This gum resin has a strong astringent quality, and is one of the varieties of the Kino of commerce, (the other variety of Kino being brought from Africa, and is produced by a tree of the _Pterocarpus_ genus.) When first it issues from the tree, it is of the consistence of very thick syrup, and immediately after rain may be seen flowing from an incision or cleft in the tree very abundantly, being then of a very beautiful light-red colour, becoming of a dark shining red, and hardening, by exposure to the air. The _Angophora lanceolata_, or apple-tree of the colonists, (a genus allied to that of Eucalyptus,) also yields a dark-red astringent gum from its trunk and branches. After leaving Turril, turril, we proceeded through a flat, swampy, and uninteresting country, rendered still more tiresome by the drizzling rain. Having passed “Stony Creek,” and descended “Church Hill,” we were glad to obtain shelter at the farm of _Mingablah_, the property of Charles Cowper, Esq., after a journey of twenty-eight miles. The soil about this part of the country was of a fertile character, but stony; abounding in the whinstone. Much of the dull time during our confinement to the house, from the heavy and continued rain, was passed away by the amusing relations of the overseer, who informed us he had, from a very tender age, a “propensity” to keep living animals. Since his arrival in this country, he had succeeded in domesticating a large number of parrots, who went in and out of the house, without making any attempt to escape from his protecting care. But one fatal day this pleasing domestic scene was changed to one of a tragical nature; for, at an unlucky hour, a stranger arrived, accompanied by a big dog of a black colour. The result proved that the dog had only one “propensity,” and that, to speak phrenologically, was “destructiveness.” So, availing himself of the absence of those of human creation, and excited by the aforesaid organ, and the dulness of the times, he began to attack and speedily demolish the frames of the pollies, scattered their limbs and feathers about, and did not leave one survivor to relate the tale. The horrid sight that met the affectionate eyes of the owner on his return, was his favourites, some with bowels protruding from their natural cavity; others minus heads and limbs; and all so damaged, as to have life extinguished. The big black dog even then was caught busily occupied in shaking about what remained of those unfortunate feathered bipeds. After this melancholy occurrence, he became disheartened from having any more favourites, and gave it to us as the cause why he had no curious animals at this time to show us, but in my opinion the relation was much more amusing than the animals would have been: so their absence, at least to us, was not a source of regret.