There were a few natives loitering about on Cape Upstart when we arrived; and I think we should have communicated with them had it not been for the fright into which they were accidentally thrown.  A boat’s crew on landing surprised a small party, which instantly dispersed in various directions.  A lad, however, instead of escaping with the rest, stowed himself away in a crack between two boulders of granite.  Every endeavour was made to get him to come out of his hidingplace; biscuit was offered him, but he snapped savagely with his teeth at the hand that held it.  Finding all attempts fruitless he was left; and no doubt, the account he gave his comrades of us, while under the influence of fright, was sufficiently terrible to take them all away from the neighbourhood.  These natives used nets similar to those I had seen on the North-West coast, and in their make, resembling, in a remarkable manner, the ones employed by Europeans.

PLANTS AND ANIMALS.

In the valley, just within Cape Upstart, a few palms and a species of cotton were growing; and in other places, the never-failing Eucalyptus, of small growth.  Certain bulbs* were also found, apparently of the same species as those on the Percy Isles; several of which we removed and presented to the Botanical Garden at Sydney, where we afterwards had the gratification of seeing them in a flourishing state.

(Footnote.  Crinum angustifolium.  They belong to the Narcissus, but are in themselves a new order of plant.)

A few quails were shot of the same large kind as that found on all other parts of the continent, also one or two pheasant cuckoos.* They did not differ from those we killed on the North-West coast, although nearly five degrees further south.  A very large pigeon was also shot, resembling in colour the common blue rock, but without a bronze mark.  We had not seen this species before; it was a very wary bird, and was found in the rocks.

(Footnote.  Centropus phasianellus.  Gould.)

NEW KANGAROO.

But the greatest prize our sportsmen shot was a specimen of a small female kangaroo, of a new kind.*

(Footnote.  Deposited in the British Museum, and figured as Petrogale inanata, by Mr. Gould, who being misinformed, has described it as inhabiting the north coast of Australia.)

It measured as follows, just after it was killed:  Length of body from tip of nose, 18 inches; length of tail from stump to tip, 19 inches; weight 8 1/2 pounds.  Its colour was a slate or light grey on the back, and dirty yellow or light brown on the belly; extreme half of tail black, with hair gradually increasing in length, from the centre to the tip and terminating in a tuft.  On the back of the hind legs the hair is longer than on any other part of the body.  The nails on the hind feet were short, covered with long hair, and did not project over the pulpy part of the foot, which is well cushioned and rough, giving a firm hold to projecting rocks.  The head was small, and sharp towards the muzzle; the ears were short and slightly rounded, the eyes black, and the forearms very short.  In this animal the pouch was very superficial.  It inhabits the most rugged summits, taking refuge in the clefts of the rocks.