1430 Australian Natural History. 



prowl with any attention. I have seen them skimming along after 

 dusk, but their favourite position where if undisturbed they will re- 

 main for a long time, is a thick tree, in which they are not easily dis- 

 cerned, though their loud note — coo-koo, is an infallible guide to 

 their haunt. I never saw one in daylight — where they go to I know 

 not — I have often came across owls but never this bird. 



I shot a splendid owl the other night by mere chance. I wish I 

 could describe him ; however, if he will only keep till I send you a 

 third box you will be able to judge. From some unaccountable noise 

 which alarmed my wife in the middle of the night, I went outside with 

 my gun, and noticed the wretch devouring my pigeons on the dove- 

 cot. He paid dearly for his gluttony, and perhaps the report of my 

 gun was useful in other respects. I sat up till nearly daylight to skin 

 him, and make sure of him, before the detestible flies were awake. 



Butterflies are not to be found in the forest, and there is not a gar- 

 den within eight miles of me. The large Lepidoptera I fancy are 

 scarce, and only to be met with in large well-grown gardens, where 

 the orange and lemon are cultivated. I have seen them only in such 

 places. The few to be found about the uncultivated lands are prin- 

 cipally of the Fritillary kind, brown or reddish, with black markings, 

 and far from numerous in variety. There are also the small blue va- 

 rieties seen among grasses. Moths are plain generally, I dare say 

 there are plenty of them ; but I have no liking to night-work in this 

 country. A door or window left open here for the candle to attract 

 them (the manner adopted by me in India to collect them) might 

 bring something too large and strong for my cabinet. Independently 

 of these difficulties, suppose them caught, it is hard to keep them 

 from the attacks of other insects peculiar to such dead matter, particu- 

 larly the hairy-grub already mentioned. It shows some tact in its 

 attacks, always eating from underneath, so that it may not readily be 

 observed, till the body is excavated and falls to pieces. 



Last year 1 was sadly annoyed, and had my garden much destroyed 

 by a small black-beetle: its hind-legs were formed for jumping. It 

 came in myriads, settling principally on the rose-bushes and vines. 



The young shoots were entirely eaten off, and many of the stems 

 barked and killed. In a day a rose-bush would be leafless. I tried 

 many ways to rid myself of this pest by shaking the bush, when they 

 would fall as if dead to the ground. I collected them in heaps and 

 destroyed numbers, and turned up the earth upon the rest. Lime and 

 smoke had no effect apparently in lessening their numbers. They re- 

 mained with me about a fortnight and were finally dispersed by one 



