A basaltic ridge, similar to those we had passed, extended in an almost straight line from south-east to north-west; it was covered with a scanty vegetation, with a few small narrow-leaved Ironbark trees and Erythrinas; the river now approached it, now left it in wide sweeps enclosing fine narrow-leaved Ironbark flats.

To the south-west side of this ridge or dyke, the soil is basaltic, with box-trees and open Vitex scrub.

The sharp conical hills of the white ant, constructed of red clay, were very numerous.

A very perfect bower of the bower-bird was seen in a patch of scrub trees.
In a gully, a loose violet coloured sandstone cropped out, over which the basalt had most evidently spread.

Farther on, the ridge enlarged and formed small hillocks, with bare rock cropping out at their tops;--a form of surface peculiar to the basaltic or whinstone country of this colony.
Charley shot the sheldrake of Port Essington, (Tadorna Rajah).