NEW KANGAROO. 93 



Whirlwind Plains, and also, if possible, to shoot a 

 kangaroo to send to the ship :* I was so fortunate 

 as to secure two ; one of a new species, very small, 

 and of a dark brown colour, with coarse hair, I 

 found in rocky land, which it appears solely to in- 

 habit, as it was also found near the ship. As, how- 

 ever, like the generality of kangaroos, this species 

 only move of their own accord in the night time, 

 they are rarely seen, and but one good specimen was 

 obtained by Lieut. Emery, who brought it to Eng- 

 land, and submitted it to Mr. Gould, who has 

 described it as Petrogale concinna. It is now in 

 the British Museum. 



The height we visited was of coarse sandstone 

 formation, and attained an elevation of 150 feet. 

 As I was left to examine some parts of the river 

 which had been passed in the night, I had a further 

 opportunity of determining the value, and estimating 

 the fertility of Whirlwind Plains. My examination 

 only confirmed my previous conjectures in favour of 

 the capabilities of the soil. From what I had seen at 

 Port Essington, as ground considered favourable for 

 the growth of cotton, there can be no doubt that 

 on these plains it would thrive much better ; but 



* I had now become quite an adept in this kind of sport. My 

 plan was to direct a man to walk along near the river, where they 

 are generally found, whilst I kept considerably above him and a 

 little in advance, so that all those that were started running up 

 from the bank in the curved direction, habitual with all kanga- 

 roos, passed within shot. 



