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[Page 2]
destroyed by them. My reason for sending the eyes was owing to the iris, in which its breadth remained visible, but according to your direction I shall discontinue it. As the skins have answered for specimens I flatter myself that I shall in future gain a better knowledge of this branch of Natural History, and by what you have said will make me persevere more in it, and by being better equipped for the pursuit. The advantage that I derive from the new gun is not only in not tearing the skins so much, but a great saving in powder and shot, and is what I may justly deem an economist.
The duck billed male I should have sought after, but just as I left England Gov. King told me that you had received one, and after I arrived here I was told that he had obtained one for to send to you. It is an animal I have not yet seen. It is chiefly confined to the Hawkesbury. I will endeavour to procure you some as soon as possible. I have made strict enquiry how the[y] generate. I asked several natives but could not receive any satisfactory answer, but will continue asking the different natives that I chanced to see, at length I learned from one man what I think may be relied on who told me "that they went along way underground and layed eggs". The natives call them by two distinct names viz. Batang Malanging.
The Porcupine anteater is entirely unknown to me, & by what I can learn from the natives it is scarce . I suspect this animal abounds more to the southward. However a strict search shall be made after it. I am sorry to inform you that I have not been able to procure you any kangaroo skins. It is a piece of business I have been unfortunate in. I know the natives have caught some of that species which they call Betong, and as they had not preserved them for me, I have given them to understand that they would lose my friendship, from which I soon heard them to upbraid one another about it and I have not the least doubt but what they will get some without failure. But I must confess this, they cannot catch them unless they in a manner surround them, and which requires a great number to be present at such times. There is another species that I applied to answer who lives by catching the common kangaroos for food, and he has not been able to catch any of this sort since, though a short time previous to my receiving your letter, he catched 2 or 3 promiscuously. I saw a skin of a Werine in the posession of Gov. King, which he said was a new species. It was shot by one of the party in Mr Barrelier's expedition. I should imagine the Gov. will send it to you. Notwithstanding my bad luck so far, I am in good hopes that I shall yet get them all.
I shall suppose that you will see a sketch of the travels of Mr Barrelier, and if I must credit what I have heard, he has been a long way into the interior to what any man has been. But I caution you for crediting it as I have some reasons to believe that he has made great errors, and probably the time is not far distant before I shall prove it. But God forbid that I should censure and reflect upon the abilities or adventures of those who are deserving of [indecipherable] and praise. On the contrary, I come forward to protect the true genius's abilities from being encroached upon by mere boast and quackery, the person that allude to is Mr Bass, who may justly be deemed a bold enterprising and judicious traveller. What I have just said is the spirit of an independent mind, who considers it a duty he owes to his employer to give him such information. I do not dispute the above gentleman's abilities in making a neat map, but I dispute his want of accuracy. And though it is customary on the first appearance of such works to gain great praise, yet time has often proved such words to be erroneous. Yet in a country like this, a work of this