THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM MAGAZINE. 



39 



The "Lower Road" overlooks the sea breaking on the reef 500 feet below it. 



Photo — A. R. McCulloch. 



them dowu by luerely cooeeing to tlicni. 

 The sound attracts their attention, and 

 they drop down to investigate, actu- 

 ally crawling over one while endeavour- 

 ing to ascertain its origin. Though they 

 are most plentiful near the mountain 

 tops, they also nest on the Lower Road 

 and in a large patch of sword-grass on 

 the Little Slope, which is almost at sea- 

 level. But they are restricted to the 

 two mountain areas, leaving the remain- 

 der of the island to other species. 



THE LOWER ROAD. 



To reach Mt. Gower, one must go by 

 way of a long and rough track around 

 the eastern spurs of Mt. Lidgbird, or 

 over a picturescjue and somewhat hazar- 

 dous one, known as the Lower Road, 

 which crosses the face of a precipice 



a])out 500 feet above the water. Much 

 has been written about the dangers of 

 this so-called road, and those carrying 

 heavy loads across it must needs pick 

 their steps carefully lest they lose their 

 balance, and, slipping on the narrow 

 greasy slopes, fall headlong onto the 

 rocks below. If but lightly laden, how- 

 ever, there is but little risk, save from 

 occasional stones loosened l)y goats 

 climbing on the cliff edge, a thousand 

 feet above. The menace of loose stones 

 is not inconsiderable on the steeper 

 parts of the mountains, for they not 

 only jeopardise one's safety by giving 

 way beneath the feet, but, tumbling 

 downwards, may injure another of the 

 party below. We were fortunate in 

 escaping any injuries from this cause, 



