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The accompanying report on the botanical survey is of worldwide interest, as it is the first that has been made on this particular tract of country, which embraces si. many varied classes of soil and vegetation, and forms a valuable adjunct to Dr. Cockayne's former reports on Kapiti Island and the Waipoua Kauri Forest, which were also made under your instructions. Taken together, these reports give a very clear idea of some of the most characteristic botanical features of New Zealand, and will be of considerable value to the scientific world as affording careful and precise particulars of an original investigation into conditions of plant-life that in many cases do not exist outside of this Dominion. The enclosed map illustrating the report is the work of Mr. Phillips Turner, and shows the topographical Features of the park in a very comprehensive manner. I have, &c, Wμ. C. Kensington, Under-Secretary. The Hon. Robert McNab, Minister of Lands. REPORT ON A BOTANICAL SURVEY OF THE TONGARIRO NATIONAL PARK. By L. Cockayne, Ph.D.

I. [NTRODU< TION. The Tongariro National Park was in the first instance created a special reserve because of the presence of certain more or less active volcanoes, such being not only a most valuable scenic possession but forming the climax, as it were, of the celebrated thermal region of the North Island. Correlated, too, with the height and extent of these volcanic ranges is much fine scenery—in fact, it is hardly going too far to declare that such is of a more varied character than that of any other equal area of land in the Dominion. Ruape.hu, 9,200 ft. in altitude, has glaciers on its east, south, and west slopes, which, although they cannot vie with their southern sisters n< magnitude or beautv, are the only ice-rivers of the .North Island, and thus a source of special interest to travellers nil the Waiouru-Tokaanu Road or the Main Trunk line. Also, to those unable to visit the South Island, a close acquaintance with these ice-masses must lie a matter of great interest. Furthermore, on the summit of Kuapchu. occupying its ancient crater, is a glacier as remarkable i n i ts W]l , In die world. This contains in its bosom a small lake of water, boiling at times and emitting volumes of steam (15), at others almost cold, while on its surface frequently floai small icebergs broken off from the 200ft. of perpendioular cliff bounding part of its margin (see Photo. No. I). From this lake probably comes the celebrated YVangaehu Itiver. the water of which issues from a rock-bound gorge, and which even at its mouth is still highly charged with sulphurous acid and certain sulphates. Ngauruhoe is an easy excursion from the Ruapehu hut, and the climber is not merely rewarded with a most extensive view, but stands on the rim of the crater, a mud volcano in its centre and a etrong jel of steam blowing with loud noise from its hidden recesses. Between Ngauruhoe and Ruapehu is a saddle some 4,000ft. in altitude leading to the west, and here are two interesting crater-lakes, called Nga Puna a Tama. Tongariro itself contains two active C |, .. Ue,l Crater, so named from the colour of its avails, and Te Man, which is the more active of the two, and was in eruption some ten years ago. Also there are the very powerful "blowholes" of Ketetahi, which constantly emit vast volumes of steam. Here, too, are several hoi iprings containing various kinds of water, and probably of much importance from their ourative | roperties. Nor are the of present volcanic activity the sole interest. The ancient craters, and especially the lava-Hows, are truly impressive sights, particularly that receni one from Te Mari which not so many years ago cut a fiery path through the totara forest. ~,. the more ancieni flow still in the great Oturere Crater, now weathered into most fantastic forms. Leaving aside the actual volcanoes, there are the forests and collections of shrubs, the vast deserts, sublime and weird, the river-gorges of great depth- true canons, indeed. There are rivers. tn... such as the Ohinepango and Waihohonu, which all on a sudden issue from the solid rock, widening out into quiet pools, haunts of wild duck (Photo. No. 2), or dash at once foaming over their st.uiy beds as true alpine torrents. The tooth-leaved-beeoh forest of the west and south, with its open undergrowth and bright-green foliage looking like delicate lacework, is equal in beauty to the same association as found in the Cold Lakes region. On the north of Tongariro is a forest of quite a different type, with the thin-barked totara (Pndncnrpv * HaUii) as the leading tree, while the beeches (NotKofagus) are absent. But it must not be forgotten that mountain, river, lake, glacier, and even hot spring, are much the same the world over, and that the special features of any landscape depend upon the combinations of plants which form its garment, otherwise a monotonous uniformity would mark the whole earth. Therefore the more special the vegetation, the more distinctive the scenery. And nowhere does this dictum carry weight more than in New Zealand, where the vegetation is unique. . . , Moreover, these plants, m>l the least by any means of our possessions, are day by day vanishing from the land, and thus our national parks become havens of refuge where the vegeta-