the tops
of the trees, which, according to Mr. Bynoe, who subsequently visited it
in the month of September, are dwarf gums. The tea-tree of the colonists
is also found here, in addition to some small bushes. This island is the
resort of a large bright cream-coloured pigeon (Carpophaga leucomela) the
ends of the wings being tipped with black, or very dark blue. Mr. Bynoe
found the island quite alive with them; flocks of about twenty or thirty
flying continually to and from the main. They not only resort but breed
there, as he found several old nests. As this bird was not met with in
the Beagle on the western coast, we may fairly conclude it only inhabits
the eastern and northern; the furthest south it was seen by the officers
of H.M.S. Britomart was latitude 20 degrees. In addition to these, Mr.
Bynoe saw the holes of some small burrowing animals, which are doubtless
rats. On a sandy spit, close to the bushes or scrub, he saw a native
encampment of a semicircular form, enclosing an area of about ten yards.
The occupants had but recently left it, as a fire was found burning, and
the impression of their feet still fresh in the sand. It appears that at
this season of the year, being the favourable monsoon for ships passing
through the Barrier reefs on their voyage to India, the islands to the
southward are much frequented by the natives of Murray and others of the
northern isles, waiting, like wreckers of old, the untoward loss of some
ill-fated ship, when their canoes appear as if by magic, hastening to the
doomed vessel; just as in the Pampas of South America, no sooner has the
sportsman brought down a deer than the air is filled with myriads of
vultures winging their way towards the carcass, though a few minutes
before not a feather was stirring. The long-sightedness of these Indians
resembles that of the carrion bird itself,* while their rapacity and
recklessness of blood is fully equal to that of the lower animal.

(*Footnote. As some of our readers may imagine that vultures and birds of
prey are attracted to the carcasses of animals by smell, I may state that
an experiment was tried with a condor in South America; being hoodwinked,
he passed unnoticed a large piece of beef, but as soon as the bandage was
removed, he rushed eagerly towards and devoured it.)

PUDDING-PAN HILL.

We left our readers at Cairncross Island, and now return to our narrative
by describing the neighbouring coast. The most remarkable feature o