Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/436

 374 the latter was a specimen of the psittacus hæmatodus, or Blue-mountain parrot of Port Jackson; and a crane-like bird, similar to the ardea antigone, was seen at a distance. Some of our gentlemen observed the impression of a bird's foot, resembling that of an emu; it was nine inches broad: very few insects were found here. We saw no more of the natives after their visit on the 30th, but the smokes of their fires were frequently observed in the interior. Mr. Cunningham found some traces of their having eaten the fruit of the pandanus, of which he says, "Pananus pedunculatus, (Brown,) forms ornamental clumps on these arid downs, and, being now heavily laden with its compound fruit, afforded me an ample supply of seeds in a well-ripened state. These tempting orange-coloured fruits had induced the natives to gather a quantity for the sake of the little pulp about their base, and I observed that, in order to enjoy themselves without trouble, they had lately kindled their fires immediately beneath some of the trees laden with fruit, which with some shell-fish had afforded them a good repast."—Cunningham MSS.

The weather during our visit has been oftener clouded and hazy than clear: the wind veered between S.S.E. and E.S,E., and was generally fresh and accompanied with squalls. The thermometer ranged on board, in the shade, between