Page:Descriptive account of the panoramic view, &c. of King George's Sound, and the adjacent country.djvu/14

 14 The animals that have been found consist of several kinds of the kangaroo and opossum—the native dog, which resembles the wolf or fox in shape—the dasyurus, a dark yellow animal with white spots, bearing some resemblance to the cat—and a small animal lately found in the interior about the size of a squirrel, or a yellowish colour, with light and dark shaded strips across the hinder parts of the back, and a tongue very long in proportion to the body.

The climate of King George's Sound is very fine: extreme heat has only been experienced during a few days of the year, when a north-east wind has occurred and the thermometer has risen to 100°, but the oppression did not last beyond the day time: it was probably increased by the natives having at that season set fire to the country around for many miles. With the exception of the summer months, abundance of rain falls, accompanied generally by strong westernly winds; and fires, during a great portion of the year, are by no means to be dispensed with. The mean temperature may be taken at little more than 60°. At Swan River the climate is warmer and rain not quite so frequent; and it may be worth remarking, that no drought has as yet been experienced on the western side of the continent, although it is nearly in the same parallel as Sydney.

The rivers of this part of the colony are of inconsiderable size; and although they are navigable