72 



Personal Observations in the 



Vampijre Bat, — The former, which is familiarly known by 

 the name of the " devil," or flying fox, is found in all the 

 mountain ranges, but is especially numerous in those parts 

 of the coast abounding in hollows and caverns. It sometimes 

 measures three and a half feet across the wings. 



Common Bat. — The common bat, like the less numerous 

 species above mentioned, is found over the whole colony, 

 but especially in rocky places along the coast. 



IV. — The Aborigines of the Goulburn are few in number, 

 of a peaceable disposition, and distinguished by a local lan- 

 guage and characteristic habits. The whole of the tribes 

 living in the same latitude towards Mount Gambier,^ are 

 peaceably disposed, and in this respect differ most materially 

 from the Fisher and the savage Murray tribes.^ 



During my journey to Seymour, I met with a camp of 

 Aborigines, by whom I was willingly accompanied to that 

 place. Having observed an unusually large number of dead 

 trees in a forest which we passed through, I was induced to 

 inquire the cause of so peculiar a circumstance, and was 

 informed, in reply, that it was the spot on which a once very 

 numerous Goidburn tribe was overwhelmed by a still more 

 powerful tribe, inhabiting the banks of the Murray. Each 

 of the dead trees represent a member of the extinguished 

 clan; and the custom is still maintained by those tribes 

 neighbouring the Goulburn, and has its origin in the follow- 

 ing superstitious ceremony. 



Upon a youth arriving at manhood, he is conducted by 

 three of the leaders of his tribe, into the recesses of the 

 woods, where he remains two days and one night. Being 

 furnished with a piece of wood, he knocks out two of the 

 teeth of his upper front jaw; and on returning to the camp 

 carefully consigns them to his mother. The youth then agam 

 retires into the forest, and remains absent two nights and one 

 day; during which, his mother, having selected a young gum 

 tree, inserts the teeth in the bark, in the fork of two of the 

 topmost branches. This tree is made known only to certam 

 persons of the tribe, and is strictly kept from the knowledge 

 of the youth himself. In case the person to whom the tree 

 is thus dedicated dies, the foot of it is stripped of its bark, 

 and it is Idlled by the application of fire ; thus becommg a 

 monument of the deceased. Hence, we need no longer be 

 surprised at so frequently finding groups of dead trees m 

 healthy and verdant forests, and surrounded by luxuriant 

 vegetation. 



