Requests

Observations requested—Season of heavy beech flowering.

A. L. POOLE, Botany Division, The Terrace, Wellington.

The species of Nothofagus, like their relative Fagus sylvatica of the Northern Hemisphere, reproduce themselves in forest formation only from periodic heavy flowering and seeding years. Intervening years do not yield sufficient fertile seed for effective reproduction. A heavy flowering of New Zealand beeches following the 1947-48 hot summer has commenced this spring. Observations on this flowering would be welcome and should be sent to Mr. Poole. Such points as the date a species commences and finishes flowering, flower colour, subsequent seed set, etc., should be noted. Observations on a particular group of trees or forest are more valuable than random observations.

Our beech forests are now the largest and most important indigenous forest, and information connected with the coming heavy flowering season would be extremely valuable.

C. McCANN, Dominion Museum, Wellington.

Mr. McCann is carrying out research on New Zealand reptiles, and requests that persons finding specimens forward them to him for investigation.