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[Page 2]
moon as we have a deal of Thunder & Lightning at every change of that Planet besides Torrents of Rain the Lightning has done some damage by killing all the Sheep belonging to the Lieut Govr & others, we have had a great deal of Rain in the months of June July & Part of August which seem to constitute the Rainy Season here.
The Country as far as we know produces few quadrupedes the largest is the Kangarou they make use of their hind legs only in jumping or escaping from their enemies the female carries & nurses its young in the Pouch under its belly. The opossum is next in size they are easily found & get any thing there are flying squirrels a spotted animal of the cat kind but longer bodied extremely destructive to fowls & three sorts of Rats the Kangarou Rat which partakes of that animal the Flying Rat which by the assistance of its bushy tail flies from tree to tree which are numerous & very troublesome these are all the quadrupedes we have seen here yet except the natives dogs some of which are large & seem to be of the Fox kind.
The birds are not so numerous as you would expect in a wild country but very beautifull in general especialy those of the Parrot kind the ostrich is here & the black swan one of of each has been killed & several seen besides many other birds large & small which I cant describe
12 miles from this settlement I have shot wild ducks Pigeons & Quails.
The Country produces 5 or 6 kinds of trees two of which produce the same sort of gum viz a red astringent gum well known in England these gum trees grow to an amazing size but are scarce worth cutting down. The only tree fit for building or any other use is the Fir tree & even that is bad there are here many Shrubs Plants & Flowers totaly unknown in Europe some of which