Late in the evening, the overseer and bo_Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1: Sent By the Colonists of South Australia, with the Sanction and Support of the Government: Including an Account of the Manners and Customs of the Aborigines and the State of Their Relations with Europeans

reported, that the cliffs were sixteen miles away; that they had dug for

water, but that none could be found, and that there was hardly a blade of

grass any where, whilst the whole region around was becoming densely

scrubby; through much of which we should have to pass before we reached

the cliffs. Altogether, the overseer seemed quite discouraged by the

appearance of the country, and to dread the idea of moving on in that

direction, often saying, that he wished he was back, and that he thought

he could retrace his steps to Fowler's Bay, where a supply of provisions

had been buried. I was vexed at these remarks, because I felt that I

could not coincide in them, and because I knew that when the moment for

decision came, my past experience, and the strong reasons which had

produced in my own mind quite a different conviction, would compel me to

act in opposition to the wishes of the only European with me, and he a

person, too, whom I sincerely respected for the fidelity and devotion

with which he had followed me through all my wanderings. I was afraid,

too, that the native boys, hearing his remarks, and perceiving that he

had no confidence in our future movements, would catch up the same idea,

and that, in addition to the other difficulties and anxieties I had to

cope with, would be the still more frightful one of disaffection and

discontent. Another subject of uneasiness arose from the nature of our

diet;--for some few days we had all been using a good deal of the

sting-ray fish, and though at first we had found it palatable, either

from confining ourselves too exclusively to it, or from eating too much,

it had latterly disagreed with us. The overseer declared it made him ill

and weak, and that he could do nothing whilst living upon it. The boys

said the same; and yet we had nothing else to supply its place, and the

small quantity of flour left would not admit of our using more than was

barely necessary to sustain life. At this time we had hardly any fish

left, and the whole party were ravenously hungry. In this dilemma, I

determined to have the sick horse killed for food. It was impossible he

could ever recover, and by depriving him of life a few hours sooner than

the natural course of events would have done, we should be enabled to get

a supply of food to last us over a few days more, by which time I hoped

we might again be able to venture on, and attempt another push to the

westward.

Early on the morning of the 16th, I sent the overseer to kill the

unfortunate horse, which was still alive, but unable to rise from the

ground, having never moved from the place where he had first been found

lying yesterday morning. The miserable animal was in the most wretched

state possible, thin and emaciated by dreadful and long continued

sufferings, and labouring under some complaint, that in a very few hours

at the farthest, must have terminated its life.

After a great portion of the meat had been cut off from the carcase, in

thin slices, they were dipped in salt water and hung up upon strings to

dry in the sun. I could not bring myself to eat any to-day, so horrible

and revolting did it appear to me, but the overseer made a hearty dinner,

and the native boys gorged themselves to excess, remaining the whole

afternoon by the carcase, where they made a fire, cutting off and

roasting such portions as had been left. They looked like ravenous wolves

about their prey, and when they returned to the camp at night, they were

loaded with as much cooked meat as they could carry, and which they were

continually eating during the night; I made a meal upon some of the

sting-ray that was still left, but it made me dreadfully sick, and I was

obliged to lie down, seriously ill.

April 17.--Being rather better to-day, I was obliged to overcome my

repugnance to the disagreeable food we were compelled to resort to, and

the ice once broken, I found that although it was far from being

palatable, I could gradually reconcile myself to it. The boys after

breakfast again went down to the carcase, and spent the whole day

roasting and eating, and at night they again returned to the camp loaded.

We turned all the meat upon the strings and redipped it in sea water

again to-day, but the weather was unfavourable for drying it, being cold

and damp. Both yesterday and to-day light showers fell sufficient to

moisten the grass.

April 18.--The day being much warmer, many large flies were about, and I

was obliged to have a fire kept constantly around the meat, to keep them

away by the smoke. I now put the natives upon an allowance of five pounds

of flesh each per day, myself and the overseer using about half that

quantity.

On the 19th, I sent out one of the boys to try and get a sting-ray to

vary our diet, but he returned unsuccessful. During the forenoon I was

seized with a violent attack of dysentery, accompanied with diabetes,

from which I suffered extremely. The overseer was affected also, but in a

less violent degree. The origin of this complaint was plainly traceable

to the food we had used for the last day or two; it rendered us both

incapable of the least exertion of any kind, whilst the disorder

continued, and afterwards left us very languid and weak. In the evening

upon examining the meat, a great deal of it was found to be getting

putrid, or fly-blown, and we were obliged to pick it over, and throw what

was tainted away.

