July.1 Ercursin}! to Lancwamn and Fyanksfnit-. ■?? 



1917 J 



on the way to tlic house. After a very acceptable rest and 

 jefreshment we again went through the garden, where numerous 

 Australian plants had been placed among the natural growth, 

 and some experiments on pruning the native plants tried. The 

 progress of the nativ^e plants and the success of suitable cutting 

 were of much interest. Ornithology had not been very 

 prominent during the day, the wind being very liigh and few 

 birds about ; but here we were shown by Mr. Mann several 

 interesting items, inchiding the nest of a pair of Bronzewing 

 Pigeons which had just reared a second brood, and other nests 

 close by in the tea-tree, as well as collected specimens of nests. 

 A possmn's nest was also ])ointed out. Bandicoots still occur, 

 and come to the garden. After the president and the leader 

 had exprcssefl our thanks to Mr. and Mrs. Mann for their very- 

 kind hospitality and guidance, we left for the train at Frankston, 

 Mr. Mann having further kindly arranged for our conveyance. 

 — T. S. Hart. ^ 



The Bunyip. — Australia possesses few fabled animals — in fact, 

 the only one of any importance coming under this heading is 

 the Bunyip. Little or nothing has hitherto appeared in the 

 Naturalist about this monster, so prominent in the stories of 

 early colonists. Some notes by Mr. Dudley Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., 

 Director of the Melbourne Zoological Gardens, which appeared 

 recently in the press, may therefore be worth quoting for the 

 lienefit of future readers. He says the Bunyip was nothing 

 more than the well-known seal, Arcioccphalus fosteri, specimens 

 of which form such an attraction by the tricks they perform at 

 the Melbourne Aquarium. It is sometimes known as the Sea 

 Bear, and at one time abounded on the Australian coast in great 

 numbers. Sir Joseph Banks records that 30,000 skins were sent 

 to England from Australia in a single consignment. It was not 

 unusual for the animals, especially the females just before the 

 l)irth of their young, to find their way far up the River Murray, 

 and no doubt they came into the Hopkins, Barwon, Yarra, and 

 all the larger southern streams, often getting into the lagoons 

 and swamps, which, before the country became settled, covered 

 much larger areas than at present. The call of the female seal 

 is rather like that of a cow. while the bleating of the pups can 

 hardly be distinguished from that of a lamb, being perhaps a 

 little sharper. The aboriginals, who were easily frightened, 

 attributed such noises to the Bunyip, but could never be per- 

 suaded to go in search of the creature. This seal still occurs on 

 the Victorian coast at Julia Percy Island, and at the Seal Rocks, 

 near the Nobbies, Phillip Island, &c., and now enjoys the 

 protection of the Game Act. 



