40 Keartland, Zoology of Great Desert, N.W. Aust. [vok"xxx. 



NOTES ON THE ZOOLOGY OF THE GREAT DESERT 

 OF NORTH-WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 



By G. a. Keartland. 



{Read before the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria, loth Feb., 191 3.) 



As the exploring expeditions led by Colonel Warburton (1873), 

 John Forrest (1874), Ernest Giles (1876), Alex. Forrest (1879), 

 and the Elder Expedition, led by David Lindsay (in 1892), 

 had all traversed Central and North- Western Australia from 

 east to west without finding permanently-running rivers or 

 mountain ranges of much importance, excepting the Macdonnell 

 Ranges, it was considered desirable that an effort should be 

 made to cross the north-western portion from south to north. 

 It must be borne in mind that there is a gap of about 300 miles 

 between the lines traversed by Giles and Warburton, and, as 

 the sand-hills crossing this immense area run W.N.W. and 

 E.S.E., the explorers were most of their time travelling up the 

 valleys between the sand-hihs. This led to the suggestion that 

 by crossing the lines mentioned from south to north some 

 good country might be found. 



It was recognized that the trip would be a hazardous one, 

 as the camels would have to carry their heavy loads over the 

 sand-hills at right angles. However, in 1896, Mr. Calvert, a 

 wealthy mining speculator, decided to finance an exploring 

 expedition to accomplish this task. Mr. Lawrence A. Wells, 

 then in the service of the Adelaide Survey Department, was 

 chosen as leader. That the selection was a wise one is shown 

 by the fact that, although the party crossed over 700 miles of 

 sand-hill desert, travelling most of the time by night to avoid 

 the heat of the day, they struck the Fitzroy River within a 

 mile of the spot Mr. Wells marked on his map before leaving 

 Adelaide. It was in May, 1896, that Mr. Wells got his party 

 together. Mr. C. F. Wells, a cousin of the leader, was second 

 in command, I was chosen to take charge of the natural history 

 section (embracing botany, zoology, &c.), while Mr. G. L. 

 Jones was responsible for geology and meteorological observa- 

 tions, and had charge of the photographic outfit. James 

 Trainor, as cook, and Bejah and Said Ameer, Afghan camel- 

 drivers, completed the party. We left Adelaide on 24th May, 

 1896, by the steamer Waroonga for Geraldton, W.A., thence by 

 train to Mulawa, where twenty camels were purchased, loads 

 were made up, and a start effected on 13th June. Cue was 

 passed on 25th June, and Lake Way on i6th July. 



On loth August Mr. L. A. Wells, Mr. G. Jones, and Bejah 

 started on a flying trip of about 450 miles, with a view to dis- 

 covering water and taking notes of the country further north 

 whilst Mr. C. F. Wells, Trainor (cook). Said Ameer, and myself 



