108 Lectures on the Geology, Botany, Sfc., of the 
Macarthur, but had now almost disappeared. The bandicoot 
(perameles nasuta) was occasionally seen and killed as far as the 
Lynd, where it used to come at night into our camp. The native 
cat (dasyurus maugei) was very numerous along the Upper Lynd, 
and frequently visited our larder when it contained fresh game. 
Most useful to us were two species of flying fox (pteropus), a 
small one with a bright fox-coloured neck, and a larger one of a 
generally darker colour. These animals were exceedingly nu¬ 
merous at the head of the Roper, and in the patches of brush 
along the Alligator River. The large species was remarkably fat, 
and we killed several times great numbers of them, which were 
most welcome at our dinner. They were living on the blossoms 
of several gum trees, and when feeding during the night used to 
make an incessant screeching noise. 
Several mice or rat-like rodcntiae were killed at the commence¬ 
ment of our journey; but they were very rare, and never attempted 
to make free with our provisions. 
The want of insects explains sufficiently the rare occurrence of 
bats. 
The native dog was frequently heard howling round our camp, 
particularly in countries which abounded with game. Several 
times they came at night into the camp to gnaw bones which we 
had left. That of Port Essington seems larger and more daring 
than others, as it attacks goats, and will come even into the 
enclosures to carry away fowls. 
The buffalo, which we met first at the east Alligator River, is 
not indigenous, but imported from the Malay Islands. 
I have seen no difference in the physical constitution of the 
natives of the east coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and of the 
north-west coast. The coast black of Moreton Bay is a fine well- 
made man, and so is the coast black of the Alligator River. 
Farther in the interior he is generally not so well fed, and has 
consequently a weaker frame ; but when there is abundant food 
the native of the inland country is not inferior in strength to that 
of the coast, and Captain Sturt describes his ichthyophagist friends 
as equalU well made and strong. The natives of the gulf we met 
