7

C.—6

On the large grass area adjoining the Native land where the Advisory Board propose to plant fire-resisting trees as a fire-break along the fence-line manuka is gradually closing in from two sides. Tauhinu is also helping to reduce the area of grass. Beneath the manuka and tauhinu countless seedlings of all sorts are growing. In Taipiro, where the best sward of grass is, manuka again is the first tree to make an appearance. This is coming away on the slopes facing the north near the gorge, while on the opposite side of the valley, but closer to the western cliffs, the shrubby Nothopanax anomalym is creeping down to the bottom of the gully, in spite of the heavy westerly gales which sweep down this valley. This shrubby panax likewise provides shelter for a lot of young bush trees, the mahoe being especially prominent. On the southern portion of the island, from the Maraetakaroro Valley to Wharekohu, excepting for some isolated patches of bush composed principally of kohekohe with a few others, there is nothing much besides tauhinu, manuka, and in places the small-leaved daisy-tree (Olearia Solandri), so thick that one has to get down on hands and knees to get through. On the western cliffs, in many places inaccessible to goats, there is a surprising number of different plants growing. They are, considering the locality in which they are growing, looking very healthy. Prominent among them is the taupata, bearing in most cases quite a considerable amount of fruit. This proves that once the goats are destroyed taupata will soon re-establish itself even in this wind-swept locality. In the Maraetakaroro the flax (Phormium tenax) was frequented by dozens of tuis and bell-birds. At Rangitira also these birds were busily engaged on the flax-flowfers. In places along the east coast the other flax (Phormium Cookianum) flowered profusely, and, like P. tenax, was much sought after by the lioney-eaters. Whether the abundance of feed has had anything to do with the lengthy breeding season, or whether they always breed later on Kapiti, the fact remains that even at the present time tuis' nests are found with young ones therein, while only a few days ago (28th March) a pigeon's nest was found containing one egg, and the bird is now engaged in incubating." The caretaker further reports having seen the undermentioned birds during the past six months : Grey warbler, North Island tomtit, ground-lark, tui, pied fantail, whitehead, North Island robin, bell-bird, kingfisher, long-tailed cuckoo, kaka, red-fronted parrakeet, yellow-fronted parrakeet, harrier, morepork, pigeon, weka, blue heron, banded dotterel, white-headed stilt, white-fronted tern, blackbacked gull, mutton-bird, diving-petrel, blue penguin, whale-bird, gannet, grey duck, black shag. On two occasions kiwis were heard close at hand, but owing to darkness they were not seen. The following introduced birds have found their way to Kapiti: Starling, house-sparrow, Californian quail, chaffinch, goldfinch, hedge-sparrow, skylark, redpoll, blackbird, thrush, and yellowhammer. T. Brook, Commissioner of Crown Lands.

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