Note D., p. 41.

Strangely enough, Sir J. "D. Hooker, in the "Hand Book", gives "Tongariro and Ruahine range", as the only habitat in the N. Island of D. Colensoi; and that too, as from me: such, however, is not the case, as a reference to the Icones Plantarum (vol. II., tab. 548) of his father (who received the original plant (D. Colensoi) from me, and who there first described it) will shew,—unless this very small " Tongariro" plant, and a larger one from "Ruahine", may prove to be only Alpine varieties of that species, D. Colensoi.—The original D. Colensoi I found only in the N. forests, inland on the high ranges between Whangarei and Whangaruru Bays, in 1841; it is a large and scarce "Pine" there, the true Manoao of the old New Zealanders. Since writing the above, I find, from vol X. "Transactions", just to hand, that Mr. Kirk, has (I think) unintentionally contributed a little more to the foregoing error respecting Dacrydium Colensoi Therefore, I here give an extract from my letter to Sir W. J. Hooker, of July 1841, (as published by him in the London Journal of Botany, vol. I. p. 298).—

"Since I had last the pleasure of addressing you, I have made a journey of about 4 weeks to Whangarei Bay and neighbourhood, in S. lat. 36°, returning by a circuitous route, via the interior. - - - In the box now sent you will find some things both novel and interesting. - - - The king of the whole lot is my new "Pine," from the high hills near the Eastern coast. For many years I had heard of this tree from the aborigines, but could never obtain a specimen, no one knowing where it was to be found. They had heard of such a tree, and some of the oldest Chiefs had occasionally seen it, when hunting in the forests; but all agreed that it was very rare, only growing singly. The reason, too, for its unfrequent occurrence was this,—Tane, one of their illustrious demgods hid it! Still it existed, a distinct tree which never rotted. As a proof of all this, the people, wherever they could find a tree, reserved it for a coffin to hold the remains of a chief. These statements, you may well suppose, only inflamed my desire to possess specimens of this wonderful tree. I sought and sought, but all in vain, wherever I went, making inquiries after, and offering rewards for, it,—until I actually gained a name among the natives for doing so. At last, early in this year (1841), after a toilsome march through an unfrequented spot and jungle, to the place where I had been informed that one page 71 grew, I found it! I will not attempt to describe my satisfaction, which was much increased by observing that the specimens I had acquired were in fruit.—The tree (for a "Pine") is not large, about 50 feet high, and 2ft, Gin. in diameter. In appearance it somewhat resembles the Kahikatea (Podocarpus dacrydioides). - - - I also send a specimen of the wood. The bark on the trunk is deciduous, but not like that of the Totara which is fibrous; this is only scaly and brittle, as in the Kauri (Dammara Australis). Subsequently on the same range of hills, I saw two other of these "Pines," of nearly similar size."