'^'q ■] Australasian Oy>iithologists'' Vnion. 117 



emerges from the low hillside. Many of these gums were bear- 

 ing trusses of large flowers, a great attraction to the New Holland 

 and Crescent Honey-eaters and the Blue-bellied Lorikeets. 

 Several Little Lorikeets were observed in one place also. A 

 family of Black Cockatoos {Caljptorhyiichus xantJionotus) was 

 disturbed feeding on the hard fruits of Hakea bushes, and 

 several more beautiful yellow-breasted Thickheads were seen. 



After following the Cygnet River thus far, a course was struck 

 due north for the purpose of picking up the Middle River and 

 tracing it down to the camp. Three tributaries, flowing east 

 into the Cygnet, were crossed. The quantity of water is indeed 

 surprising. Quite small depressions hold large creeks that 

 cannot be stepped across in many places. The water, it was 

 everywhere remarked, was singularly clear. The nature of the 

 country is such that there is very little surface waste of fine 

 sediment. 



Apart from the valleys, the vegetation is mainly stringybark, 

 with the tough under-scrub of Casiiarina, Banksin, Hakca, 

 Styphclia, and TetratJieca. Two new species of Grevillca were 

 collected that had not been previously seen. The timber 

 improves in size where the ground is naturally richer, and the 

 smaller shrubs are correspondingly strong. The thickest timber 

 met with during the journey was in this area, and the floor of some 

 of these valleys was well nigh impenetrable. It was with thankful 

 hearts that the Middle River was struck, and the jungle left 

 behind for awhile. But the scrub was still thick along the river 

 valley. The easiest travelling was soon found along the adjoin- 

 ing ridge. The birds noted in this part were White-eared and 

 Crescent Honey-eaters in the valleys, and Tawny-crowned 

 Honey-eater, MclitJii-eptus magnirostris, Scarlet-breasted Robin, 

 var., and Brown Tit, var., in the stringybarks. 



The valley gradually becomes deeper and more tortuous as 

 the seaboard is approached until it is positively precipitous, the 

 river being split up in innumerable fashions by tumbled masses 

 of rock and soil with trees and herbage growing thereon. The 

 steepest part of this gorge finishes in the picturesque cascades 

 already mentioned, where the main party was met with. The 

 re-united parties returned to camp towards evening. From the 

 last ridge above the camp a beautiful view was obtained of the 

 mainland across the straits. The setting sun threw the Althorpe 

 Islands, with their remarkably-shaped sentinel, Wedge Island, 

 into bold relief on the horizon. 



Another party started two days previous to this for Cape 

 Borda, some 40 miles from camp. They followed the coastal 

 track via Western River, Snug Cove River, and De Mole River, 

 and reached their destination on the second day. They reported 

 very little change in the configuration of the country passed 

 through, except that it became more picturesque and heavily 