April 20.--To-day I had all the meat boiled, as I thought it would keep

better cooked than raw, we had only a small tin saucepan without a

handle, to effect our cooking operations with, and the preparation of the

meat therefore occupied the whole of the day. The overseer was again

attacked with dysentery. At night the clouds gathered heavily around, and

the weather being mild and soft, I fully expected rain; after dark,

however, the wind rose high and the threatened storm passed away.

On the 21st, I was seized again with illness. The overseer continued to

be affected also, and we were quite unable to make the necessary

preparations for our journey to the westward, which I fully intended to

have commenced to-morrow. For several hours we were in the greatest

agony, and could neither lie down, sit up, nor stand, except with extreme

pain. Towards the afternoon the violence of the symptoms abated a little,

but we were exceedingly weak.

April 22.--Upon weighing the meat this morning, which as usual was left

out upon the strings at night, I discovered that four pounds had been

stolen by some of the boys, whilst we were sleeping. I had suspected that

our stock was diminishing rapidly for a day or two past, and had weighed

it overnight that I might ascertain this point, and if it were so, take

some means to prevent it for the future. With so little food to depend

upon, and where it was so completely in the power of any one of the

party, to gratify his own appetite at the expense of the others, during

their absence, or when they slept, it became highly necessary to enforce

strict honesty towards each other; I was much grieved to find that the

meat had been taken by the natives, more particularly as their daily

allowance had been so great. We had, moreover, only two days' supply of

the meat left for the party, and being about to commence the long journey

before us, it was important to economise our provisions to support us

under the fatigue and labours we should then have to undergo.

Having deducted the four pounds stolen during the night, from the daily

rations of the three boys, I gave them the remainder, (eight pounds)

telling them the reason why their quantity was less to-day than usual,

and asking them to point out the thief, who alone should be punished and

the others would receive their usual rations. The youngest of the three

boys, and the King George's Sound native, resolutely denied being

concerned in the robbery; but the other native doggedly refused to answer

any questions about it, only telling me that he and the native from King

George's Sound would leave me and make their way by themselves. I pointed

out to them the folly, in fact the impossibility almost, of their

succeeding in any attempt of the kind; advised them to remain quietly

where they were, and behave well for the future, but concluded by telling

them that if they were bent upon going they might do so, as I would not

attempt to stop them.

For some time past the two eldest of the boys, both of whom were now

nearly grown up to manhood, had been far from obedient in their general

conduct. Ever since we had been reduced to a low scale of diet they had

been sulky and discontented, never assisting in the routine of the day,

or doing what they were requested to do with that cheerfulness and

alacrity that they had previously exhibited. Unaccustomed to impose the

least restraint upon their appetites or passions, they considered it a

hardship to be obliged to walk as long as any horses were left alive,

though they saw those horses falling behind and perishing from fatigue;

they considered it a hardship, too, to be curtailed in their allowance of

food, as long as a mouthful was left unconsumed; and in addition to this,

they had imbibed the overseer's idea that we never should succeed in our

attempt to get to the westward, and got daily more dissatisfied at

remaining idle in camp, whilst the horses were recruiting.

The excess of animal food they had had at their command for some few days

after the horse was killed, made them forget their former scarcity, and

in their folly they imagined that they could supply their own wants, and

get on better and more rapidly than we did, and they determined to

attempt it. Vexed as I had been at finding out they had not scrupled to

plunder the small stock of provisions we had left, I was loth to let them

leave me foolishly without making an effort to prevent it. One of them

had been with me a great length of time, and the other I had brought from

his country and his friends, and to both I felt bound by ties of humanity

to prevent if possible their taking the rash step they meditated; my

remonstrances and expostulations were however in vain, and after getting

their breakfasts, they took up some spears they had been carefully

preparing for the last two days, and walked sulkily from the camp in a

westerly direction. The youngest boy had, it seemed, also been enticed to

join them, for he was getting up with the intention of following, when I

called him back and detained him in the camp, as he was too young to know

what he was doing, and had only been led astray by the others. I had

intended to have moved on myself to-day, but the departure of the natives

made me change my intention, for I deemed it desirable that they should

have at least three or four days start of us. Finding that the single

sheep we had left would now be the cause of a good deal of trouble, I had

it killed this afternoon, that we might have the full advantage of it

whilst we had plenty of water, and might be enabled to hoard our bread a

little. We had still a little of the horse-flesh left, and made a point

of using it all up before the mutton was allowed to be touched.

