270 SNOW MOUNTAINS. 



open to the southward, and was a continued series 

 of densely-wooded ranges, differing in their de- 

 grees of elevation. When standing on these 

 enormous masses of granite, I thought some of 

 the most distant mountains, in a south-west direc- 

 tion, appeared, some covered and others streaked 

 with snow : I was correct ; for the beautiful 

 clearness of the weather had afforded me a view 

 of the "Snow Mountains," the existence of 

 which has been doubted by many. Whilst look- 

 ing at them, one of the blacks came near me, 

 and pointing in their direction, informed me, in 

 English, it was snow.* 



The Bugong moths, as I have before observed, 



tropic, the air is 'crowded' with a species of butterfly, a 

 great many of which were taken. It is, doubtless, the same 

 species as that which Captain Cook remarks as so plentiful 

 in Thirsty Sound, The numbers seen by us were indeed 

 incredible ; the stem of every grass tree, ( Xanthorrhcea, J 

 which plant grows abundantly upon the hills, was covered 

 with them ; and on their taking wing, the air appeared, as it 

 were, in perfect motion. It is a new species ; and is de- 

 scribed, by my friend Mr. W. S. Macleay, under the name 

 of Euploea hamata." 



* The atmosphere, sultry on the plain below, was cold 

 upon this mountain, although the sun shone brilliantly. I 

 was told, that last year, in December, (one of the summer 

 months in the colony,) some snow fell, in a small quantity, 

 at this place. 



