THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 39 



the station hands, who dispose of them to squatters and others 

 in the district. The mallee opossum, a yellowish species, is, I 

 believe, not uncommon in these parts. Very fine rugs of dingo 

 skins are likewise prepared, and are both ornamental and 

 useful. 



The Koala, or native bear, is, I believe, unknovm in these 

 parts ; at least, so I have been informed. 



I was constantly on the look-out for the beautiful red and 

 black cockatoo ( Calyptorrhynchus Leachii). but did not see any, 

 although I should think this dry country a good place for 

 them. 



The white cockatoo ( Cacaiua jalerita) was plentiful near 

 Dimboola, but I saw very few when further inland. Black 

 cockatoos are not uncommon here. 



Our old Murray friend, the iguana ( Hydrosaurus variusj, was 

 not seen, which surprised me somewhat, as this country, with 

 its numerous rabbits, ought to be a perfect elysium for these 

 graceful saurians. 



After rabbits, the principal scourge in this part of Victoria is 

 the wild dog fCanis dingo). This animal is a very formidable 

 enemy to the squatter, free selector, or farmer, particularly to 

 the former, as it destroys vast numbers of sheep, evidently for 

 the sake, tiger-like, of killing them. 



These pests are caught by means of large iron traps, with a 

 very powerful spring, and these traps are always laid in the 

 middle of a road or path, so that when the dog comes along, 

 which he generally does in the middle of the road, he is caught 

 in the teeth of the trap, which, by the way, is always covered, 

 or rather buried, out of sight in the sand. This affords fine and 

 profitable sport for the station hands, who generally devote the 

 Sunday afternoon to riding to the various traps and having every 

 dog brought to the homestead, the finder being rewarded with 

 3os., so that many of these men are thus able to considerably 

 augment their salaries. These traps are very dangerous to 

 persons travelling on foot, because one can never see them, and, 

 unless you happen to know their whereabouts, stand a good 

 chance of being caught and held, dog fashion, until released. 



On the journey down to Lake Hindmarsh station we came 

 across the trail of a slut and litter of puppies of these dogs. 

 They were travelling across a sand-hill in an easterly direction, 

 and on our arrival at the station we informed the manager, Mr. 

 Binns, who soon raised a hue and cry after them. These dogs, 

 by cross-hybridisation, are larger and more savage than were the 

 pure dingoes, and when they get amongst a flock of sheep make 

 sad havoc. 



In my former paper I gave you a short description of the dog 

 and rabbit-proof fence, which extends from Swan Hill to the 

 Adelaide border, and although this fence seemed to me to be 



