128 Remarks on the Physical Geography, ^c, of the 



Art. V. — Remarks on the Physical Geography , Climate, ^c, 

 of the Regions lying between the Rivers Lachlan and Darling. 

 By W. LocKHART Morton^ Esq. 



[Read before the Royal Society, IStli August, 1860, on the occasion of the 

 departixre of the Victoi'ian Exploring Exi:)edition.] 



Under tlie impression that some remarks concerning the 

 country lying between the rivers Lachlan and Darling may 

 he not uninteresting^ I have undertaken to place a few before 

 this Society. 



It is well known that various individuals liave^ at different 

 times^ made incursions into that extensive tract of country^ 

 but none of them^ so far as I am aware^ have ever placed any 

 of their observations upon record. I believe^ therefore^ that 

 I maybe able to furnish some new and interesting facts. 



Towards the end of April last^ in company with a brother 

 of the Honorable the Attorney- General^ and a Mr. Plamilton, 

 I started from Melbourne for the purpose of looking for good 

 sheep country between the rivers above named. On the 

 2nd of May we arrived at Euston^ a township belonging to 

 New South WaleSj and situated on the north bank of the 

 river Murray^ about eighty miles above the junction of the 

 river Darling. From this place it was our intention to have 

 proceeded northward^ through the Mallee Scrubs, but hearing 

 that ]Mr. W. Eoss^ one of the most enterprising settlers on 

 the Murray, had another station back fifty miles from the 

 river, and that to it there existed a good road through the 

 scrub, we proceeded up as far as his head station. Going thence 

 northerly, after passing over seven miles of undulating 

 countrj^, abounding with limestone gravel, and much bur- 

 rowed by wombats — which are evidently much smaller than 

 the common variety — we came to the edge of the Mallee 

 Scrub. On the sandy soil at the edge of the Mallee, we first 

 saw the Avater-jdelding Hakea, which was to me quite new. 

 One fine tree seemed so full of water that the outer bark, to 

 the height of a foot from the ground, seemed quite saturated 

 with moisture. This valuable thorny tree is not found except 

 on sandy soil, or on sandhills. It is easily recognized by its 

 peculiarly white silvery foliage. Its roots run along, near 

 to the sm^face, and after being cut from the root, can be torn 



