116 COLLECTOR'S RAMBLES 



each going in a different direction. As I was wading 

 through the rank grass near a stream, a number of 

 kangaroo rats [Hypsiprymnus] ran out in all direc- 

 tions. I shot one, about the size of a cat, but to my 

 surprise, the fur came out in handfuls : in fact, I could 

 have picked him clean on the spot. I have since 

 learned that, if I had carried him by the tail until he 

 was cold, the fur would have remained on the skin. 



Farther down the mountain side was a gully, near 

 the head of which I saw a lyre-bird on a fallen tree : 

 I let go one barrel, and dropped her. Going on, I saw 

 at some distance a fine cock bird, running on a log. I 

 let him have the barrel of coarse shot, but he was 

 altogether too far off, and, with a piercing scream, he 

 dived into the thick brush, and I never saw him again. 

 Then I saw a flock of purple lories, and shot three. I 

 might have had more, but had carelessly forgotten to 

 fill my shot-pouch, which was now empty. On the 

 way back I saw two more lyre-birds, and it vexed me 

 considerably to see them run past, within easy range, 

 as if they knew I was harmless. 



THURSDAY, August 24. This morning, early, we 

 saw one of the strangest sights imaginable : as we 

 were walking along the hillside, we saw, stretched upon 

 the soil, what looked for all the world like an animated 

 bicycle tire. It was about four feet long and one inch 

 in diameter, and, on inspection, proved to be a gigantic 

 earthworm. His length depended much on the state 



