(**Footnote.  Family, Percidae; Genus, Acerina; Subgenus, Gristes, Cuv. or Growler; Species, Gristes peelii mihi, or Cod-perch.  Colour, light yellow, covered with small irregular dusky spots, which get more confluent towards the back.  Throat pinkish, and belly silvery white.  Scales small, and concealed in a thick epidermis.  Fins obscure.  The dorsals confluent.  The first dorsal has 11 spines, and the caudal fin is convex.  Plate 6 figure 1.  Observation:  This fish may be identical with the fish described by MM.  Cuvier and Valenciennes Volume 3 page 45 under the name of Gristes macquariensis:  but it differs from their description in not having the edge of the second dorsal and anal white; and besides is in many respects very different from the figure given by M. Guerin of the Gristes macquariensis in the Iconographie du Regne Animal.)

(***Footnote.  Family, Siluridae, Cuv.; Genus, Plotosus, Lacepede, or Eel-fish; Subgenus, Tandanus mihi; Species, Plotosus tandanus mihi; or Tandan Eel-fish.  Colour, silvery.  The dorsal fin placed halfway between the pectoral and ventral has six rays, of which the middle two are the longest.  Plate 6 figure 2.  Observation:  This is an Asiatic form of fish; whereas the Gristes is an American form.  Tandan is the aboriginal name.)

PREPARATIONS FOR CROSSING THE RIVER.

After maturely considering the prospects this river opened to us then, before exploring its course, it remained questionable whether it did or did not belong to the Darling.  We were nearly in the prolongation of the supposed course of that river, and still nearer to its supposed outlet on the southern coast than we were to any part of the northern coast of Australia.  No rising ground could be seen to the northward or westward, and whether we proceeded in a boat or along its bank it was desirable to explore the course of this river downwards.  The horses required rest, and it was necessary to unite the party before this could be attempted.  I expected Mr. Finch to arrive with the stores, and in the meantime the preparation of a strong boat was going forward, to be ready in case our further discoveries might lead to navigable waters.  With this view it was made to take into three pieces.  The bottom being nearly flat formed one portion, and the two sides the others.  They were to be united by small screw-bolts, the carpenter having brought a number of these useful articles for such purposes; and when the sides and bottom were detached they could be carried on the carts.  Thus we were to proceed with a portable punt, ready for the passage of any river or water which might be in our way.

January 25.

This day we laid down the keel and principal timbers of a boat to be strongly planked, so as to be proof against the common drift-timber in the river.  For this part of the work we used bluegum (eucalyptus) the only callitris we knew of being several miles back along the route.

At night some stars appeared, whereby I ascertained the latitude of this camp to be 29 degrees 2 minutes south.  The thermometer at noon was 76 degrees; and at four P.M. 82 degrees.