unction, a creek of considerable size joined the Burdekin from
the northward. Wherever the ridges approached the banks of the river,
gullies which were scrubby at their heads, became numerous. After having
encamped, I rode over to the "Clarke," to examine the intervening
country. The flat along the Burdekin was about two miles and a half
broad, and was skirted by silver-leaved Ironbark ridges. In approaching
the Clarke, we came to a low basaltic range, which bounded its fine broad
openly timbered valley to the northward. The bed of the river was formed
by talc-schiste, in strata, the strike of which was from north by west to
south by east, standing almost perpendicular, with a slight dip to the
eastward. The stream was perpendicular on the line of striking. The
pebbles in its bed were mostly basaltic, baked sandstone, conglomerate,
quartz, sienite, and porphyry. I had observed the valley of this river
from a high hill near our last camp, and had distinguished many
headlands, which I now think were the bluff terminations of lateral
basaltic ranges. The valley was bounded on its southern side by a long
low range.

The blue mountain parrot was very frequent near our camp.

I have mentioned a small round eatable tuber, which I found in the basket
of a native gin on the 2nd January. I here found it to be the large end
of the tap root of a Potamogeton, or a plant nearly allied to that genus;
I found it with another interesting water-plant, with foliated spikes of
blue flowers, in a small water-hole near our last camp.

April 23.--We travelled about north-west to latitude 19 degrees 4 minutes
41 seconds, over a succession of fine flats; one or two of which were
almost exclusively timbered with poplar-gum, which always indicated a
sound stiff soil. These flats were separated by shallow gullies, and some
Casuarina creeks, which come probably from the dividing ridges of the two
rivers. Ridges and ranges were seen on both sides, at different
distances. The Casuarina became more frequent along the banks of the
river. It was rather remarkable that the Moreton Bay ash, which is so
abundant along the Burdekin, was altogether wanting at the Clarke.
Several lagoons were observed at the foot of the ridges; and near them we
saw two flocks of the harlequin pigeon (Peristera histrionica).
Talc-schiste cropped out in one of the deep creeks. Whilst travelling on
the Burdekin, with the exception of some ducks and a few kangaroos, we
had seen