FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2632, 1 December 1915, Page 3

FIELD NATURALISTS CLUB

A' very interesting field excursion of, the Wellington Field Naturalists' Club took place yesterday. The cluV proceeded by the 10.15 a.m. boat to Day's Bay, and walked thence to York Bay; noting en route the vegetation of the coast. On reaching York Bay the club was met by Mr. Esmond Atkinson, who acted as leader to the party in the tour of his bush. Almost immediately on arriving at the bush lunch was served in si very pretty nook. After lunoh the cflub proceeded upwards through the bush, enjoying the splendid scenery- and collecting, under kind permission of Mr. Atkinson, many ferns, _ mosses, and other plants. Mr. Atkinson's bush is without doubt one of the finest in the immedjate neighbourhood of Wellington, showing as it does the typical forest with which tlie hills on that side of the harbour were in dayß gone by clothcd. Tlie forest is essentially • a southernbirch forest, so called because the large trees in it are in the main birch. Ta-whai-rau-nui (Nothofagus fusca) and | Tawhai-rauriki. (Nothofagus Solandri) constitute in the main the roof of the forest. The floor of the forest is considerably varied, and is remarkable for the fact that many plants which usually grow as epiphytes on trees are there growing quite luxuriantly on steep sloping banks. Of 'such, epiphytes growing on the ground the most noticeable are Kahakaha (Astelia Solandri), Kowli'arawhara (Astelia Curminghsmii), and the fern Polypodium diversifolium. The forest floor also in places is densely clothed with the beautiful filmy ferns of many kinds; also the kidney fern (Triohomanes reniforme) is very plentiful. On departing from the scene of a rery pleasant day the vice-president, Mr. F. S. Pope, thanked Mr. Atkinson on behalf of tlie club for affording such privileges to its members.,