108 EAGLE ISLAND. 



varying- from coarse quartzose sand (from the disin- 

 tegTated g-ranite) to reddish clay — is not favourable 

 to the g-rowth of luxuriant veg'etation^ still several 

 interesting' plants were added to the herbarium. Of 

 these the finest is a new Cochlospermurriy a low 

 spreading* tree^ nearly leafless at this time^ but 

 covered Avith clusters of very larg^e and showy g'olden 

 blossoms. A heath-like shrub^ i^ChamcBlaucium) 

 common here^ was remarkable for existing* on the 

 open plains as a weak prostrate plant^ w^hile in the 

 scrub it formed a handsome bush 10 feet hig-h, with 

 a stem 6 inches in diameter. 



Of quail^ which in 1844 were very abundant^ I 

 saw^ not more than one or two^ — probably the burn- 

 ing* of the g'rass during* the breeding* season had 

 eftected this partial clearance. Snakes appear to 

 be numerous. — two out of three which I examined 

 were poisonous — the other Avas the diamond snake 

 of New South Wales. A very fine land shelly 

 Helix hijuirtitcij was found in colonies at the roots 

 of the trees and bushes. A larofe and handsome 

 cowrie^ Cyprcea 3Iauritianaj g*enerally distributed 

 among" the islands of the Pacific^ was here found for 

 the first time in Australia. 



Aug. 1st, — I crossed over to Eagle Island wdth 

 Mr. BroAvn^ and spent a day and nig'ht there. This 

 place was so named by Cook^ who states in explana- 

 tion of the name^~"AVe found here the nest of 

 some other bird^ we knew not what^ of a most 

 enormous size. It was built with sticks upon the 



