he general course of the Goobang. The name this stream receives from the
natives here is Billibang, Goobang being considered but one of its
tributaries. Its course completes the analogy between the rivers and
plains on each side, and the supposed disappearance of the channel of the
Lachlan seemed consequently as doubtful as the mysterious termination of
the Macquarie.

April 1.

The rain continuing, the party remained encamped. The barometer had
fallen since we came here from 29.442, at which it stood last night at
ten, to 29.180, which I noted this morning at six: the thermometer
continuing about 60 degrees of Fahrenheit.

LARGE FISHES.

On dragging our net through the muddy pond we captured two fishes, but of
monstrous size, one weighing 17 pounds, the other about 12 pounds.
Although very different in shape, I recognised in them the fish of the
perch kind with large scales* and the eel-fish** formerly caught by us in
the Namoi. But the former when taken in that river was coarse and tasted
of mud, whereas this ruffe, although so large was not coarse, but rich,
and of excellent flavour--and so fat that the flakes fell into crumbs
when fried. This day a bird of a new species was shot by Roach. It was of
a swallow kind, about the size of a snipe, of a leaden colour, with dark
head and wings.

(*Footnote. Cernua bidyana.)

(**Footnote. Plotosus tandanus.)

HEAVY RAIN.

April 2.

The rain continued through the night and this morning it fell rather
heavily, so that enough of water could be gathered from the surface of
the plains near our camp to preclude the necessity for our having
recourse to the muddy pool. The barometer began to rise slowly from seven
in the morning, when it had reached its minimum; but the weather
continued hazy, with drizzling rain (from the south-west) until four
o'clock, when the clouds slowly drew up. The plains were not yet at all
saturated, although become too soft for our carts. The evening was
cloudy, but by ten o'clock the state of the barometer was such as to
leave little doubt about the return of fair weather. We this day found in
the woods to the northward a most beautiful species of Trichinium, with
spiky feathered pale yellow flowers, sometimes as much as six inches
long.*

(*Footnote. Tr. nobile, Lindley manuscripts; foliis caulinis obovatis
cuspidatis subundulatis ramisque corymbosis angulatis glabris, spica
cylindracea: rachi lanata, calycis laciniis 3 acutis 2 retusis, br