The morning of the 23rd broke cool and cloudy, with showers gathering

from seawards; the wind was south-west, and the sky wild and lowering in

that direction. During the forenoon light rain fell, but scarcely more

than sufficient to moisten the grass; it would, however, probably afford

our deserters a drink upon the cliffs. Towards evening the sky cleared,

and the weather became frosty.

On the following day we still remained in camp, hoping for rain;--a

single heavy shower would so completely have freed us from the danger of

attempting to force a passage through the great extent of arid country

before us, that I was unwilling to move on until the very last moment.

Our rations were however rapidly disappearing whilst we were idling in

camp, the horse-flesh was all consumed, and to-day we had commenced upon

the mutton, so that soon we should be compelled to go, whether it rained

or not. Month after month however had passed away without any fall of

rain, and the season had now arrived when, under ordinary circumstances,

much wet might be expected; and though each day, as it passed without

gratifying our hopes, but added to our disappointment, yet did every hour

we lingered give us a better chance of being relieved by showers in our

route round the last cliffs of the Bight. The evening set in mild but

close, with the wind at north-east, and I had great hopes that showers

would fall.

April 25.--During the night dense clouds, accompanied by gusts of wind

and forked lightning, passed rapidly to the south-west, and this morning

the wind changed to that quarter. Heavy storms gathered to seawards with

much thunder and lightning, but no rain fell near us; the sea appearing

to attract all the showers. The overseer shot a very large eagle to-day

and made a stew of it, which was excellent. I sent the boy out to try and

shoot a wallabie, but he returned without one.

In the evening, a little before dark, and just as we had finished our

tea, to my great astonishment our two runaway natives made their

appearance, the King George's Sound native being first. He came frankly

up, and said that they were both sorry for what they had done, and were

anxious to be received again, as they found they could get nothing to eat

for themselves. The other boy sat silently and sullenly at the fire,

apparently more chagrined at being compelled by necessity to come back to

us than sorry for having gone away. Having given them a lecture, for they

both now admitted having stolen meat, not only on the night they were

detected but previously, I gave each some tea and some bread and meat,

and told them if they behaved well they would be treated in every respect

as before, and share with us our little stock of provisions as long as it

lasted.

I now learnt that they had fared in the bush but little better than I

should have done myself. They had been absent four days, and had come

home nearly starved. For the first two days they got only two small

bandicoots and found no water; they then turned back, and obtaining a

little water in a hollow of the cliffs, left by the shower which had

passed over, they halted under them to fish, and speared a sting-ray;

this they had feasted on yesterday, and to-day came from the cliffs to

look for us without any thing to eat at all.

During the night some heavy clouds passed over our heads, and once a drop

or two of rain fell. The 26th broke wild and stormy to the east and west,

and I determined to remain one day longer in camp, in the hope of rain

falling, but principally to rest the two natives a little after the long

walk from which they had returned. Breakfast being over, I sent the

overseer and one native to the beach, to try to get a sting-ray, and to

the other I gave my gun to shoot wallabie: no fish was procured, but one

wallabie was got, half of which I gave to the native who killed it, for

his dinner.

Being determined to break up camp on the 27th, I sent the King George's

Sound native on a-head, as soon as he had breakfasted, that, by preceding

the party, he might have time to spear a sting-ray against we overtook

him. The day was dull, cloudy, and warm, and still looking likely for

rain, with the wind at north-east. At eleven we were ready, and moved

away from a place where we had experienced so much relief in our

extremity, and at which our necessities had compelled us to remain so

long. For twenty-eight days we had been encamped at the sand-drifts, or

at the first water we had found, five miles from them. Daily, almost

hourly, had the sky threatened rain, and yet none fell. We had now

entered upon the last fearful push, which was to decide our fate. This

one stretch of bad country crossed, I felt a conviction we should be

safe. That we had at least 150 miles to go to the next water I was fully

assured of; I was equally satisfied that our horses were by no means in a

condition to encounter the hardships and privations they must meet with

in such a journey; for though they had had a long rest, and in some

degree recovered from their former tired-out condition, they had not

picked up in flesh or regained their spirits; the sapless, withered state

of the grass and the severe cold of the nights had prevented them from

deriving the advantage that they ought to have done from so long a

respite from labour. Still I hoped we might be successful. We had

lingered day by day, until it would have been folly to have waited

longer; the rubicon was, however, now passed, and we had nothing to rely

upon but our own exertions and perseverance, humbly trusting that the

great and merciful God who had hitherto guarded and guidedus in safety

would not desert us now.

