138 BIRDS. 



which, the peculiar sound uttered by that species 

 known by the name of the " bell frog," is very 

 often heard : and indeed the name is not in- 

 applicable to the creature, the sound it pro- 

 duces, being very similar to a sheep-bell. De- 

 tached clumps of wire grass,* intermingled with 

 the brown-coloured sedge grass, t and at some 

 places reeds (Arundo phragmites? Linn.) also 

 point out those watery patches which are often 

 met by the traveller while journeying through 

 this country. 



Birds were occasionally numerous, particularly 

 when near a river ; but magpies and crows were 

 never found wanting in any part of the country, 

 abounding every where : the former the same 

 impudent, peculating race as at home. As for 

 the parrot tribe, enough may be seen in a day's 

 ride to supply all the maiden ladies in Europe 

 with pollies sufficient to talk or scream them to 

 death in an inconceivably short period of time ; 

 and the peculiar noise of the laughi?ig or feathered 

 jackass, (Dacelo gigantea,) which increases 

 from a low to a loud thrilling gurgling laugh, 

 was often heard. 



* The " wire-grass" is said to indicate good soil, being 

 found growing in alluvial soil, in clumps, upon flats, swamps, 



&c. 



f Sedge-grass is used for thatching, as well as beds for the 



sheep during shearing time, after they have been washed. 



