Blue Mountains in New South Wales. 163 



rains, which, by causing the waters of the rivers which it inha- 

 bits to swell, drive it out, and force it to keep upon the surface 

 of the water, and among the rushes, which edge the banks. Dr 

 Jamieson, who lives'' at Regent Villa, and who is busy collect- 

 ing the productions of New South Wales, lias in his possession 

 a considerable number of ornithorynchuses preserved in spirits 

 of wine. He had the politeness to promise my companion and 

 myself some of them ; but he has without doubt been unable to 

 fulfil his promise. It is difficult at present to procure this ani- 

 mal ; and the skins which one gets in the country, from being ill 

 prepared, and not covered with preservative substances, easily spoil. 

 On the eucalyptuses of the neighbourhood of Fish River, I ob- 

 served several large King's-Fishers (Dacelo fulvus)y which 

 emitted a deafening noise, that was still more increased by the 

 echoes. Their cry is sharp and prolonged ; and these birds are 

 stupid and fearless. 



Although the edges of Fish River are pretty agreeable, they 

 yet present that monotony which is universally characteristic of 

 the vegetation of these countries. Besides, about a score of spe- 

 cies of Eucalyptus, the appearance of which is very much alike, 

 there are only to be seen, and with no variety. Mimosa, Metro- 

 sideroses, Protea, Casuarina, and a very few European genera 

 along the edge of the waters. Hence the forests of Austral- 

 asia have a sad and lugubrious aspect. In crossing the Blue 

 Mountains, one cannot fail to remark the uniformity which 

 nature has given to the leaves. Their form, excepting perhaps 

 that of some mimosae with bipinnated foliaceous expansions, is 

 generally simple, and they are more or less dry, stiff and smooth. 

 She would seem to have accommodated them to the dryness of 

 the soil^ by giving them an oblique direction, for the purpose of 

 presenting the greatest possible surface to the air, which must 

 furnish their principal nutriment. New Holland alone presents 

 the singular phenomenon of entire leaves or foliaceous petioles 

 in trees which are every where else remarked for the extraor- 

 dinary elegance of their divided foliage. Another remark, 

 which is not new, it is true, is, that the Blue Mountains, as well 

 as the whole surface of New Holland, are entirely destitute of ali- 

 mentary fruits, excepting the Sorose, a bramble allied to Rubns 

 Jrtiticosics, and a small berry, of which the Europeans make a 



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