112 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



inch, coloured so as to indicate the alienated land, agricultural 

 land open for selection, land held under pastoral lease, and land 

 under mineral lease, from which it appears that a large portion of 

 the S.W. of the island is practically uninhabited. The other half 

 of the sheet contains a map of the State on the smaller scale of 

 20 miles to an inch, coloured so as to show the prevailing timber 

 in three divisions — eucalyptus, myrtle (beech), and pine. The 

 map is surrounded by letterpress calling attention to the principal 

 products of the State, with statistics of various kinds relating to 

 prominent industries, climate, &c. 



The Black Wattle. — A report by Mr. J. G. Smith, special 

 agent in charge of the Hawaii Agricultural Experimental Station, 

 Sandwich Islands, has been issued dealing with the cultivation of 

 the Black Wattle, Acacia decurrens, Willd., in Hawaii, from which 

 it seems that this tree was introduced to Hawaii some forty years 

 ago. He states that it grows best at from 800 to 3,000 feet above 

 sea-level, with a rainfall of from 80 to 150 inches annually. In 

 January, 1Q05, the station commenced to harvest the bark from 

 six acres of trees 17, years old, with the result that 36 tons of bark 

 were sold for ;z^i68, in addition to which 500 fence posts and 88 

 cords of firewood were sold, bringing the total return up to ^320. 



The Cape Barren Goose.—" This bird " (says " F.R." in the 

 Arg%is of 28th July) " is one of our largest and most interesting 

 migratory birds. Named after Cape Barren Island, one of the 

 Flinders group, off the north-east coast of Tasmania, it is also 

 found in considerable numbers on Flinders and Clarke Islands. 

 Year after year in early summer this heavy bird wings its way to the 

 mainland, some 400 miles in a straight line, and may be seen feed- 

 ing on the aquatic grasses round the lakes and swamps of Western 

 Victoria. Here it is protected from ist August to 31st January. 

 As autumn sets in it returns to its island home, builds its nest, 

 and rears its young. The reason for this migration is not very 

 evident, beyond the mere fact of obtaining a change of diet. 

 Some little time ago it was feared that, on account of its con- 

 spicuous size and the robbing of the nests, it would become extinct, 

 but correspondents on the islands report that it is increasing in 

 numbers. It is an excellent table bird, and is consequently much 

 sought after by sportsmen, but, owing to the swamps it frequents 

 being almost destitute of cover, it is very difficult to approach 

 within range. The bird has one peculiarity — viz., a marked 

 aversion to swimming — and, although it wades in the water and 

 loves to wander about on weedy mud-banks, it never swims unless 

 compelled to do so." A correspondent in a later Argus reported 

 having shot a specimen some miles further north than Bendigo, 

 so that it sometimes ventures much further inland than the 

 Western District lakes. 



