68 THE VICTORIAN NA.TURALIST. 



continent. The difference in climate is not sufficient to account for 

 tlieir absence, and tlie very sliglit dissimilarity in tlie Flora^ wliicli 

 almost amounts to nothing-, cei"tainly fails to supply a solution of the 

 problem. The late Gerrard Krefft, in his Notes on the Fauna of 

 Tasmania, says : " Owing to the absence of indigenous fruits, no 

 flying foxes occur." This is scarcely true. The indigenous fruit? 

 are not more rare or insignificant than here, if we except the 

 Moreton Bay fig, JFicus. He further adds, in speaking of flying 

 foxes: " If these marauders once found out the richness of Tas- 

 manian plantations, they would soon wing their way across the 

 Straits." In conclusion, let me say that it is to be fervently hoped 

 tliat no naturalist or acclimatiser will allow their enthusiasm to so 

 far override their judgment as to introduce them to the " tight little 

 island," as they liave foxes here, and the wrong sparrows 

 everywhere. 



ZrOTE. 



IGUANA Versm COCKATOOS. 



1 AVAS one day last summer staying uenr the Kangdernar Creek, 

 between luglewood and Tarnagulla. ]\Iy attention was called to a 

 lofty tree by the unusually loud screaming of cockatoos in its 

 neighbourhood. I went toward the tree, and saw a pair of cockatoos, 

 whose nest Avas high up in the trunk, fl\iiig round and round, and 

 Tittering loud discordant cries. On going nearer, I found that the 

 cause of the disturbance AA'as a large iguana, Avhich had eA'idontly 

 made up its mind to get at their nest. The birds tried to prevent 

 the reptile from climbing higher by flying down close to it, and as, I 

 belicA-e, by pecking it Avith their bills as they swept by. Presently 

 the iguana came to a place aa here tlie tree forked. It stopped here, 

 and endeaA'oured in a futile manner by darting out its long forked 

 tongue, to AA'ard off its adA-ersaries, AAdienever they approached near 

 to it. The cockatoos, lioArever, did not slacken their assaults; Avhilst 

 one attacked in front, the otlier flew at its back, until the iguana 

 Iiad had so much buffeting, that lie seemed as anxious to come 

 down as he had before been to go up. He presently, in fact, turned 

 tail and made his way doAvn in a precipitate and un(b"gnified retreat. 

 So pleased Avas I Avith the devotion and valour of the birds, tb.at I 

 ran up and killed the reptih% though this AA'as perhaps not the best 

 c-oui"se, as iguanas are useful to man in destroying rabbits and other 

 Termin.— T), T. Hamilton, 



