396 PORT ESSINGTON. 



of eggs laid by each bird, seldom more than two 

 are hatched. It is singular that these mounds 

 are found away from the earth and shells of which 

 they are composed. It seems difficult to credit that 

 a bird so small could raise a structure so large. 

 The largest we ever saw was about eight feet high, 

 on one of the Possession Islands in Endeavour Strait. 



The name given to the bird by Mr. Gould is 

 Megapodius tumulus, and it will be unnecessary to 

 enter upon any further details concerning it, as he 

 has described it most interestingly in his work on 

 the birds of Australia. 



Great numbers of kangaroos were also found 

 here, which at the period of our arrival the settlers 

 were just getting into the way of killing. There 

 are three varieties, of which the largest weighs 

 about 160 pounds. I must further allude to a most 

 beautiful little opossum which inhabits these parts. 

 It is about half the size of a full-grown rat, and de- 

 signated as helideus ariel. Its colour and fur greatly 

 resemble the chinchilla, and I have little doubt 

 that the skin is valuable and might be made an 

 article of trade. This animal has a membrane be- 

 tween the fore and hind paws, which aids it to some 

 extent when leaping from bough to bough. It is a 

 great enemy to the wild bee, devouring them and 

 their nests ; the bees the natives discover by tap- 

 ping the tree and listening for a buzzing from 

 within. Those we saw% amounting to nearly a hun- 

 dred, were about the size of a fly, of a dusky black 



