32 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



(i.) One lying to north of the Coast Range. This is drained 

 by tributaries such as the Bonang and Delegate rivers, flowing 

 away north to join the Snowy. 



(2.) An eastern portion, in which the rivers flow mainly south. 

 There are two chief streams — the Cann, on the east ; the Bemm 

 with its tributaries, the Erinundra, Ada, Black Watch, Goolengook, 

 and Mackenzie, on the west. In addition there are lesser 

 streams, such as the Yeerung River, and the Cabbage Tree Creek, 

 which turns west, round the base of Mount Raymond, to join 

 the Brodribb. 



(3.) A western portion drained by the eastern tributaries of 

 the Snowy, and again divided into a northern and southern part 

 by the ridge running across from the M'CuUoch Hills to the 

 Sardine Creek. The principal stream is the Brodribb. North 

 of the ridge this receives the B. A. Creek and St. Patrick River, 

 and south of the ridge it is joined by the Rich and Rocky rivers, 

 and close to the sea by the Cabbage Tree Creek as before said. 



The whole country inland from the coast district is extremely 

 well watered, the streams running in deep and often very narrow 

 gorges, which only at intervals widen out into broad valleys, 

 whilst flats of any size are of rare occurrence. North of the 

 Coast Range, on the east side, the country is much more open, 

 the rivers not running in such deep valleys, and the ground 

 gently rising and falling. This difference is ascribed by Mr. 

 Stirling to the difference in the rainfall on the north and south 

 sides of the range. It may, perhaps, be due in part to this, but 

 the reason is more probably to be found, in the main, in the 

 difference in geological formations. Those around Bendoc are 

 of a yellew-red silurian sandstone, without the hard slates which 

 characterize the formations to the south of the range. These 

 sandstones have probably allowed of more equal denudation, 

 and this will account for the gradual falling away of the country 

 from Goon Murk down to Bendoc. On the eastern side, again, 

 around Bonang, the denudation has been more unequal, and the 

 rivers have hollowed out deep valleys : this is associated with the 

 presence of the harder slates, through which, as near Bonang, 

 runs a band of irruptive granite. 



ZoOLdGY. 



• Of the higher forms of Hfe there was, as we were led to believe 

 before leaving Orbost, a remarkable dearth. Kangaroos, wombats, 

 platypus, bandicoots, phalangers, and opossums were the only 

 mammals seen during the whole journey, and these, save the 

 phalangers, were exceedingly few in number, and we went whole 

 days without catching sight of one. This is, of course, partly 



