In 1873 he proceeded to New Zealand, and travelled through both islands, collecting information in connection with some elaborate investigations which had been conducted in London with a view to the application of an improved process for the extraction of the fibre of the Phormium tenax.
The jumping spider Trite planiceps lives predominantly in the rolled-up leaves of this species.
As T. planiceps lives in low altitudes, this could be an adaptation to cool overcast winters, where they need to survive within the dim recesses of rolled-up leaves of New Zealand flax (Phormium tenax) and similar plants.
The four vegetation zones comprise an arid, eroded lowland below 350 m, an intermediate zone at 350–500 m of pasture and non-indigenous woodland, a moist highland zone characterised by woodland and flax plantations and, at the highest point of the island, a small remnant area of native Dicksonia fern thicket and Melanodendron cabbage trees.