1st Jan. 



fruit being of excellent tiavour. Most of the creeks had the 

 large variety of ornamental bamboo along their banks. The 

 McKinly Creek was very beautiful. The country is a very beau- 

 tiful and well watered one. The run into Darwin was fine. 



Many Kangaroos of a small species crossed our path 

 during the late afternoon and evening. We reached the hotel 

 at 7 p.m. Next day was spent sending ofif telegraph messages 

 to the south, calling on the Administrator, etc. On the 9th, after 

 breakfast, we made out on to the Rapid Creek ; the country was 

 very heavily timbered, and there was much bird life there. Saw 

 Drongos (Chibia bracteata), Olive-backed Orioles (Oriolus sagit- 

 tatus), Yellow Oriole (O. flavocinctus), Green-winged Pigeon 

 {Chalcophaps clirysochlora). These beautiful pigeons were num- 

 erous. Bar-shouldered Doves {Geopclia huuicraUs), very com- 

 mon; the White-breasted Cuckoo-Shrike {Graucalus hypoleu- 

 ^iis), White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater (Cauipephaga tricolor), 

 and Varied Lorikeets (Psitteuteles versicolor), in great numbers 

 amongst the flowering Eucalypts. 



We had a trij) down the coast for about 50 miles (jne day, but 

 saw very few sea birds. A Tropic-Bird and a few Terns were 

 all that came our way. 



We made a start at an early hour on the return journey on 

 Monday, June 12th. We had not gone far from Darwin when 

 the Forest Kingfisher (Halcyon macleayi) was met with. There 

 v^ere some large flocks of Black Cockatoos {Calyptorhynchus 

 niacrorhynchus). White-breasted and Black-faced Cuckoo 

 Shrikes, White Ibis, Black-headed Stork or jabiru, White-faced 

 Heron, Pied liutcher I'irds, Diamond Birds (Pardalotus uropy- 

 gialis), Partridge-Pigeons, very numerous; Jyong-tailed Finches, 

 Kites, Whistling Eagles, Little Wood-Swallows (.Irtamiis 

 niuior), Nankeen Night-Heron (Xycticorax calcdonicus). 

 Plumed Egrets, Magpie-Larks, Red-backed Wrens {M alums 

 melanoccphalus), Nankeen Kestrels {Ccrchncis cenchroides) 

 were all seen, and Wedge-tailed Eagles (Uroactiis aiidax) were 

 plentiful during the day. Tt was all timbered country, and the 

 cycads, palms, bright flowering shrubs, and forest trees, as well 

 as the magnetic termite mounds (all with long axis north and 

 south), spiral mounds, and others again huge buttresses 25 feet 

 high, all made a wonderful scene. \\'e arrived at Pine Creek 

 in the evening, and at ^.^0 a.m. next day we drove out into the 

 ranges to a rich valley, where the Chinamen are growing rice. 



The party returned to the hotel for breakfast, after 

 which we continued our way .south. Crimson Finches (Xcoclnnia 

 phaeton ) and Gouldian Finches were numerous, and Red- faced 

 Finches ( Hathilda nificauda) were seen. We reache<l the 

 Katherine River at midday, and Marrimboy by 5 p.m. We left 

 there at 8 a.m. the following day, and halted on the edge of 

 several lily ponds. The sight was very fine. V>\ midday we 

 had reached the head waters of the Roper l\i\cr. The grass 



