![Thumbnail: [Volume 68, 1938-39 page 277]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_68/thumbnails/rsnz_68_02_0360_0277_ac_02.gif)
Relation to Native Fauna.
So far as it affects the vegetation of the mountains the native fauna consists of Insecta, Arachnidia and Avis. Extremely little is known of the influence exerted by these on plants. Scale insects are numerous. Gall-forming insects and spiders occur on a number of small-leaved species of Coprosma, on Shawia paniculata, Nothofagus fusca, Hoheria sexstylosa, Carmichaelia odorata, and C. flagelliformis. Leaf-mining and chewing insects attack a number of species. Especially important among these is the larva of a moth which feeds on young leaves and buds of Olearia Colensoi. It seems to make its appearance in large numbers at a few years' interval, killing out vast areas of scrub. The old dead shrubs among later generations persist for many years before they decay and are to be seen in many places, having the appearance of having been burned. The last
![Thumbnail: [Volume 68, 1938-39 page 278]](/journals/rsnz/images/rsnz_68/thumbnails/rsnz_68_02_0361_0278_ac_02.gif)
appearance of the massed attack was first observed in 1933. Large areas of Olearia scrub are already destroyed and the insects are still (1936) spreading. Many scrub species are also subject to attack by various stem-boring insects. Besides their destructive activity many insects and particularly Lepidoptera and Diptera are of course important agents of pollination.
Birds exert their influence mainly in two directions: dissemination of species and destruction of insects. They are fairly plentiful in the forest, the following being common:—Tui (Prosthemadera novae-seelandiae), bellbird (Anthornis melanura), kaka (Nestor occidentalis), pigeon (Hemiphaga novae-seelandiae), owl (Ninox novae-seelandiae), grey warbler (Pseudogerygone igata), fantail (Rhipidura flabellifera,) rifleman (Acanthisitta chloris), tomtit (Petroica toitoi), N.Z. pipit (particularly on tussock) (Anthus novae-seelandiae). Fairly common: Whitehead (Mohoua albicilla), long-tailed cuckoo (Urodynamis taitensis), shining cuckoo (Lamprococcyx lucidis).