ZEALAND, NEW, a name given to two islands of the South Pacific Ocean, situated between 22' and 47° 25' south latitude, and between 166° and of east longitude. The most northern is called Eaheinomauwe, and the most southern Tovy or Tavai Poenammoa. The first contains about 26,160 square miles, and the second about 36,000, according to Mr. Nicholas, who visited them in 1B14 and 1815.
The general aspect of the islands is undulating, the hills rising into lofty mountains, the highest of which is Mount Egmont, which is said to resem ble in appearance and elevation the Peak of Tene riffe. The greater part of the northern island is considered capable of cultivation, but Tovy is mountainous and barren.
The climate of Eaheinomauwe is mild and uni form. The thermometer varies from 74 in sum mer to 63 in winter. In consequence of occa sional showers the verdure never loses its freshness. At the southern extremity of Tovy, heavy and con tinued rains fell while the Resolution remained in Dusky Bay.
The principal vegetable productions of New Zealand are a variety of noble timber trees, among which are different species of lofty pines, and trees of a lesser size, but consisting of wood of a finer grain. From the Henow tree, the natives extract a Dr. Yule found that the plant stood three winters in Edinburgh, in different situations nearly 225 feet above the sea. Hence if it. could be cultivated in the south of England, or even imported from our Australasian settlements, it would be an object of great use in our navy, and for other purposes in the arts.
The esculent plants are the potato, cabbage, turnip, and a kind of yam. Indian corn is their only grain. The pumpkin is cultivated for the
purpose of converting it into drinking vessels.
There are comparatively few animals in New Zealand. The only quadrupeds arc the sea lion, the guiana, a lizard, the sea bear or ursine seal, a small bat, and the rat. The birds are the Poe with delightful notes, the parrot and parroquet, a fine duck with red bill, legs and feet, and a black body, the gannet, the albatross, the petrel, rails, cormorants, penguins, Sze. Almost all sorts of domestic fowls have been introduced by the mis sionaries.
Every creek abounds with fish, among which are mackarel, the lobster or sea cray fish, the elefant, the dog fish, flat fish like soles and flounders, eels and congers, and clams, cockles and oysters.
In 1814 the Rev. Mr. Marsden established the first missions in New Zealand. He visited the settlements in 1819, when a tract of land of 13,000 acres was purchased from one of the chiefs as a settlement. In travelling across the island, Mr. Marsden discovered a large river, the Gambier, with its tributary streams, flowing into the sea. The missionaries under the superintendence of this pious and enterprising individual, have succeeded in reducing the language of the natives to writing, and in constructing a grammar to it.
The character and manners of the natives, and the history of geographical discovery in reference to these islands, have been already sufficiently dis cussed in our article AUSTRALASIA, Vol. III. The population of New Zealand has been estimated at between 100,000 and 150,000.