196 TEMMINCK'S ACCOUNT. [CHAP. vi. 



indicator of waters in the wilderness. Let us listen to 

 the story of one who thus found aid in his extremity : 



"As the sun declined, we got into open forest ground, 

 and travelled forwards in momentary expectation, from 

 appearances, of coming in sight of water ; but we were 

 obliged to pull up at sunset on the outskirts of a larger 

 plain without having our expectation realized. The day 

 had been extremely warm, and our animals were as 

 thirsty as ourselves. Hope never forsakes the human 

 breast ; and thence it was that, after we had secured the 

 horses, we began to wander round our lonely bivouac. 

 It was almost dark, when one of my men came to in- 

 form me that he had found a small puddle of water, to 

 which he had been led by a Pigeon*. It was, indeed, 

 small enough, probably the remains of a passing shower; 

 it was, however, sufficient for our necessities, and I 

 thanked Providence for its bounty to us."f 



Temminck's description of the Bronze-wing is most 

 inviting. It is one of the most beautiful Pigeons 

 known to him. ." Brilliant specks, of a radiant lustre, 

 are sprinkled on the wings of this bird, whose plumage, 

 generally of a uniform colour on the rest of the body, 

 aids still more to relieve the dazzling richness of these 

 spots, which shine like so many rubies, sapphires, and 

 opal stones. 



" Captain Philip, in his voyage to New South Wales, 

 and Surgeon-General White, in his voyage to Port Jack- 

 son, make mention of this Pigeon: Labillardiere, who 

 also killed it in New Holland, had already found it at 

 Diemen's Cape : the naturalists who accompanied 



* In the maps, the name of "Pigeon Ponds," given to welcome 

 pools of water, still marks the mode of their first discovery, 

 f Sturt's Expedition into South Australia. 