Upon leaving the camp we left behind one carbine, a spade, some horse

hobbles, and a few small articles, to diminish as much as possible the

weight we had to carry. For eight miles we traced round the beach to the

most north-westerly angle of the Bight, and for two miles down its

south-west shore, but were then compelled by the rocks to travel to the

back, through heavy scrubby ridges for four miles; after which we again

got in to the beach, and at one mile along its shore, or fifteen miles

from our camp, we halted for the night, at a patch of old grass. The

afternoon had been hot, but the night set in cold and clear, and all

appearance of rain was gone. The native I had sent on before had not

succeeded in getting a fish, though he had broken one or two spears in

his attempts.

April 28.--After travelling along the beach for two miles we ascended

behind the cliffs, which now came in bluff to the sea, and then keeping

along their summits, nearly parallel with the coast, and passing through

much scrub, low brushwood, and dwarf tea-tree growing upon the rocky

surface, we made a stage of twenty miles; both ourselves and the horses

greatly tired with walking through the matted scrub of tea-tree every

where covering the ground. The cliffs did not appear so high as those we

had formerly passed along, and probably did not exceed from two to three

hundred feet in elevation. They appeared to be of the same geological

formation; the upper crust an oolitic limestone, with many shells

embedded, below that a coarse, hard, grey limestone, and then alternate

streaks of white and yellow in horizontal strata, but which the steepness

of the cliffs prevented my going down to examine.

Back from the sea, the country was rugged and stony, and every where

covered with scrub or dwarf tea-tree. There was very little grass for the

horses, and that old and withered. In the morning one of the natives shot

a large wallabie, and this evening the three had it amongst them for

supper; after which they took charge of the horses for the night, this

being the first time they had ever watched them on the journey, myself

and the overseer having exclusively performed this duty heretofore; but,

as I was now expecting a longer and almost more arduous push than any we

had yet made, and in order that we might be able to discharge efficiently

the duties devolving upon us, and make those exertions which our

exigences might require, I deemed it only right that we should sometimes

be assisted by the two elder boys, in a task which we had before always

found to be the most disagreeable and fagging of any, that of watching

the horses at night, after a long and tiring day's journey.

On the morning of the 29th we moved away very early, passing over a rocky

level country, covered with low brush, and very fatiguing to both

ourselves and our horses. The morning was gloomy and close, and the day

turned out intensely hot. After travelling only fifteen miles we were

compelled to halt until the greatest heat was passed. Our stock of water

and provisions only admitted of our making two meals in the day,

breakfast and supper; but as I intended this evening to travel great part

of the night, we each made our meal now instead of later in the day, that

we might not be delayed when the cool of the evening set in. We had been

travelling along the summit of the cliffs parallel with the coast line,

and had found the country level and uniform in its character; the cliffs

still being from two to three hundred feet in elevation, and of the same

formation as I noticed before. There were patches of grass scattered

among the scrub at intervals, but all were old and withered.

At four in the afternoon we again proceeded on our journey, but had not

gone far before the sky unexpectedly became overcast with clouds, and the

whole heavens assumed a menacing and threatening appearance. To the east

and to the west, thunderclouds gathered heavily around, every indication

of sudden and violent rain was present to cheer us as we advanced, and

all were rejoicing in the prospects of a speedy termination to our

difficulties. The wind had in the morning been north-east, gradually

veering round to north and north-west, at which point it was stationary

when the clouds began to gather. Towards sunset a heavy storm passed over

our heads, with the rapidity almost of lightning; the wind suddenly

shifted from north-west to south-west, blowing a perfect hurricane, and

rendering it almost impossible for us to advance against it. A few

moments before we had confidently expected a heavy fall of rain; the dark

and lowering sky had gradually gathered and concentrated above and around

us, until the very heavens seemed overweighted and ready every instant to

burst. A briefer interval of time, accompanied by the sudden and violent

change of wind, had dashed our hopes to the ground, and the prospect of

rain was now over, although a few heavy clouds still hung around us.

