126 IN AUSTRALIAN WILDS 



by fawn-coloured plumes. This grass was an ob- 

 stacle to the early explorers. Each clump is like 

 a cluster of lancets, and if one is foolish enough to 

 plunge a hand into it, he will suffer severely. Some 

 distance from the creek groves of Grass-trees 

 [X author rhcea semiplana~] were observed; many of 

 the trees had flower-spikes nearly ten feet in height. 

 "Blackboy" is one of the Bush names for this curious 

 plant, whose gum has commercial value. 



Of course, we did not discover everything on the 

 first day, though a general idea of the fauna and 

 flora in the vicinity of the camp was obtained; and 

 around a big log fire at night results and prospects 

 were discussed. For a week the daily excursions, 

 near and far, continued, and all the time our store 

 of knowledge increased. Several places became 

 favourite resorts, one being a small lagoon about a 

 mile from camp. The water was surrounded by 

 Bottle Brush [Callistemon coccineus] and other 

 shrubs. The former plants were in bloom, and 

 from a distance the red flowers resembled tongues of 

 flame leaping from the green foliage. On the lagoon 

 we saw several Freckled Ducks [Stictonetta nszvosa], 

 but they were shy, and it was impossible to obtain a 

 photograph, except at long range. In a dead bush, 

 a few feet from the shore, a pair of Black-and-White 

 Fantails had their nest, which contained three fledg- 

 lings. Resenting the attention of naturalists, these 

 foolish little birds clambered on to the rim of the 

 nest, and endeavoured to fly, the result being that we 

 had to rescue two from the water, while the third 

 was saved by a cluster of twigs. The parent-birds 

 were greatly excited. When the nest was visited 

 next day it was empty; evidently the brood had been 

 taken safely to dry land, for there was no sign of a 

 tragedy. 



We were much interested in the domestic affairs 

 of a pair of Tawny Frogmouths [Podargus strigoides] , 



