°igo5 ' J Australasian Ornithologists' Union. I •^ -^ 



"dragon's blood" from the draccxna of Teneriffe and the Canary 

 Isles. 



The birds found about this upland heathy country are not 

 many either in number or in species, a variety of the little 

 Brown Acanthiza, Rufous-rumped Ground-Wren, Wattle-cheeked, 

 Fulvous-fronted, and New Holland Honey-eaters, and Striated 

 Pardalote being the principal ones. Ants are common, and 

 some enormous mounds, quite lo feet across and 3 feet high, 

 are to be seen among the heather. On many of them are old and 

 recent excavations of spiny ant-eaters or echidna, many of 

 which are met with. 



Some of our party made an intrepid excursion further along 

 this coast to an Osprey aerie, built upon an outstanding rock- 

 some '^2) ^eet in height. It was reached at low tide, and two 

 eggs were photographed in the nest. The Sooty Oyster-catcher 

 and the Reef Heron were nesting upon the same rock. 



Another day a trip was taken to Stokes Bay, six miles 

 further in the same direction, but no change was reported in the 

 nature of the country. 



This whole tract may be briefly described as a heath-covered 

 plateau, 200 feet above sea-level, slightly undulating, and with 

 no surface water. There are no gum-trees (excepting stunted 

 mallee), and but few grass-trees. 



Contrasted in many ways is the country to the westward of 

 Middle River. The bedrock there is entirely of the slaty 

 nature seen in section along the coast, and it is carved into deep 

 valleys and stony hillsides. No flat or undulating land is to be 

 found, except in the valleys. The hills rise sharply from the 

 coast line until they reach 450 feet above sea level, and are 

 clothed throughout with timber. This is the home of the well- 

 known sugar gum {Eucalyptus corynocalyx). Forests of it occur 

 within three miles of the coast, but it is not found any further 

 inland, unless it creeps up some suitable valley. The tree has a 

 habit of branching near the ground, and dividing up into a 

 number of small branches ; its value for timber is thereby affected, 

 but doubtless this is its most suitable form in the poor, stony areas 

 it frequents. The timber is of excellent quality for mining 

 purposes, though the trees seldom grow more than 2 feet in 

 diameter. The sugar gum forest does not allow of much else 

 growing with it. There is very little under-scrub, the forest 

 floor for the most part consisting of pieces of slate and quartz 

 strewn with leaves and twigs. Very fine effect, however, is given 

 by glades of grass-trees, which are found in parts beneath the 

 gums. Possibly this is a different variety of XaiitJiorrJuxa to 

 that growing upon the open moorland. 



But this particular class of country is only the coastal strip. 

 That the same rock has different scenery, when away from the 

 influence of the salt breeze, we discovered on some subsequent 



