The Lizard.
The lizard lays its eggs in a nest of grubs (which the blacks eat). It does not any more care about its eggs. They lie about ten months among the grubs before being hatched. The big lizards feed on the small ones and other things they can get, such as frogs, &c. All the lizards, and the snakes too, get blind in the middle of summer, and keep so for a month, when they go into holes; but before doing so they throw off their outer coat, and for the space of a month you see no lizards or snakes. They go into the water too, and can keep under water for a little time.
The Eel.
The eel is not found at Lake Hindmarsh.
The Snake.
Snakes are not numerous here. The black snake, diamond snake, and deaf-adder, a snake like the diamond with a very black head, and another black snake with yellow stripes. All of them are poisonous, but especially the one with the black head. The diamond with the black head and the striped ones live only in the Mallee. They live chiefly among the roots of trees. They can keep under water for a long time.
Fish.
The blacks have no particular reason to give why fish are plentiful at one time and scarce at another. They simply say, "This is not the time for fish."
Note.—Mr. Hartmann says, in a letter to me, that it is a difficult matter to get a long and minute account of the habits, &c., of the animals mentioned in my memorandum. About the lizard and snake he could hardly get anything from the blacks, in spite of asking a great many questions.
Habits of Native Animals, according to accounts given to the Rev. F. A. Hagenauer, of Lake Wellington, Gippsland:—
The Platypus.
The duck-billed platypus makes no nests, but lives in holes on the banks of rivers; it gets its young ones like the water-rats, always in summer, and has never more than two young ones at one time; it suckles its young ones like rats. When the young ones are full grown, they are very good for eating, but not before.
The Kangaroo.
The kangaroo lives on grass and rushes, and carries its young ones always with it in its bag; it teaches its young ones to jump about every morning before sunrise, till they are old enough to go alone.
