106 Lectures on the Geology, Botany, fyc., of the 
blue mountaineers, betsherrygahs, (melopsittacus undulalus,Gld.), 
a new parrot which Mr. Gilbert had first observed on Darling 
Downs, partridge, and bronze-winged pigeons, several species of 
doves and various finches, came to share the water with us. The 
black duck, the wood duck, the teal, grebes, and pelicans, inha¬ 
bited the large lagoons. The black swan disappeared to the north¬ 
ward, and was observed last at the junction of the Suttor with the 
Burdekin. Parra gallinacea, Gld. was first seen in the valley of la¬ 
goons, lat. 18° 42'. The wonga-wonga pigeon (leucosarcia picata) 
was seen last at the north side of Expedition Range, 24° 40'. 
When we entered into the river system of the gulf, new birds 
appeared, which Mr. Gilbert had only observed at Port Essington, 
or which had been collected by Dr. Bynoe at the north-west coast. 
A smaller species of laughing jackass (dacelo cervina, Gld.), with a 
voice a little more melodious than that of the large one, was first 
heard on the Upper Lynd; the crested partridge pigeon, geophaps 
plumifera, lived along the ridgy banks of that river; the whistling 
duck, leptotarsis eytoni, Gld.; the shield-rake, tadorna rajah; and 
the black-winged pelican occupied the lagoons. Cocatua san- 
guinea (a small species of cockatoo), the rose cockatoo, cocatua 
cos, Gld., the betshirygah, the harlequin pigeon, peristera histri- 
onica, lived on the plains at the head of the gulf. The Torres 
Strait pigeon, carpophaga luctuosa, and geophaps Smithi were 
first seen in lat. 16° 51' west of the gulf; Brown’s parrokeet 
(platycercus Brownii) was observed at the head of the Roper; a 
new species of Rock pigeon (petraphassa, Gld.) lived amongst the 
sandstone cliffs in Arnheim’s Land. The lagoons of the Alligator 
Rivers abounded with wild geese (anseranas Melanoleuca), and 
with myriads of whistling ducks, black ducks, teal, shieldrakes 
dwarf geese (nettapus pulchellusse.Gld.), and spoonbills (with black 
and yellow bills), ibisses, and native companions. Its plains 
abounded with the small cockatoo (cocatua sanguinea). The most 
interesting bird of Port Essington was the jungle fowl, (megapo- 
dius,) the eggs of which would indeed never be expected to be 
found in the huge mounds of clay which seem to have been accu¬ 
mulated by several generations of birds in succession. 
