FROM THE DUNEDIN BRANCH

Forest and Bird, Issue 138, 1 November 1960, Page 8

FROM THE DUNEDIN BRANCH

The Fiordland Region

A ruggedly magnificent, yet relatively unknown, part of New Zealand, including Dusky Sound, Breaksea, Malestrina and Dagg Sounds, and Crooked Arm of Doubtful Sound, was described in an illustrated talk by Dr. A. C. Begg last June.

A journey made by Dr. Begg and his party was described and illustrated by colour slides. Commencing from Lake Te Anau, partly by boat and partly on foot, they made their way via Lake Manapouri to Deep Cove and Crooked Arm of Doubtful Sound, to Dagg Sound, and through several heavily forested valleys to a magnificent vantage point overlooking Dusky Sound and revealing northwards a great panorama of mountain ridges extending far into the distance. The slides gave some realisation of the unsurpassed and diversified scenery, of water and mountain, of lake and valley, of bush-clad, almost sheer precipices rising up to 4,000 feet from the water, and of the richness of the rain forest.

. The party saw several crested penguins, pied shags, the rock wren, and numerous keas, which sometimes tormented them with their mischievous ways. A number of kiwis were heard, but none were seen, and the party’s hopes of seeing a kakapo were likewise disappointed. Many flowering trees and plants were seen, including ribbonwood, . mistletoe, gentian, Ourisia, Veronica, Donatia, Celmisia, and several orchids, . including Dendrobium cunninghamii, Earina autumnalis and helmet orchids; white climbing rata and red rata, Phormium colensoi (flax with dependent flowers), and Cassinia; also an uncommon Olearia which is peculiar .to that region.

growing close to the salty water. Of the ferns, apart from the large tree ferns the most striking were some huge crape fems with fronds three to four feet long, while kidney ferns clustering on a large log were also shown. Huge dracophyllums of a species not found elsewhere were seen near Dagg Sound. Varied and colourful fungi were observed and illustrated, including a large red flower fungus which by means of its carrion odour attracts flies to disseminate its spores. The damp forest abounded in mosses of all descriptions, including the quaint parasol moss. The trees were tnainly beech, kamahi, fuchsia, rata and ribbonwood. Some of the most striking views were those of the lovely Spey Valley at the head of Lake Manapouri, Hall’s Arm of Doubtful Sound with Commander Bluff rising sheer from the water, the remarkable high pointed peaks at the head of Vancouver Arm of Dusky Sound and the reverse side of the same mountains seen from Hall’s Arm, and breathtaking views from the heights across the vast expanse of mountain peaks and ridges; but equally delightful to the audience were the pictures of small things such as the delicate green of the lesser stonefly resting on a large white flower, and of the mossy Jacobs Creek at the head of Crooked Arm.