these he adds 
the new species discovered during his first visit and that of Richard 
Cunningham. Altogether the Precursor includes the names of 639 species, 
of which 394 are phaenogams and 245 cryptogams. Although containing 
much valuable information, it bears evident marks of hasty preparation, 
and can hardly be considered an adequate memorial cf its enthusiastic 
and talented author. The herbarium of both the Cunninghams is now 
preserved at Kew. 
Mr. J. C. Bidwill visited New Zealand for the first time in 1839, and 
after a short stay at the Bay of Islands proceeded to the Bay of Plenty, 
from whence he journeyed to Rotorua and Taupo. Crossing Lake Taupo 
he reached Lake Rotoaira; and, using the Native village there as a base 
of operations, succeeded in exploring the spurs of Tongariro and in ascending 
the cone of Ngauruhoe, being the first European to accomplish the feat. 
He returned by way of Rotorua, Tauranga, and the Thames Valley. His 
collections, which were forwarded to Sir W. J. Hooker, were the first 
made in the mountainous interior of the North Island, and contained several 
interesting discoveries, as Veronica tetragona, Dacrydium laxifolium, Senecio 
Bidwillii, Dracophyllum recurvum, &c. A few years later he visited the 
mountains of Nelson, forming a very interesting collection of mountajn- 
plants, which were also forwarded to Sir W. J. Hooker. 
In the vears 1859-40-41 Dr. Ernest Dieffenbach made extensive travels 
in New Zealand as naturalist to the New Zealand Company. In addition 
to an examination of the whole of the northern peninsula, from the North 
Cape to Auckland, he travelled along the western coast to Raglan and 
Kawhia, and, crossing to the Waipa Valley, followed the western bank 
of the Waikato River to Lake Taupo. A project to ascend Tongariro and 
Ruapehu was frustrated by the opposition of the Maoris, and he returned 
to Auckland by way of Rotorua, Tauranga, and the Thames Valley. 
During another journey he explored a large part of the Taranaki District. 
and was the first HKuropean to ascend Mount Egmont. He also visited 
Wellington, Wanganui, and Kapiti Island, and spent some time in the 
exploration of Queen Charlotte Sound, Cloudy Bay, and the whaling- 
stations on the north-east coast of the South Island. Finally, he paid 
a visit to the Chatham Islands, and brought away the first plants collected 
in that outlying dependency of the colony. On his return to England 
Dieffenbach published his “ Travels in New Zealand,” the two volumes 
of which are replete with interesting matter relating to the flora, fauna, 
and Native inhabitants. His botanical collections were presented to the 
Kew Herbarium, but, according to Sir J. D. Hooker, they are “ most 
scanty compared with the great extent of interesting ground he passed 
over.” 
In July, 1840, the French corvette “ L’Aube” arrived at the Bay of 
Islands, and after a brief stay proceeded to Akaroa, remaining there until 
November, 1841. In January, 1842, “ L’Aube ” was replaced by “ L’ Allier,”’ 
which was stationed at Akaroa until January, 1843. The surgeon attached 
to these two vessels, M. E. Raoul, made excellent collections, mainly at 
Akaroa, and, as he was the first botanist to investigate the flora of the 
eastern side of the South Island, many of his plants were altogether new. 
Raoul first of all published his discoveries in the “‘ Annales des Sciences 
Naturelles”’ (Series III, vol. 1), but subsequently he prepared a work of 
