x 18 degrees 11 minutes 20 seconds.

PIGEONS AND SEA-GULLS.

14th February.

Leaving the camp at 6.0 a.m., steered an average course of north 300
degrees east; crossing the granite ridge, we entered a level sandy
country with much scrub, which was traversed till 8.40, when we entered a
wide grassy plain extending to the north-west, in which direction we
steered till 2.10 p.m., when we halted at a small muddy puddle two inches
deep and three yards wide. Then rode on with Mr. H. Gregory to search for
a larger supply of water, and found a shallow pool about a mile distant,
to which the party moved and encamped. Although this pool was not 100
yards long and six inches deep, a large flock of ducks, snipe, and small
gulls, were congregated at it, several thousand pigeons of species new to
us came to drink. These pigeons keep in flocks of from ten to more than a
thousand, feeding on the seeds of the grass on the open plains, as they
never alight on trees. They are somewhat larger than the common
bronze-wing; the head is black, with a little white at the base of the
beak and behind the eye; back pale brown; breast, blue; throat marked
with white; wings with white tips to the feathers and a small patch of
bronze; tail short, tip white; feet, dull red. The evening and night were
cloudy.

WILD RICE.

15th February.

At 6.5 a.m. followed a line of small trees and bushes which grew on the
lower part of the grassy plain and indicated the course of the water in
the wet season, and at 9.0 came to the head of a small creek trending
north-west. Water was now abundant and formed large pools, and at 11.15
camped on the right bank of the creek at a pool a quarter of a mile long
and fifty yards wide. This spot seemed to be much frequented by the
natives, and large quantities of mussel-shells lay around their fires.
The plain traversed this morning was well grassed; the soil a stiff clay
loam; this plain extended three to six miles on each side of the track,
and was bounded by a low-wooded country, which, in some parts, rose
nearly 100 feet above the plain. In the lower part of the plain we
observed the salt-bush (atriplex) and a species of rice; but as it was
only just in ear, we could not judge of the quality of the grain. In the
afternoon there was a fine breeze from the east which lasted till 8.0
p.m., the sky being cloudy.

Latitude by Canopus and Pollux 17 degrees 53 minutes 50 seconds.

16th February.

At 6.25 a.m. resumed