282 R. H. MATHEWS. 



regular highway between the earth and the upper regions, 

 for a very long period. Old blackfellows have told me 

 stories of similar trees which reached up into the sky in 

 other parts of Victoria. 



At that time the common magpie and black jay went 

 out hunting one day, and speared a dog which they thought 

 was a wild one. They lighted a fire and cooked the animal 

 in a hole with its head pointing towards its miyur, but they 

 had not time to remain there and eat it. So the magpie 

 picked up the carcass of the dog, still hot from the fire, 

 and carried it across the back of his neck home to the camp. 

 The hot body resting on the magpie's neck so long, burnt 

 the skin and caused the white mark still seen across the 

 neck of that bird. 



It turned out that it was the largest and best hunting 

 dog belonging to the lark which had been speared. By and 

 bye the lark called in his dogs and they came to him one 

 by one. As each dog appeared, the lark said impatiently, 

 " That's only a puppy ! Where is my big dog?" But the 

 favourite dog did not return, and the lark was determined 

 to have revenge upon the whole tribe, but he said nothing. 

 He took his waddy and went and sat down by a fire near 

 the base of the great tree, and pretended he was carving 

 ornamental lines on the weapon. When no one was looking 

 he put live coals into a hollow in one of the roots, and 

 shoved them well underneath with the end of his waddy. 



After a while the fire began to make headway and 

 crackled under the ground. Some blackfellows asked the 

 lark what noise that was. He replied that it must be two 

 of the top branches rubbing against each other, and they 

 appeared satisfied with this answer. But the fire increased 

 in vigour and fierceness under the soil, burning all the roots 

 until the principal one was reached, which shared the same 

 fate. Then the tree came down with a tremendous crash, 



