128 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



below where we had obtained the bones. We hunted about in 

 the long grass near the beach for opossums, and every now and 

 again the dog commenced barking by a hole under the stones, but 

 each time we hurried up and looked in we saw only a penguin 

 gazing at us. They were not disturbed, with the exception of 

 one, which was killed and used as a bait to try and obtain some 

 crayfish with, which are said to be numerous in this bay ; but none 

 were caught this time, although our guide informed us that they 

 had often caught as many as 20 in a morning. Our line was 

 probably too short, but we had no means of lengthening it. 

 Shortly after leaving the beach on our way back to camp, the dog 

 found and killed a very large opossum. It was the first adult 

 specimen that we had seen, and we found it to be the Short-eared 

 Opossum {Phalangista canina), common both to Tasmania and 

 Victoria. Later on in the day, when one of our members was 

 forcing his way through thick scrub not far from the camp, he dis- 

 turbed an opossum with a young one clinging on to its back. He 

 shot the mother and secured the young one unhurt. These 

 animals here do not seem to feed on the leaves of the Eucalyptus 

 trees, as they are generally to be found where those trees are not 

 growing, and we could seldom detect any scratches made by them 

 on the trees, though we looked carefully for them. Their food 

 evidently consists entirely of succulent plants, and they seldom 

 seem to leave the ground. During the day they retire either under 

 stones, if near the sea shore, or under the thick tussocks of grass 

 which grow so abundantly here. The one obtained in the scrub 

 was sleeping under the old up-turned root of a sheoak, and when 

 disturbed never attempted to climb any of the trees, but kept on 

 the ground. On Erith Island, where we obtained our first 

 specimen, we could find no Eucalyptus growing. Another White- 

 lipped Snake was caught not far from the camp, and also a Giant 

 Cyclodus or Blue-tongued Lizard (C. gigas). Three of these 

 species were obtained during our stay. They are common to both 

 Victoria and Tasmania ; and one of our members secured a Lunu- 

 lated Honey-eater, a pair of Fire-tailed Finches, and the nest and 

 eggs of the Olivaceous Thickhead. 



During the evening the lighthouse-keeper rode to our camp and 

 told us that a party of six half-caste sealers had arrived from 

 Flinders Island to seal on Judgment Rocks, and that they would 

 probably remain about three weeks ; so we determined to visit 

 them on the following day. Accordingly, next morning (Saturday) 

 some of us went to East Cove, where they had anchored in their 

 boat, but on arriving we found that they had taken their departure 

 at daybreak. They had heard of our intended visit, and not 

 being sure of our intentions, had gone, probably to the Hogan 

 Group to collect Mutton Birds' eggs. We then went through some 

 thick scrubby country near the lighthouse, and obtained a few 



