National Geographic February 1979

Kathmandu’s Remarkable Newars
The rich and sophisticated culture of Nepal’s capital is largely the product of a talented, enterprising people little known to the outside world. A picture story by John Scofield.
Kangaroos! That Marvelous Mob { Those Kangaroos! They’ re a Marvelous Mob}
Biologist Geoffrey B. Sharman and wildlife photographers Des and Jen Barlett report on the wondrous ways of their country’s most extraordinary creatures, portrayed as well on a special map- supplement with this issue.
Sydney- -Big, Breezy, and Bloomin’ { Sydney: Big, Breezy, and a Bloomin’ Good Show}
A visiting Yank of perceptive ear and eye, Ethel A. Starbird captures the special character – – and characters – – of Australia’s largest metropolis. Photographs by Robert W. Madden.
They Crossed Australia First: The Tragic Burke- Wills Journey { The Tragic Journey of Burke and Wills; The Journey of Burke and Wills: First Across Australia}
Seeking the unknown in 1860, the first men to cross Australia struggled through a vast wasteland to its northern edge, only to die during their return. Joseph Judge and Joseph J. Scherschel retrace an epic in the history of exploration.
Nature’s Whirling Water Purifiers { Rotifers: Nature’s Water Purifiers}
Rotifers, tiny aquatic animals that even under a microscope give an illusion of spinning, help keep the world’s ponds and puddles clean. Photographer John Walsh takes a closeup look.
The Violent Gulf of Alaska { Risk and Reward on Alaska’s Violent Gulf}
For those who can endure wretched weather and rugged lifestyle, the Gulf of Alaska grudgingly yields great riches, Boyd Gibbons and Steve Raymer discover.