ure. In the scrub I found a plant
belonging to the Amaryllideae (Calostemma luteum?) with a cluster of fine
yellow blossoms. Flights of ducks were on the water, and scores of little
birds were fluttering through the grasses and sedges, or hopping over the
moist mud in pursuit of worms and insects. The water-holes were about six
miles from our camp. I continued my ride about four miles farther along
the creek, where I found the scrub had retired, and was replaced by an
open silver-leaved Ironbark forest, in which the rich green feed relieved
our eyes from the monotonous grey of the scrub, and quickened the steps
of our horses. Here also basaltic ridges approached the creek, and even
entered into its bed; among them were several fine water-holes. In our
return to the camp we found abundance of water in the lagoons near the
river, corresponding to the water-holes within the scrub. This local
occurrence of water depends either upon thunder-storms favouring some
tracts more than others, or upon the country here being rather more
hilly, which allows the rainwater to collect in deep holes at the foot of
the slopes.

Jan. 5.--We moved down to the water-holes of the basaltic ridges, being
about nine miles in a N.N.W. direction from our last camp.

At three o'clock a.m. clouds formed very rapidly over the whole
sky--which had been clear during the previous part of the night--and
threatened us with wet. In the morning some few drops fell, with slight
casterly winds; it cleared up, however, about nine o'clock a.m. with a
northerly breeze.

Marsilea grows everywhere on the flats; and a fine little pea plant with
a solitary red blossom, was found amongst the basaltic rocks round the
water-hole. We observed, growing along the creek, another species of
Portulaca, with linear fleshy leaves, erect stem, and small yellow
flowers; and a half-shrubby Malvaccous plant, with small clustered yellow
blossoms: the latter is common at the outside of scrubs in the Moreton
Bay district. We also remarked, within the scrub, a small tree, with
bright-green foliage, and three-winged capsules slightly united at the
base; and another small tree, with deep-green coloured leaves, and
two-winged capsules united in all their length; the last is nearly allied
to Dodonaea.

I never before saw nor heard so many cockatoos as I did at Comet Creek.
Swarms of them preceded us for one or two miles, from tree to tree,
making the air ring with their incessant scre