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CONDITION OF PLANTS LEFT BEHIND.

of France, would, in the burnt up state of the country, have delayed us many days, had we even succeeded at last. On the other hand, if left free in the bush, two good mares which were amongst them might possibly be the means of giving a very valuable race of horses to this country. These considerations determined me; and the companions of our weary wanderings were turned loose,—a new race upon the land; and, as we trusted, to become the progenitors of a numerous herd.

Our whole residence in this country had been marked by toils and sufferings. Heat, wounds, hunger, thirst, and many other things had combined to harass us. Under these circumstances, it might have been imagined that we left these shores without a single regret; but such was far from being the case: when the ponies had wandered off, when all the remaining stores had been removed, and the only marks of our residence in this valley were a few shattered bark huts, young cocoa-nut plants, a bread-fruit, and some other useful trees and plants, I felt very loath to leave the spot. I considered what a blessing to the country these plants must eventually prove, if they should continue to thrive as they had yet done, and as I called to mind how much forethought and care their transport to their present position had occasioned, I would very gladly have passed a year or two of my life in watching over them, and seeing them attain to a useful maturity. One large pumpkin plant, in particular, claimed my notice. The tropical warmth and rains,

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and the virgin soil in which it grew, had imparted to it a rich luxuriance: it did not creep along the ground, but its long shoots were spreading upwards amongst the trees. The young cocoa-nuts grew humbly amidst the wild plants and reeds, their worth unknown. Most of these plants I had placed in the ground myself, and had watched their early progress-now they must be left to their fate. Amidst such thoughts we resumed our course down the valley, and embarked in the boats; but had not proceeded far when a dog, belonging to one of the men, was missed, and as we could not abandon so faithful a companion, a party returned to search for it, and the dog was brought safely on board.

We then weighed and sailed for the Isle of France, where we arrived on the 17th May, without having met with any circumstance on our voyage worthy of record.

CHAPTER XI.

NATURAL HISTORY-CLIMATE-ABORIGINES.

DISTRIBUTION OF ANIMALS-NEW KANGAROO-NEW DOMES

TIC DOG-CHECKS ON INCREASE OF ANIMALS-INFLUENCE OF MAN ON THEIR HABITS-TRACES OF AN ANIMAL WITH A DIVIDED HOOF-BIRDS-EMUS-ALLIGATORS. -CLIMATE -PROOFS OF ITS SALUBRITY-THERMOMETRICAL OBSERVATIONS. ABORIGINES, THEIR HABITS AND MANNERSINDIVIDUALS OF AN ALIEN RACE--SIMILARITY OF CUSTOMS WITH OTHER AUSTRALIAN TRIBES-CAVES-DRAW

INGS-TOMBS.

Natural History.-North Western Australia seems to be peculiarly prolific in birds, reptiles, and insects, who dwell here nearly unmolested, mutually preying upon each other, and thus, by a wise provision, setting the necessary check to their own multiplication.

Of quadrupeds there are but few species, and of these the individuals, considered in proportion to the surface they roam over, are rare. The only species I observed, during a residence of five months, were four of kangaroos, viz. the large Macropus giganteus? of Shaw, two smaller kinds, one of which is the Petrogale brachyotis of Gould, and a kangaroo rat, which last is always seen amongst the rocks on the sea coast. One species of opossum, a flying squirrel (Petaurista), two kinds of dog, of which one is new, rats, and a field-mouse. Of these

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the kangaroos are alone numerous, and only in particular spots. I shot a female kangaroo of the Petrogale brachyotis, near Hanover Bay, and by the preservation of the skin and other parts, enabled Mr. Gould to identify it as a new species.

This graceful little animal is excessively wild and shy in its habits, frequenting, in the day-time, the highest and most inaccessible rocks, and only descending into the valleys to feed early in the morning and late in the evening. When disturbed in the day-time, amongst the roughest and most precipitous rocks, it bounds along from one to the other with the greatest apparent facility, and is so watchful and wary in its habits, that it is by no means easy to get a shot at it. One very surprising thing is, how it can support the temperature to which it is exposed in the situations it always frequents amongst the burning sandstone rocks, the mercury there during the heat of the day being frequently at 136°. I have never seen these animals in the plains or lowlands, and believe that they frequent mountains alone.

The new species of dog differs totally from the Dingo or Canis Australiensis. I never saw one nearer than from twenty to thirty yards, and was unable to procure a specimen. Its colour is the same as that of the Australian dog, in parts, however, having a blackish tinge. The muzzle is narrow, long, thin, and tapers much, resembling that of a greyhound, whilst in general form it approaches the English lurcher. Some of the party, who went

to Timor, stated it to resemble precisely the Malay dog common to that island, and considered it to be of the same breed; which I think not improbable, as I cannot state that I ever saw one wild, or unless in the vicinity of natives; in company with whom they were generally observed in a domesticated state. On the other hand the Canis Australiensis was common in some parts in a state of nature: of these I saw several myself, and from the descriptions given, by other individuals of the party, of dogs they had observed, I recognised their identity with the same species. We heard them also repeatedly howling during the night, and, although they never attacked our sheep or goats, many portions of dead animals were carried off by them. I saw but two flying squirrels, and know not to which species of Petaurista they are to be referred.

Both mice and rats are common, the former precisely resembling in appearance the English fieldmouse. The rats on one occasion eat up a live pet parrakeet, leaving the bones gnawed and strewed about; and, on another, when I had shot a crane (Ardea scolopacea), intending it for breakfast, they in the night devoured nearly the whole of it.

The multiplication of kangaroos, opossums, rats, &c. may be checked by various causes; but man, I imagine, is the most deadly enemy they have to contend with. The numerous remains of these animals that I have seen about the native fires, attest the number destroyed. In all those caves, in which I found native paintings, were representations either of kan