Three miles from where we had halted during the heat of the day, we

passed some tolerable grass, though dry, scattered at intervals among the

scrub, which grew here in dense belts, but with occasional openings

between. The character of the ground was very rocky, of an oolitic

limestone, and having many hollows on its surface. Although we had only

travelled eighteen miles during the day, the overseer requested I would

stop here, as he said he thought the clouds would again gather, and that

rain might fall to-night; that here we had large sheets of rock, and many

hollows in which the rain-water could be collected; but that if we

proceeded onwards we might again advance into a sandy country, and be

unable to derive any advantage from the rain, even should it fall. I

intended to have travelled nearly the whole of this night to make up for

the time we had lost in the heat of the day, and I was the more inclined

to do this, now that the violence of the storm had in some measure

abated, and the appearance of rain had almost disappeared. The overseer

was so earnest, however, and so anxious for me to stop for the night,

that greatly against my own wishes, and in opposition to my better

judgment, I gave way to him and yielded. The native boys too had made the

same request, seconding the overseer's application, and stating, that the

violence of the wind made it difficult for them to walk against it.

The horses having been all hobbled and turned out to feed, the whole

party proceeded to make break-winds of boughs to form a shelter from the

wind, preparatory to laying down for the night. We had taken a meal in

the middle of the day, which ought to have been deferred until night, and

our circumstances did not admit of our having another now, so that there

remained only to arrange the watching of the horses, before going to

sleep. The native boys had watched them last night, and this duty of

course fell to myself and the overseer this evening. The first watch was

from six o'clock P. M. to eleven, the second from eleven until four A.

M., at which hour the whole party usually arose and made preparations for

moving on with the first streak of daylight.

To-night the overseer asked me which of the watches I would keep, and as

I was not sleepy, though tired, I chose the first. At a quarter before

six, I went to take charge of the horses, having previously seen the

overseer and the natives lay down to sleep, at their respective

break-winds, ten or twelve yards apart from one another. The arms and

provisions, as was our custom, were piled up under an oilskin, between my

break-wind and that of the overseer, with the exception of one gun, which

I always kept at my own sleeping place. I have been thus minute in

detailing the position and arrangement of our encampment this evening,

because of the fearful consequences that followed, and to shew the very

slight circumstances upon which the destinies of life sometimes hinge.

Trifling as the arrangement of the watches might seem, and unimportant as

I thought it at the time, whether I undertook the first or the second,

yet was my choice, in this respect, the means under God's providence of

my life being saved, and the cause of the loss of that of my overseer.

The night was cold, and the wind blowing hard from the south-west, whilst

scud and nimbus were passing very rapidly by the moon. The horses fed

tolerably well, but rambled a good deal, threading in and out among the

many belts of scrub which intersected the grassy openings, until at last

I hardly knew exactly where our camp was, the fires having apparently

expired some time ago. It was now half past ten, and I headed the horses

back, in the direction in which I thought the camp lay, that I might be

ready to call the overseer to relieve me at eleven. Whilst thus engaged,

and looking steadfastly around among the scrub, to see if I could

anywhere detect the embers of our fires, I was startled by a sudden

flash, followed by the report of a gun, not a quarter of a mile away from

me. Imagining that the overseer had mistaken the hour of the night, and

not being able to find me or the horses, had taken that method to attract

my attention, I immediately called out, but as no answer was returned, I

got alarmed, and leaving the horses, hurried up towards the camp as

rapidly as I could. About a hundred yards from it, I met the King

George's Sound native (Wylie), running towards me, and in great alarm,

crying out, "Oh Massa, oh Massa, come here,"--but could gain no

information from him, as to what had occurred. Upon reaching the

encampment, which I did in about five minutes after the shot was fired, I

was horror-struck to find my poor overseer lying on the ground, weltering

in his blood, and in the last agonies of death.

APPENDIX.

DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS.

BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S.

I. It was formerly believed, that all the Mammalia inhabiting the

Australian continent, but the wild dog, were marsupial; but as the

natural history of the country is better known, we are becoming

acquainted with nearly as many native non-marsupial beasts as there are

marsupial; but they are certainly, generally, of a small size, such as

bats, mice, etc., as compared to the kangaroos and other marsupial genera.

Some years ago, in the Proceedings of the Geological Society, (iii. 52.)

