IN TOUCH WITH NATURE

Otago Witness, Issue 3769, 8 June 1926, Page 7

IN TOUCH WITH NATURE

MOUNTAIN PLANTS. Bt J DRUMMOND, F L. 8., F Z S. Mr A. G. Cliidgey, Mr P. Wornall, Mr A. R. Heaven, and Mrs Heaven, a few weeks ngo, Bpent a delightful day amongst mountain daisies, Veronicas, gentians, and other native plants at the top of Porter’s Pass, near the old coach road over tinSouthern Alps. They gathered several species of Veronicas and four specie? of mountain daisies, known botanically as Celmisias. One of the Veronicas is a lovely little sub-alpine whipcord, re markable for the difference of its leaves in its juvenile and its adult stages. The mountain totara —a dwarf compared with its lofty forest relative—with thick and leathery leaves and matted roots that bold together loose soil and shingle and proven* landslides on alpine slopes, trails along tin ground at Porter’s Pass, and attracts attention by red berries at the tips of its branchlets. Astelia nervosa, which unlike some other Astelias, is not an epi phyte—that is, it does not depend for sup port on other plants—is largely a swamp plant, although it grows also in moist forests. New* Zealand's edelweiss, Ilelichrysnm grandiceps, a beautiful herb not unlike Mm Swiss edelweiss, and related to the sacred everlasting flower gathered by the Greek* at Mount Athos, is In the company of its much-branohe relative llelichrysunt selago, at Porter’s Pass. Both these aro plants the North Island has the misfor ruue not to possess. The violet and pansy family is represented by a viola dedicated to gentle Allan Cunningham, an early superintendent of the Sydney Botanical Gardens, who spent months collecting in New Zealand 100 years ago. and who died in Australia in 1830. “utterly exhausted and worn out.” bis biographer states. “ by 25 years of unwearied exertions and laborious travel.” Viola Cunninghamii beautifies with its lovely white flowers, usually streaked with lilac and yellow, not only the Southern Alps, but also many other parts of New Zealand from Rotorua and the East Cape to Stewart Island and the Chatlinms, ranging from sea-level to alpine peaks 5000 feet high. It does not even confine Itself to this dominion, but allows Tasmania to share the honour of claiming it as a native. Matching it at Porter’s Pass Is Walilenbergia saxicola, a member of the Canterbury bell family and a cousin of the plentiful native bluebell, which rings a silent Paean on many a hillside, in fields and pastures, on the floors and walls of val leys. and. sometimes, among grass and weeds along country roads. Contrasting with these dainty plants are grass trees, and amongst these are the long-leaved white-flowered species, and Dracophyllutn rosmarinifolium. The rock snowberry has berries that sometimes are ns white a? snow, but sometim s, like its flowers, aro suffused with pink blushes. Styphelia acerosas. at the tim? of the party’s visit, were covered with iheir red berries, and Leucopogon Fraseri, ihe Maori’s pa-totara showed many of its oblong, orange berries juicy, sweet, and edible. Mrs Heaven, in sending a list of the plants noted, with Iheir botanical names, expresses regre* that few birds were seen. The only species actually seen at Porter’s Pass, in fact, is the harrier. Of this, Mrs Heaven writes:—“Although it is destructive, it is majestic, and it certainly adds greatly to the beauty of that wild and rugged scenery.” Bees put many humans to shame by their industry, but, like humans, they have their weaknesses, according to Dr Gordon Macdonald, High street. Dunedin, who has sent a note with the heading, “Drunken Bees.” lie believes that he has seen cases of drunkenness amongst those otherwise exemplary insects, and he states that he has observed other insects, and even large animals, in a similar stato. He writes: “For some years I have made observations on the habits of bees at certain seasons During the long, warm days of summer, especially after a shower, tne bells of certain flowers get full of water. If this rain falls during the night, the following day it ferments, owing to the sugar or nectar secreted in the cup dissolving in the water. During this stage bees and other insects come and gorge themselves with the ambrosia. The bees become quite helpless and remain in or on the flower all night. They can be handled at will, and resent no liberties one may take with them. The conclusion I have arrived at is that they are drunk. After sleeping off their debauch, they fly away as if to report themselves at headquarters, but by-and-by they return to the scene of their debauch. The

flowers of the nasturtium arid of the common flax are their favourite ‘pubs,’ as, apparently, herb there is abundance, while no questions are asked and no pay demanded. Paradise?” Another phase in the life of bees is described by Mr B. Smith, ,I’apakai road, Taihape. He and a friend, when taking some wild honey, discovered a bird’s nest ! that had bean completely waxed over. Amongst the remains were parts of two fairly large birds and a complete egg, which Mr Smith accidentally broke when he took it out lie believes that a swarm of bees invaded the birds’ home, stung them to death, and built over them, as there were no other means of disposing of them. A spider was watched with interest by Dr A. J. Orchard when it caught an insect in its web on his verandah at Latimer square, Christchurch. The web hung from the ceiling of the verandah, close to a vertical post. The insect was five or six times as large as the spider, not too lar 5 to be destroyed and wrapped round with web in the customary wav. hut too heavy to be taken from the web which its weight threatened to destroy. After, evidently 1 thinking the problem over, the spicier sent a thread from the well to the post and fastened it there. The thread could carry the spider, but it clearly would not carry the insect also. The spider, realising this, strengthened it. making several additional threads and placing them close together When the reinforced rope was sufficiently ■ strong, the spider returned to the insect, which had been left dandling in the mesh released it from the holdings, dragged it across tho web to where the rope ioined the rim, and slowly, but carefully and con Odently. dragged the insert along the rope to the post, where the victim was hidden, available at any time for a meal. Surprise might be felt that even the triple or quadruple thread for the insect’s weight. As a matter of fact, the silk of a spider’s weh is not only the finest natural product, but also the strongest. The rope with which Dr Orchard’s spider bridged the gulf between the web and the post, several inches wide, probablv was quite different in texture from the silk of the web. Even in a web different kinds of silk are used There is one kind for the outer framework and for the radial lines, another for the circular lines. another for enshrouding captive insects, another for the cocoon. But all kinds come frofh the same organs. These are glands that open into the spinneret, at the end of the female’s body In making a geometrical web. the female first sends out a thread fastens it to a sunport, and watches it touch a twig or a leaf. She fasten-* it there and =treteho= ’t taut. Dropping down a»»d sending out the silk behind her she makes one of the -idp-v After the framework is mmnletett the diagonal lines are made, and then cqme the snolcps of the wheel, and the "sticky threads in which insects are entangled Observation-* show that a web may be made in about half an hour. One of the most Interesting recent announcements in regard to natural history in New Zealand Is that Mr G. V. Hudson, of Wellington, will publish soon a new work on the Dominion’s moths and butterflies. It is 26 years since Mr Hudson published his splend-'d “New Zealand Moths and Butterflies.” New species have been discovered and fresh farts have been rerorded. and the early l>ook is out of date as well as out of print. The new book, on which Mi Hudson has been engaged for 22 years, will describe all New Zea land moths and butterflies now known to science, numbering 1270 «pe<ies. The coloured frontispiece will have highly magnified figures of the insects’ eggs, many of which are very beautiful. Thore will he nine plain plates and 53 coloured plates, containing about 2100 illustrations. In addition lo the strictly scientific material, there will he sections on collecting and ohsesring, habits, mimicry, and protective colouration.