THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 79 



but we only succeeded in finding one nest of Myzantha garrula, 

 which was not considered rare enough to take. We were shown 

 a tree in the creek which contained a Mountain Duck's (Casarca 

 tadornoides) nest about sixty feet from the water. About two 

 months previous to our visit the pair of birds successfully hatched 

 seventeen young ducklings. One morning Mr. J. Macauley was 

 called out by his wife in time to see the young brought out of the 

 nest. The old birds were in the creek below, and gave a call, 

 when out flopped two ducklings from the nest above, spreading 

 their featherless wings to act like parachutes, and they prettily 

 fell to the water. This performance was repeated until the whole 

 seventeen had joined the parent birds. They then all swam 

 away, and were seen no more. While watching this tree we 

 noticed a Teal fly into the same hollow which had contained the 

 Mountain Duck's nest, having probably selected the spot for her 

 nest also. 



During the afternooon we went on the hunt for a Native Com- 

 panion's nest to photograph ; also to hunt kangaroos, &c. We 

 were accompanied by a gun, a horseman, and seven dogs of 

 different descriptions. A Companion's nest was soon found, with 

 one egg ; this we left until next day, in the hopes of the clutch 

 being completed. Immediately after this find we started several 

 large kangaroo. " There they go," say the girls. " Yes, there 

 they go," says our artist, " right through my nest." These were 

 rather too fast for us, and got away. Early next day we found 

 the nest intact, but with one egg only ; so the picture was not 

 taken. 



Dunvegan is prettily situated, with a frontage to Colligen Creek, 

 and the good folks had all mustered for the shearing and were at 

 their wits' end to keep the sheep dry, as the flooded waters were 

 rising so rapidly. It is hard to say whether these floods should 

 be viewed as an unmitigated evil or as a benefit. We are informed 

 that the fine feed grass commonly called the Burr Clover will be 

 destroyed for three years ; and as for the water deposit being a 

 benefit, this can be counted as nil, for we found the water flowing 

 in all directions in comparatively clear streams. But against this 

 is to be counted the fact that all dams, waterholes, creeks, &c, 

 are filled ready for drier seasons. We found the Nardoo plant, 

 Marsilea quadrifolia, growing in abundance in almost all directions 

 where water was to be found. 



On 24th September we are favoured with a beautiful morning, 

 and an early start is made for Deniliquin, seventeen miles away, 

 but on account of flood water twenty miles or more. Yallakool 

 Creek is distant about three miles, with water almost the whole 

 way. On our arrival at the creek we are first punted across in a 

 boat ; the buggy is then balanced on the boat, which is pulled 

 along a line of fencing wire fastened from tree to tree. And then 

 the horses (a fine pair of greys) are hunted across. But the 



