Page 25 - 2008 NZ Subantarctic Islands

treetops of all the other taller ones that have surrounded it. The

trunk thickens out remarkably and the leaves transform
themselves completely. They are now more oblong than linear

and are only about 9 inches long and are much wider than the
juvenile form. The tree can reach 40 ft. in height and the trunk is

usually about 1 foot in diameter. This condition of having two or
more distinct kinds of leaves in juvenile and adult forms is called
“heteroblasty” and it is not at all uncommon in New Zealand

plants. But the lancewood was our only encounter with the
phenomenon.

Motuara Island

Now that our raingear had been thoroughly tested, the sun came
out and we were able to visit one of DOC’s predator-free islands—

Motuara Island in this same area. It was quite different from
Jacob’s Bay. There were no tree ferns on this speck of land but

many birds—the air was constantly vibrating to their calls. The
forest was much more open than the one at Jacob’s Bay which

was thick with underbrush as well as a lofty and dense canopy.
The island is very hilly and the trail up was slippery with mud
because of the rain that had fallen earlier. But the slipping and

sliding were well worth the effort because of the wonderful birds
were saw so closely and clearly.

The most enchanting is
the South Island Robin.

He is a tiny round fellow
who stands very tall on

long sticklike legs. He is a
slate grey color with a

creamy breast cover,
unless we are looking at

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