THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 13 



very much in colour and size, perhaps the brightest coloured 

 being the Quandong, Santalum, sp., which is purple. The trees 

 are a fair size, with a very dark leaf, and grow principally by 

 streams ; during November the ground beneath them is often 

 covered with fallen fruit. Orchids are plentiful, especially the 

 Dendrobinm undulatum, being found principally near the top of 

 the ranges, and grow either on the granite rocks or trunks of 

 trees, in conjunction with Stag-horn Ferns, Bird's-nest Ferns, and 

 pretty closely-climbing creepers. All through the scrubs creepers 

 of various kinds are found, from the delicate little plant to the 

 large ones which hang in festoons from the tops of the highest 

 trees, and, being so large, often look like trees themselves. The 

 photograph gives a fair idea of them. Wallabies are numerous in 

 the scrub, and can often be heard hopping away, but the noise 

 made walking over the dry leaves generally frightens them before 

 they come in sight. The natives occasionally try to spear them 

 by forming drives, burning the patches of long grass near the edge 

 of the scrub where they are sometimes found, and throwing their 

 spears at them as they try to escape into the scrub ; but they 

 are not always successful in their hunts. The Tree-climbing 

 Kangaroo, Dendrolagus Bennettianus, as before stated, is 

 generally found on or near the top of these ranges, where the 

 timber is not so high or difficult to climb. They remain during 

 the day on the highest branches of a tree, and descend at night 

 to pass from one tree to another. They seem to feed on Bird's- 

 nest Ferns, leaves of certain trees, creepers, and probably on wild 

 fruits. On one occasion one jumped from the top of the tree it 

 was on to a rock below, a distance of about 40 feet, remained 

 there perfectly still for a few seconds, then bounded away down 

 the hill. I had disturbed it by climbing up the same tree, but 

 did not notice it until about three feet away, when it jumped off. 

 They seem never to miss their footing, and it is wonderful how 

 they can judge distance when jumping. When hunting for them 

 dogs are used, which track them by scent to the trees they 

 are on, but if rain falls during the night it is more difficult. 

 When one is found a native goes up, and either manages to 

 catch it by the tail, or makes it jump to the ground, where 

 other natives are on the lookout for it, and it seldom succeeds 

 in escaping. It is then placed in a bag and carried off. 

 The dogs often manage to bite them before their owners can 

 prevent it, and half of those so caught generally die during the 

 first few days of captivity from injuries received. When on the 

 ground their tails are curved upwards, and do not as a rule rest on 

 the ground as with ordinary kangaroos. Tlie Bandicoot, Bettongia, 

 is occasionally to be found, either in hollow logs or in domed nests 

 built of grass in a slight hollow on the ground, and the natives 

 often catch them and use them for food. Native rats of several 



