THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 47 



through the hot sand for about four miles, straining our eyes and 

 expecting to see the cattle under every clump of timber, we came 

 across them camped among a few green pine trees. Fortunately 

 the wind was favourable, and we saw them before they were 

 aware of our approach, and managed to get a shot at a bull. 

 Immediately on firing there was a stampede of the herd, but the 

 one we had fired at only went about loo yards, and then pulled 

 up behind some scrub. After some dodging we managed to get 

 another shot, but there being so little shelter for us when he 

 charged, it was some time before we managed to despatch him. 

 The sport was very exciting while it lasted, but too dangerous in 

 that class of country to be pleasant. We then tramped back to 

 the horses, seeing a few stump-tail lizards on our way, but the 

 birds had apparently sought shelter from the sun in the belt of 

 timber bordering the lake. 



In the evening we found the bower of the spotted bower-bird, 

 situated close by a fallen pine, with a bagful of old bones, 

 broken glass, and coloured leaves, etc., etc., alongside of it. It 

 must have given the birds a good deal of labour to collect them 

 all together. I brought it down with me complete, and also the 

 bones, and they are now to be seen in the small museum at the 

 Zoological Gardens. The pair of birds were very noisy when 

 they saw their bower being taken away, but I have heard since 

 that they have made another close by the same place, and are 

 busy making another heap of bones, etc. 



Next day I had to return to Tullyvea, so we started early. 

 During the drive I got five stump-tail lizards, and came across a 

 few iguanas ( Hydrosaurus varius), and also a large fresh-water 

 tortoise crawling along the road in the hot sun several miles from 

 the water. We arrived at our destination about 5 o'clock p.m. I 

 started again next morning at 4 o'clock and reached Dimboola 

 in time to catch the first train to town. On the way down we 

 passed through clouds of grasshoppers, and numbers of them 

 made their way into the carriages. I reached town at 10.30 p.m. 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



Oology of Australian Birds. 



To the Editor of the Victorian Naturalist. 



Sir, — In justice to myself, I hope you will concede a line or 

 two, by way of explanation to Dr. Ramsay's letter, which 

 appeared in your last issue. First, I believe your criticism which 

 provoked Dr, Eamsay was perfectly legitimate and wholesome. 



