[18] The White and Pink Terraces were situated on the shores of Lake Rotomahana, a warm lake, as its name indicates (from Roto, lake, and mahana, warm). The lake was surrounded by hills, and it was on the sides of these hills, sloping down to the lake, that the Terraces had been formed. At the top of the White Terrace was a hollow in the hill-side, and in the centre of this was a great geyser. The water rising in the geyser overflowed its basin, and streaming down the sloping ground into the lake, cooled, and deposited a white incrustation of silica. On the opposite side of the lake was a similar terrace, known as the Pink Terrace, which, owing to the presence of a little iron oxide, was of a delicate shade of pink. Thus, in the course of unknown ages had been built up the wonderful Terraces of Rotomahana, structures which for purity of colour and beauty of sculpturing were unrivalled in the world. The White Terrace covered an area of about four acres, the Pink Terrace was a little smaller.
[19] The heat of the geysers and hot-springs around Rotomahana was doubtless derived from the volcanic fires which slumbered beneath the Tarawera Mountain, standing at a distance of some miles. This mountain was an old volcano, but its true nature was hardly recognized. On June 10th, 1886, the old volcano awoke to new life, and a violent paroxysmal eruption rent the mountain asunder, the chasm extending beyond its foot and through Rotomahana. The ground around the lake and beneath its waters to the depth of 500 feet was blown into the air, and the beauty of the terraces was lost to the world for ever.—A. P. W. T.
[20] Lennox Falls. Mt. Earnslaw.—K. C.
[21] The Mountain Lily (Ranunculus Lyallii) of the South Island is a large and handsome buttercup, perhaps the most beautiful of its kind. Its numerous flowers are four inches across, the petals being of a pure waxy-white; the leaves are very large, round, and somewhat cup-shaped. Its favourite spot is by the side of some mountain stream.—A. P. W. T.
[22] The Mountain-parrot. Kea. (Nestor notabilis)—A dull green parrot which inhabits the alpine mountains of New Zealand. It is found sitting about the rocks and snow-grass, or seen circling high in the air, where one can hear its call, which is like that of the European Stone Eagle. When the sheep died upon the hills or vast runs, the blowflies would deposit their larvæ in the bodies. After a while the Keas hovering over would see the maggots moving, alight on the sheep, and feed upon the insects, getting pieces of fat and meat with them. In this manner the birds found it was an easier way of procuring food than by seeking berries and seeds, or searching for grubs, and so it became a habit for them to attack even living sheep.—A. R.
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