AUSTRALIA. 271 



only living members of an extensive fossil genus (characteristic 

 of the London clay formation) which abounded in the seas of the 

 primaeval world, and is only found in Australia, which country (as 

 you perhaps know) has animals and plants more closely allied in 

 general to those of the fossil world than to those of any modern 

 country. Perhaps, when the centre of the continent shall be 

 discovered, we may find the actual living things of the oolite 

 times, or at least the first remove from them. 



Some of the lizards are very grotesque. One called the York 

 Devil is particularly so. It is about the size of a chameleon, 

 and as slow in its movements, and covered all over with large 

 spiny tubercles, with a pair of diabolical horns and claw-like 

 fingers ; when you hold him up with hands outspread, he looks 

 very like the popular notion of a devil. Some other kinds are 

 of large size, almost like crocodiles. Mr. S. has a pet boa, 

 which he sometimes brings into the parlour to amuse company ; 

 it is rather vicious, and once bit him in the face. 



This place is an excellent locality for Algse. I am daily 

 finding fresh ones, and have the prospect of a good harvest of 

 novelty and interest. The season is daily improving, and I 

 must not hurry from these shores. The days are too short for 

 my work. My best collections are made at Garden Island, nine 

 miles distant. I have been twice landed for a two hours' walk, 

 and on both occasions collected so much that it took three days 

 to lay them on paper. I have had several days' dredging, and 

 found a new species of Dasya, which I shall call Cliftoni, after 

 my kind friend, Mr. Clifton, superintendent of water police, 

 whose boat I use, and who takes much interest in my work. 



Last evening, walking on the strand, a gentleman riding past 

 touched his hat, and on my returning the civility, asked if I 

 were not the gentleman he had heard so much about, who was 

 come to collect seaweeds. I confessed to being that unfortunate 

 wight. Whereupon he hoped I might not leave the place 

 without pointing out some that would be " good to eat ;" " good 

 for something," in fact. " He knew there was an edible one, 

 much better than Carrigeen !" 



The weather, since my arrival, has been the most perfectly 

 enjoyable possible. We have had nothing like a gale since the 

 middle of April. I hope June will bluster a little, as I want to 

 see a good upheaval from the bottom. I cannot find time here 



