Miscellanea. 
365 
and south-east beach is formed of sandstone. No water has been 
found in it, and its vegetation has, within the last few years, 
almost disappeared, owing to a colony of rabbits which, having 
destroyed everything edible, have now themselves perished. It 
is reported that in 1793 this island was only a boat's length dis¬ 
tant from Norfolk Island, but that in 1797 two severe earthquake 
shocks were experienced, by the second of which the nearer point 
of the Nepean was submerged, and the channel altered to its 
present form. The rocks which pave the channel between these 
islands are almost all lime-stones, whilst elsewhere they are por- 
phyritic. The Bird Islands are rocks of porphyry distributed 
along the north shore of Norfolk Island; they are of no economic 
value, and are tenanted only by sea birds. 
September 30, 1844. 
Mr. Fletcher read a paper communicated by Capt. Maconochie, 
“ On the Statistics of Norfolk Island/'—Capt. Maconochie de¬ 
scribed the soil as a rich, sharp, fine mould, calculated to start every 
thing, but not sufficiently strong to carry vegetation to maturity, 
unless under favorable circumstances. Stock of all kind thrives 
well on the island; nothing can exceed the mutton, pork, and 
poultry, but the beef is not so good. The shores abound with 
fish, most of which are excellent. There is great want of a good 
harbour, but it is believed that this may be remedied. There 
are about twenty varieties of trees, all of which are applicable to 
useful purposes. The island was first occupied as a dependency 
of New South Wales in 1787, and was turned into a penal set¬ 
tlement in 1825. The total number of male convicts confined 
there now is 3,593. Of 1,200 returned to Sydney, 530 are free, 
either from expiration of sentence or pardon, 670 are still pri¬ 
soners of the crown, 11 have been re-convicted in the supreme 
court, and 26 at quarter sessions. Several curious anecdotes 
were related of the daring spirit evinced by convicts in making 
their escape from the island. The rate of mortality is far greater 
among the convicts sent direct from England than among those 
previously seasoned in New South Wales, and Capt. Maconochie 
doubts the propriety of sending prisoners direct to Norfolk 
