is Dendrobium Cunninghamii, a very insignificant species among dendrobes, but with pretty white flowers, bearing a crimson patch on the lip. This species was formerly common enough down the north side of the harbour; a patch of it, fortunately well preserved and jealously guarded, still grows on the big rocks just above Port Chalmers.
A little divergence from the Leith Valley up the Reservoir creek and then up to the left along the Wakari or School Creek—now, alas! with its waters sadly polluted—brings us to a spot where one or two more kinds of rather uncommon plants are to be met with. The hina-hina, or Melicytus ramiflorus, so named from having its little flowers arranged along its branches, is a common tree on the Belt. But up this wooded creek-bed two other species of Melicytus occur sparingly, viz.—M. lanceolatus, with long, narrow, dark-green leaves, and M. macrophyllus. The former species also occurs in the bush at West Taieri, while of the latter only one plant has been found at the locality named, and its exact position has since been lost.
The abundance of mistletoes in the bush on the Town Belt is remarkable. Tupeia antarctica, and Loranthus micranthus are abundant, and are not unfrequently found parasitic on one another. But the two remarkable little species of Viscum, the genus to which the English mistletoe belongs, are both to be found, only like many other inconspicuous plants, they are easily overlooked. V. salicornioides can always be found in a patch of small-leaved manuka, a little way up Ross's Creek above the waterworks; while V. Lindsayi occurs on the coprosma bushes in the Botanical Gardens.
An interesting afternoon's ramble is over the hill from Anderson's Bay to the Tomahawk lagoon and the headland beyond. Fifteen years ago, as one went along the Anderson's Bay road, several plants were to be found which are now things of the past. The curious shrubby ribbon-wood, Plagianthus divaricatus, grew on the mud near the gas-works, but ammonia-liquor and coal-gas impurities have quite destroyed it. It is still to be found round Pelichet Bay, however, and it is worth while walking round there in October or November to see its curious little fragrant flowers. At the rocks near Mrs. Tolmie's house, there used to be, as indeed there formerly was all round
