While the party went forward over the open plains with Mr. Stapylton I ascended a smooth round hill, distant about a mile to the southward of our camp, from which I could with ease continue my survey by means of hills on all sides, the highest of them being to the southward.  I could trace the rivulets flowing northward into one or two principal channels, near several masses of mountain:  these channels and ranges being probably connected with those crossed by us on our route from the Murray.  In these bare hills and on the open grassy plains, old vesicular lava abounded; small loose elongated fragments lay on the round hills, having a red scorified appearance and being also so cellular as to be nearly as light as pumice.  We this day crossed several fine running streams and forests of box and bluegum growing on ridges of trappean conglomerate.  At length we entered on a very level and extensive flat, exceedingly green and resembling an English park.  It was bounded on the east by a small river flowing to the north-west (probably the Loddon) and abrupt but grassy slopes arose beyond its right bank.  After crossing this stream we encamped, having travelled nearly fifteen miles in one straight line bearing 60 1/2 degrees east of north.  This tract was rather of a different character from that of the fine country of which we had previously seen so much, and we saw for the first time the Discaria australis, a remarkable green leafless spiny bush and resembling in a most striking manner the Colletias of Chili.  Sheltered on every side by woods or higher ground, the spring seemed more advanced there than elsewhere, and our hard wrought cattle well deserved to be the first to browse on that verdant plain.  The stream in its course downwards vanished amongst grassy hills to water a country apparently of the most interesting and valuable character.

September 28.

The steep banks beyond the river consisted of clay-slate having under it a conglomerate containing fragments of quartz cemented by compact haematite.

SNAKES EATEN BY THE NATIVES.

The day was hot and we killed several large snakes of the species eaten by the natives.  I observed that our guides looked at the colour of the belly when in any doubt about the sort they preferred; these were white-bellied, whereas the belly of a very fierce one with a large head, of which Piper and the others seemed much afraid, was yellow.  On cutting this snake open two young quails were found within:  one of them not being quite dead.  The country we crossed during the early part of the day was at least as fine as that we had left.  We passed alternately through strips of forest and over open flats well watered, the streams flowing southward; and at nine miles we crossed a large stream also flowing in that direction:  all these being evidently tributaries to that on which we had been encamped.  Beyond the greater stream, where we last crossed it, the country presented more of the mountain character, but