490 BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 
three feet in diameter, in all directions, and the edge of the 
water was strewed with half decayed plants of it washed up 
by the waters. All the larger trees of Eucalyptus, close to 
the lake were dead, as also the Leptospermum on the margin, 
and Iam informed all these trees extending more or less 
irregularly for forty miles, were killed by a severe frost in 
the winter of 1837. I have the less reason to doubt the 
fact as in many places the trees, where less injured, were 
throwing out shoots from the trunk. The small spray of the 
branches remained as when the leaves dropped off, and I 
could perceive no marks of fire. Many thousands of kanga- 
roos were destroyed the same winter from the snow covering 
the ground for an unusual period. 
During the day my dogs killed a brush kangaroo (Halma- 
turus Bennettii), it had a very young one, not an inch long, 
attached to one of its nipples in the pouch; two larger 
nipples being unoccupied. The tail of the young one was 
doubled up between its hind legs, the eyes were merely in- 
dicated by two translucent dots arid the mouth and nostrils 
alone seemed perfect. Brush kangaroos are plentiful on the 
mountains, but the high price given for their skins will 
rapidly exterminate them. All the boots and shoes for 
ladies and gentlemen are made of kangaroo skin. Forest 
kangaroos (Macropus major) exist on the mountains, but are 
now very rare; they are the only gregarious species in Van 
Diemen’s Land. The other animals on the mountains are 
the same as those on the low country, at least I found the 
Thylacinus, Diabolus, Phascolomys, Didelphis 2 sp» 
Phalangista of one or two species, and our Fauna does nof 
boast of many more. The Ornithorhynchus was plentiful e 
the mouth of Tumble-down Creek and in other ponds and 
places where the banks overhung the water and were of a 
material to admit of being easily penetrated by their burrows: 
I obtained from this place in a few days upwards of thirty 
specimens! and I have no doubt I should have had as many 
more, had I not found it necessary to stop the reward I of- T. 
feredfor them. The Ornithorhynchus comes out in the twr — 
