THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 21 



exists further this way still. I saw a specimen which had 

 recently been killed. A resident at Mallacoota put a log on his 

 fire, and after a few minutes was startled to see seven small 

 snakes quickly wriggle out on to the floor. Insects were scarce, 

 even to mosquitos, except in the gullies. Ticks occasionally 

 made their presence felt, and are very difficult to remove when 

 once they have taken a hold ; occasionally dogs die from them if 

 the insects are not taken off in time. Fish are very plentiful, 

 and in the evening, when the water is calm, the inlet seems alive 

 with them, and a continuous noise going on, difficult to describe, 

 caused by the fish rising to the surface. I saw a Flathead 

 caught which weighed 14 lbs. and measured three feet long. 

 Stingarees (Ray) are very plentiful, and on one occasion eighty-six 

 were caught by a fisherman in his net at one haul. The various 

 kinds of fish found in the inlet are as follows :— Schnapper, 

 Kingfish, Ludrick, Flathead, Bream, Perch, Soles, Flounders, 

 Whiting, Mullet, Sand Mullet, Skipjack, Salmon, Silverfish, 

 Trevalla, and Sharks of course, although they do not appear to 

 be very numerous. Octopus are also seen of a good size. The 

 varieties of shells were not numerous. 



After staying for a fortnight in this delightful place, I started 

 on my return vid Genoa. On going up the river a pair of 

 Whistling Eagles were noticed performing a series of evolutions 

 high up in the air, and occasionally uttering their curious cry. 

 Skipjack were to be seen jumping clear out of the water, their 

 silvery sides gleaming in the sun, and in the small swamps behind 

 the ti-tree near the water's edge numbers of ducks were found 

 feeding. At a settler's place were noticed the skins of a Delicate 

 Owl and Tawny-shouldered Podargus. Native Bears were plentiful, 

 and two were noticed on a very thin bough overhanging the 

 water ; it seemed wonderful how they could keep their balance. 

 They seem to have a preference for the White Eucalyptus trees, 

 and are seldom found on the Stringybark or Messmate trees. 

 Water Lizards from six to twelve inches long were occasionally 

 seen basking in the sun on the logs or rocks by the river bank, 

 but they at once dived into the water when approached. Towards 

 evening the Boobook Owl was heard. 



On arriving at the Bemm River I took the opportunity of 

 visiting Sydenham Inlet, and we rowed five miles down the 

 river to it. I noticed that the Welcome Swallows built their 

 mud nests on the top of and inside the hollows of snags and 

 logs in the river, and not far from the level of the water, 

 so that if a flood occurs during the nesting season all the 

 nests and their contents get destroyed. I suppose that ex- 

 perience has taught the swallows that they have fewer enemies 

 to contend with over the water than anywhere else, as well as 

 being near their winged insect prey ; they often seem to start 



