MOUNT FLINDERS. 267 



mile and a half in a N. E. direction from each other, 

 The northern and largest is two miles and a half 

 long, and three-quarters of a mile wide ; whilst the 

 other is rather more than half a mile each way, and 

 has at the northern end a mound with a remarkable 

 casuarina tree on its summit. Both are fronted with 

 coral reefs, particularly at the N. E. extreme ; there 

 are some cliffs on the south-east side of the larofe 

 island of sand and ironstone formation, the latter 

 prevailing ; and over the low north-western parts a 

 ferruginous kind of gravel was scattered. The 

 crests of the hills or hillocks were of a reddish sort 

 of sandstone, and so honey-combed or pointed at the 

 top that it was difficult to walk over them. 



Near the landing-place, at the foot of Mount 

 Flinders, were a few isolated gum-trees, and small 

 clusters of the casuarina, which were the only trees 

 on the northern island. Some drift timber was on the 

 south-east and north-west sides. On the latter was 

 a tree of considerable size, doubtless brought from 

 the shore of the Gulf by the N. W. monsoon. Its 

 whole surface was covered with a long brown kind 

 of grass, interwoven with creepers. There were 

 great quantities of a cinnamon-coloured bittern 

 seen, as well as quails, doves, and large plovers, but 

 not any of the bustards mentioned by Flinders. We 

 saw no traces of land animals of any kind ; neither 

 did we of the natives. A flock of screaming white 

 cockatoos had taken up their abode on the south 

 island, where also some bulbs of the Angustifolia 