I described a species of RHINOLOPHUS, from Moreton Bay, which was

peculiar for the large size of its ears, hence named R. MEGAPHYLLUS; the

one now about to be described, which was found flying near the hospital

at Port Essington, by Dr. Sibbald, R.N., is as peculiar for the

brightness and beauty of its colour, the male being nearly as bright an

orange as the Cock of the rock (RUPICOLA) of South America.

THE ORANGE HORSE-SHOE BAT, (RHINOLOPHUS AURANTIUS.) t. 1. f. 1.--Ears

moderate, naked, rather pointed at the end; nose-leaf large, central

process small, scarcely lobed, blunt at the top; fur elongate, soft,

bright orange, the hairs of the back with short brown tips, of the under

side rather paler, of the face rather darker; female pale yellow, with

brown tips to the hair of the upper parts.

Inhab. Port Essington, near the Hospital, Dr. Sibbald, R.N.

The membranes are brown, nakedish; the tail is rather produced beyond the

membrane at the tip; the feet are small, and quite free from the wings.

Male. Female.

The length of the body and head 1.10 1.10

The length of the fore-arm bone 1.11 1.10

The length of the shin-bone 8 8

The length of the ankle and foot 4 4

II. In Captain Grey's Travels in Western Australia I gave a list of the

different species of Reptiles and Amphibia found in Australia. Since that

period the British Museum has received from the different travellers

various other species from that country. The lizards have been described

in the catalogue of the Museum collection, recently published, and are

being figured in the zoology of H.M.S. Erebus and Terror. Two of the most

interesting specimens lately received, belong to a new genus of frogs

which appear to be peculiar to Australia, which I shall now proceed to

describe:--

GENUS PERIALIA. FAM. RANIDAE.--Tongue nearly circular, entire; palate

concave, with two groups of palatine teeth between the orifices of the

internal nostrils; jaw toothed; head smooth, high on the side; mouth

large; eyes convex, swollen above, tympanum scarcely visible; back rather

convex, high on the sides; skin smooth, not porous; limbs rather short;

toes 4.5, tapering to a point, nearly free, the palms with roundish

tubercles beneath; the fourth hind toe elongate, the rest rather short;

the ankle with an oblong, compressed, horny, sharp-edged tubercle on the

inner side at the base of the inner toe; the male with an internal vocal

sac under the throat.

This genus agrees with SCIAPHOS, PYXICEPHALUS, and PELOLATES, in having a

large, sharp-edged tubercle on the inner edge of the ankle, but it

differs from them at first sight, by the head and body being compressed

and high, the mouth very large, and the eyes convex on the side of the

forehead.

PERIALIA EYREI, t. 2. f. 3.--Olive, sides of the face, and body blackish

brown; face varies with white streak; the sides of body marbled with

unequal white spots; limbs brown and white marbled; under side of the

body whitish.

Inhab. Australia, on the banks of the river Murray.

PERIALIA? ORNATA, t. 2. f. 2.--Pale grey, back and sides, marbled with

symmetrical dark-edged spots, those of the middle of the back being

generally confluent, of the face elongate, band-like; the legs

dark-banded, beneath white.

Inhab. Port Essington.

Somewhat like DISCOGLOSUS PICTUS in appearance. The internal nostrils are

far apart, with an elongate group of palatine teeth level with their

hinder edges.

Taking advantage of the space of the plate, figures of the following

species from the same country, which have not hitherto been illustrated

have been added. They were described or noticed in the list before

referred to.

1. Cystignathus dorsalis, t. 1. f. 2. GRAY, ANN. NAT. HIST. 1841.

2. Phryniscus Australis, t. 2. f. 1. DUM. AND BIB. E. GEN. viii. 725.

Bombinator Australis, GRAY, PROC. ZOOL. SOC. 1838. 57.

III. Mr. Eyre having brought home with him the drawing of a species of

cray-fish found near the river Murray, which is called by the natives

UKODKO, I have been induced to examine the different species of Astaci in

the British Museum collection, which have been received at various times

from Australia, for the purpose of attempting to identify it.

As we have three very distinct species which have not yet been described

or figured in any of the works which have passed under my inspection, I

shall proceed to detail their peculiar characters and give figures of

their more characteristic features.

