THE VICTOEIAN NATURALIST. 1'55 



. A day or so later we all drove to some granite ranges about 

 twelve miles from the homestead, and on arriving there some of us 

 went along the range where the rocks were high to hunt for Rock 

 Wallabies, which live in the crevices. in the rocks. We had some 

 exciting attempts to capture them, as they ran up. the sides of the 

 rocks and into the trees in a wonderful way. They seem to be 

 adepts at climbing, as we frequently saw them perched on the 

 lower branches of the trees. We managed to catch one and, 

 transferring it to a bag, took it back to the camp. We found 

 that during our- absence a lady of the party, whilst looking for 

 flowers, had come across a Carpet Snake about ten feet long, 

 which was coiled up asleep under a clump of bushes. An 

 opossum had just furnished it with a hearty meal, which it was 

 quietly digesting. The animal was easily transferred to our bag, 

 and it is now in the Zoological Gardens with the Black-headed 

 Snake. Both the Carpet and Black-headed Snakes evidently 

 feed at night and their favourite camping place is in the rank 

 grass near water, where they can secure Kangaroo Rats, 

 Opossums, &c., for food. Under a rocky ledge I was fortunate 

 enough to discover an Echidna {E. acanthion), with, its young 

 one. This variety is peculiar to Queensland, I believe, and it 

 was the first Echidna I had come across with a young one. The 

 little thing was devoid of all hair or spines, but I regret to say 

 that the mother and young escaped from confinement when at 

 Rockhampton on their way to Melbourne. While clambering 

 over the rocks we saw a pair of the Wallaroo Kangaroo (M. 

 rohustus). Those animals are now very scarce in this neighbour- 

 hood, but formerly, it is said, they used to be plentiful. 



At the homestead there is a pretty garden, in which flourish 

 oranges, lemons, bananas, peaches, pineapples, &c., ai;id different 

 kinds of birds make it their home and breed there. Ring Doves, 

 Barred-shouldered Doves, and Peaceful Doves all live and breed 

 in harmony, and at feeding time in the afternoon they flock to 

 the verandah to pick up the grain. The Ring Doves used to 

 feed out of Mrs. .Barnard's hand. It was a pleasure . to see 

 them so fearless. I need hardly say there were no cats about. 

 The birds had their nests about the garden, and even the wild 

 ones, like the Barred-shouldered and Peaceful Doves, seemed to 

 prefer living about the house to being out in the scrub, and they 

 also grew very tame, feeding on the verandah with the others. 

 At the back of the house were some pretty little bantams, a pair 

 of Wood Ducks, and some smaller birds, and on the still waters 

 of a waterhole close by the house were a pair of Black Swans, 

 who jealously drove away any geese that attempted to enter the 

 water near them. On the. branches of an old dead gum tree 

 which had fallen in the water were generally to be seen a few 

 Plotus Birds (Plotus novoi-hoUandiceJ, . and Little Cormorants 



