


SEA-LEOPARD SEAL. 25 
time of floods, may be carried into some lake or lagoon, whence, 
after the subsidence of the water, retreat is impossible. It is often 
found far from land, but always goes to the shore at the breeding 
seasop. About five years ago, one was captured in Hobson’s Bay, 
near the Yarra; it had evidently strayed into Port Phillip, and was 
unable to find its way back to the ocean. In the British museum, 
London, there are specimens from the Antarctic Seas, and from 
Lord Howe Island, presented by the Lords of the Admiralty, and 
from New Zealand, presented by Sir George Grey. Mr. Gould 
surprised a sea-leopard on the beach at Port Arthur, Tasmania, 
which he secured for his collection. One was captured on the beach 
at Double Bay, Port Jackson. 
The Bunyip.—Twenty-three years ago, it was firmly believed 
that there was a bunyip in the Midgeon Taboous which is situated 
16 miles north of Narrandera. The body of this creature, with the 
exception of the tail, had been fairly observed by several people. A 
description of its size, dogs head, hair, rapid movements and 
noise, so far as casual and momentary glimses would admit, was 
published in the Wagga Advertiser of March, 1872. A reward of 
£50 was offered for it if captured alive, or £20 if dead. Whether 
seal or bunyip, this animal was not secured. Doubtless, it was only 
a sea-leopard, or other species of seal, that had strayed from its 
ocean home, and having entered the Murray, had wandered up the 
Murrumbidgee. Its rapid swimming, disappearance below the 
surface, and formation were just such as would be noted of a seal, 
if observed under similar circumstances. During the fifties, some 
of the newspapers in Victoria occasionally referred to a mythical 
animal, which was said to have been seen in some of the lakes in 
that colony. The notion of this myth was considerably upset in 
Victoria in 1859. Early one morning, a seal was found sitting under 
a tree, not far from Gardiner’s Creek Road, Prahran. It had entered 
the Yarra, passed the falls, and traversed the upper river as far as 
the Punt Road. It was in an exhausted condition, and was secured 
for the Melbourne museum, near which it was kept alive for several 
days. 
AustRALIAN MrcapopE—WMegapodius tumulus. 
Description.—The length of the Australian megapode is 17 
inches. The first authentic account of its habits was taken from 
the notes of Mr. Gilbert. He found mounds at Knocker’s Bay, 
which is part of Port Essington Harbour. He was killed by the 
blacks, but his notes and specimens were preserved by Leichhardt, 
and sent to England, The head and crest are dark reddish-brown ; 
behind the neck dark grey. The SEPey surface and wings are deep 
cinnamon brown; the upper and under tail-coverts are still darker 
brown. The throat and all the under surface are grey. The tail is 
blackish-brown. The legs and feet are orange, the claws black, the 
bill reddish-brown, The megapodius, talegallus, and leipoa are 
