1482 Australian Natural History. 



fowl. To our great disappointment, however, we saw that a party of 

 natives were encamped on its borders, and had effectually scared 

 away most of the birds. The low state of the water had made it 

 favourable for capturing the fish (of four species), which then existed 

 in considerable numbers, and the natives had flocked to the place 

 from all quarters ; hundreds of hawks, chiefly Milvus affinis, were 

 assembled about the encampment, and their daring in carrying off 

 fragments of fish and offal from within a few feet of the fires, surpri- 

 sed me not a little. The effluvia given oft' from the mud and stag- 

 nant water, with the thermometer at 94° in the shade, and not a 

 breath of air stirring, were so sickening, that at length we were glad 

 to leave the place — well characterized by the natives in their name 

 for it, " the stinking ground." Flights of a large Vampire bat (Pte- 

 ropus funereus) made their appearance at sunset, flying about the tall 

 Melaleuca trees, on the flowers of which at this season they chiefly 

 feed ; while during the day they remain suspended from the branches 

 among the dense mangrove thickets. I have some eggs of that sin- 

 gular bird the Megapodius Tumulus, dug out from a mound in the 

 neighbourhood, which were brought us by the natives. 



Finding that little was to be done at Moormal, we shifted our quar- 

 ters two miles further South, and constructed a rude tent from the 

 boat's sails among some low bushes behind the beach, close to 

 a well of excellent water ; this last in Australia is always a considera- 

 tion of the first importance. The great attraction, however, to us, was a 

 neighbouring small lagoon (Amurake of aborigines) of nearly fresh water, 

 a favourite haunt of aquatic birds and waders. This is about three 

 quarters of a mile in length, and at this season seldom exceeded four 

 feet in depth, and was partially overgrown with a species of Eleo- 

 charis. In the numerous pools a handsome Nymphcea, with large, 

 * pale blue, odoriferous flowers, nearly concealed the surface of the 

 water. The water is so slightly brackish, that two species of fresh- 

 water shells are abundant about the margin, which is separated from 

 the neighbouring forest by a belt of Melaleucas or " Tea trees," the 

 singular bark of which is much used by the aborigines for construct- 

 ing temporary huts. 



While we remained in this neighbourhood the usual daily routine 

 was seldom varied. Earliest dawn generally found us on our way to 

 the lagoon, on reaching which we proceeded to search the opposite 

 sides. Our first attention was devoted to the procuring of a few 

 geese (Anseranas melaiwlenca) and black ducks (Anas super ciliosa) 

 for food, which being accomplished, these birds had a respite for the 



