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[Page 3]
that had been seen here at that time, I thought it would be acceptable to Lady Banks. In his letter to me, it leaves some doubts in my mind, of its ever having made its appearance. He says I have delivered every thing I had in charge for Sir J. Banks, but the Pheasant was much injured by the mother. Those Birds are now often found, but only in the Winter season, and chiefly on rocky and high situations.
I have sent my friend Mr Home a Drawing of the Wombat, which I had alive for some days, that animal was brought from the Southward, and is the same that Mr. Bass mentions in his journal. There is another distant species found on the mountains, of a greyish colour and much larger size. One I saw which weighed about forty pounds. When Hunter River is more frequented; from the tracks of quadrupeds I observed: many new animals will be found, and also many birds. I see very little of Calley; you will be able to judge of his industry from what he sends. I recommended his going to the northward as far as Hunter River in October, and that he should remain, in that neighbourhood untill January, or February. In these months he would be certain of finding most of the plants in flower, and have an opportunity to collect many of their seeds, whether he means to follow my advice I know not, and I fear the Governor will not like my being so long from Head Quarters, otherwise I should like to make the journey myself.
I need not say any thing respecting the state of the Colony. The Governors Dispatches will be quite explanatory on that head. But I cannot help observing, that he has carried his economy too far. There was a time when wheat might have been had, (which he refused to take). The consequence was, that many of the settlers had no other way of disposing of their grain, than to feed their stock with it, and Hundreds of Bushels have been used for that purpose. Any