which we crossed a new species of parrot was shot, having scarlet feathers on the breast, those on the head and wings being tinged a beautiful blue, and on the back, etc. a dark brownish green.* The round knolls consist of a red earth which is different from the soil of the plains; its basis appearing to be ironstone.  We encamped on good firm ground, and there was abundance of good grass on the riverbank.  We were not very far from the heights on the opposite side; a branch from them extending nearly to the river.

(Footnote.  This bird has since been named by Mr. Gould Platycercus haematogaster.)

June 21.

The ground was much better this day for travelling over.  We passed through a scrub of limited extent, and for the first time in these parts we discovered a new species of casuarina.  On ascending a small hill to the left of our route I perceived two summits of a distant range, bearing 169 degrees 20 minutes (from North) and I was not sorry to see that the intervening country was better wooded and undulated more than that we had lately traversed, for wherever trees or bushes grew, we generally found the ground to be hardest.  We were compelled to travel much farther than I intended in order to reach the river, which took a great sweep to the west, a change in its direction which I had previously observed to take place in the course of this river on approaching a similar feature on the right bank.  The river was narrower and its channel more contracted at this part than at any other I had seen; indeed so great was the change in the dimensions that I doubted whether this was more than an arm of it.  The current however ran at about the same rate, and the general course for some miles to the southward was marked out, as usual, by large trees.  At the camp the head of the range on the right bank bore North 16 degrees West.

CONVENIENT REFRACTION.

June 22.

The distant range which I observed during the journey of yesterday appeared high above the horizon of our camp this morning, and the refracted image was so perfect that with my glass I could distinguish the trees and other objects.  Thus I obtained bearings on the range from a spot whence it could be but seldom visible.  The small eminences to the eastward, from which I first saw that range, were also refracted, and appeared like cliffs on a sea coast.  To the astonishment of the men all the hills however soon disappeared.  The Darling took some bends eastward of south; and we were much troubled during this day’s journey by the soft ground through which we were obliged to travel in order to keep clear of the river.  At length I could proceed south-west, and on reaching, at 12 1/4 miles, a bend in the channel, I saw one of the low ridges extending westward.  On ascending it I discovered a range to the south-west, apparently connected with that already seen to the south, and from the many beaten paths of the natives it seemed probable that this angle was the nearest to the hilly country which lay to the south-east.