I have mentioned, on the
north-eastern extreme, and has a long finger-shaped point running out
from its foot in a north-east direction, to which we gave the name of
Fish Point, from the number of snappers we caught there. They were so
voracious that they even allowed themselves to be taken with a small bit
of paper for a bait. Flag Hill is a rock formed of sand and comminuted
shells; while the flat which stretches to the south-west from its foot is
of limestone formation. In it we found a kind of cavern, about 15 feet
deep, with a sloping entrance, in which was some slightly brackish water,
that in percolating through the roof had formed a number of stalactites.

A reef, which dries in patches at low-water, connects the east and west
Wallaby Islands. On the south-west point of the latter are some sandhills
30 feet high; and on that side also is a dense scrub, in which the mutton
birds burrow, so that it forms rather troublesome walking.

SLAUGHTER POINT. NEW SPECIES OF WALLABY.

The northern end is a level, stony flat, terminating towards the sea in
projecting cliffs six or eight feet high; with patches of bushes large
enough to serve as fuel here and there, all full of a new species of
wallaby, which, being plentiful on both the large islands, suggested
their name. The reader will obtain a good idea of the numbers in which
these animals were found, when I state that on one day, within four
hours, I shot 36, and that between three guns we killed 76, averaging in
weight about seven pounds each; which gave rise to the name of Slaughter
Point for the eastern extreme of the island.

As there is no record of the Dutch having visited the northern group, it
is impossible to say whether wallaby were then found on it or not. How
they could have got there is a mystery, as there were no large floating
masses likely to have carried them from the main. The species has been
described from a specimen we obtained, as Halmaturus houtmannii; it is
distinct from Halmaturus derbyanis, found on most of the islands on the
southern parts of the continent.

We shall now fulfil our promise to the reader by laying before him the
result of Mr. Bynoe's interesting observations on the Marsupiata, which
the number of wallaby killed at Houtman's Abrolhos afforded him the means
of perfecting. I may preface his remarks by stating, that all the
information I could gain from the colonists on the subject was, that the
young of the kangaroo were born o