XXX1V HISTORY OF 
prepare an account of the flora of the colony from an oecological standpoint, 
Although based entirely on herbarium material and on the observations 
of other botanists and collectors, and consequently containing errors both 
of omission and commission, it is nevertheless a work of considerable 
originality and merit, and is well*worth the’attention of all students of 
the flora. 
Since 1897 by far”the most important contributions to our knowledge 
of the New Zealand’ flora have been made by Dr. lL. Cockayne, and I 
regret that only brief mention can be made of his work here. In three 
papers “On the Seedling Forms of New Zealand Phanerogams and their 
Development” (Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxxi, 354; xxxti, 83; and xxxin, 265) 
he describes with considerable detail the seedling leaves of many New 
Zealand plants, giving numerous figures, and in several instances tracing 
the gradual development of the foliage into the mature stage. Much 
information is given respecting the life-history of the species treated 
of, particularly m the genera Carmichaelia and Veronica. In the latter 
genus most of the species with scale-like leaves are very fully discussed, 
and their early foliage described. In a paper on the “ Plant-geography of 
the Waimakariri River Basin” (Trans. N.Z. Inst, xxxii, 95) Dr. Cockayne 
makes the first attempt in the colony to treat the flora of a district from 
an oecological point of view. It was followed by his “ Account of the 
Plant-covering of Chatham Island” (Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxxiv, 243), a 
publication which has thrown a flood of light on the nature and composition 
of the flora of this seldom-visited appanage of New Zealand. Lastly, the 
volume of Transactions for 1904 contains an elaborate paper on ‘‘ An 
Excursion to the Southern Islands of New Zealand,” in which he not. only 
gives a detailed account of the “ plant-formations”’ which make up the 
flora of the islands visited, fbut also contributes a list of the flowering- 
plants and ferns, and a sketch of the physiography, geology, climate, &c. 
These papers, which mark an entirely new epoch in the history of botanical 
investigation in New Zealand, will induce all students of the flora to look 
forward with impatience for the appearance of the general work on the 
plant-geography of New Zealand which it is understood that Dr. Cockayne 
has in preparation. 
The very important researches made by Professor A. P. W. Thomas _ 
into the life-history of Phylloglosswum, summarized in his “ Preliminary 
Account of the Prothallium of Phylloglossum” (Proc. Roy. Soc., vol. lxix, 
pp. 285-91) deserve special mention; as also his suggestive paper on 
“ The Affinity of Tmesipteris with the Sphenophyllales ” (Ibid., p. 343-50). 
The more detailed information promised with respect to both these com- 
munications will be eagerly looked forward to by New Zealand botanists. 
During the last five years Mr. W. Townson, of Westport, has diligently 
explored the greater portion of south-western Nelson, from the Mokihinui 
River southwards to the Grey River, repeatedly ascending all the higher 
peaks of the coast ranges, as Mount Frederic, Mount Rochfort, Mount 
Wiliam, Mount Faraday, Mount Buckland, &c. He has also visited the 
Lyell Mountains, and many of the high peaks flanking the Buller Valley, 
as far up the river as Mount Murchison and Mount Owen. Most of this 
large district had never been’carefully examined for plants, and Mr. Town- 
son has consequently reaped a rich harvest of. novelties, most of which 
are described in this work. Among%them arel Aciphylla Townsoni, Celmisia 
dubia, Dracophyllum Townsont and PD. pubescens, Gentiana Townsoni, 
Veronica divergens and V. coarctata, and the interesting new genus of 