The drawing of "the UKODKO or smaller Murray cray-fish" most nearly

resembles ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, but it is three or four times larger

than any of the specimens of that species which we possess, and the

figure does not shew any indications of the five keels on the front of

the head. In wanting the keel on the thorax it agrees with an Australian

species described by Mr. Milne Edwards under the name of ASTACUS

AUSTRALASIENSIS, said to come from New Holland, and to be about two

inches long, while Mr. Eyre's figure is more than six inches, and is said

not to be taken from a large specimen. It differs from Mr. Milne Edwards'

figures, in having only one spine on the wrist, so that probably there

are still two more species of the genus to be found in Australia.

Mr. Eyre in his notes states--"The Fresh water cray-fish, of the smaller

variety; native names, cu-kod-ko, or koon-go-la, is found in the alluvial

flats of the river Murray, in South Australia, which are subject

to a periodical flooding by the river; it burrows deep below the

surface of the ground as the floods recede and are dried up, and

remains dormant, until the next flooding recals it to the surface;

at first it is in a thin and weakly state, but soon recovers and gets

plump and fat, at which time it is most excellent eating. Thousands

are procured from a small space of ground with ease, and hundreds

of natives are supported in abundance and luxury by them for many

weeks together. It sometimes happens that the flood does not recur

every year, and in this case the eu-kod-ko lie dormant until the next,

and a year and a half would thus be passed below the surface. I have

often seen them dug out of my garden, or in my wheat field, by the men

engaged in digging ditches for irrigation. The floods usually overflow

the river flats in August or September, and recede again in February or

March. For further particulars respecting the modes of catching the

eu-kod-kos, vide vol. ii. pages 252 and 267."

"I have spoken of this cray-fish as the SMALLER variety as respects the

Murray. It is LARGER than the one found in the ponds of the river Torrens

at Adelaide; but in the river Murray one is procured of a size ranging to

4 1/2 lbs., and which is QUITE EQUAL in flavour to the FINEST lobster."

These latter have not yet been received in any of our collections, so

that we are unable to state how it differs from those now described: they

must be the giants of the genus.

1. The Van Diemen's Land Cray-fish. ASTACUS FRANKLINII, t. 3. f.

1.--Carapace convex on the sides, rather rugose on the sides behind, the

front only slightly produced and edged with a toothed raised margin not

reaching beyond the front edge of the lower orbit, and with a very short

ridge at the middle of each orbit behind; the hands compressed, rather

rugose, edge thick and toothed: wrist with four or five conical spines on

the inner side, the front the largest: the central caudal lobe, broad,

continuous, calcareous to the tip, lateral lobes, with a very slight

central keel; the sides of the second abdominal rings spinose.

Inhab. Van Diemen's Land.

Mr. Milne Edwards, (Archives du Museum, ii. 35. t. 3.) has recently

described a species of this genus from Madagascar, under the name of A.

MADAGASCARIENSIS, which is nearly allied to the Van Diemen's Land

species, in the shortness of the frontal process, the spines on the sides

of the second abdominal segment, and in the lobes of the tail; but it

differs from it in the length of the claws, and other particulars.

Madagascar appears to be the tropical confines of the genus.

2. The Western Australia Cray-fish. ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, t. 3. f.

3.--Carapace smooth, rather convex, and with three keels above; the beak,

longly produced, ending in a spine, simple on the side and produced into

a keel on each side behind; the central caudal lobe rather narrow,

indistinctly divided in half, and like the other lobes flexile at the

end, the lateral lobes with a central keel ending a slight spine; the

hands elongated, compressed, smooth, with a thickened, toothed, inner

margin, which is ciliated above; wrist with two conical spines on the

inner side.

Inhab. Western Australia, near Swan River.

3. The Port Essington Cray-fish. ASTACUS BICARINATUS, t. 3.f.

2.--Carapace smooth, rather flattened, with a keel on each side above in

front; the beak longly produced, flattened, three toothed at the top;

hands rather compressed, smooth, thinner and slightly toothed on the

inner edge; the wrist triangular, angularly produced in front; the

central caudal lobes with two slightly diverging keels continued, and

like the others thin and flexible at the end, the inner lateral lobes

with two keels, each ending with a spine.

Inhab. Port Essington, Mr. Gilbert.

The A. AUSTRALASIENSIS, Milne Edwards, Crust ii. 332. t. 24. f. 1--5.

agrees with this species in the form of the beak, but the keels on the

thorax are not noticed either in the description or in the figure; and

the caudal lobes in the figure appear most to resemble A. FRANKLINII.

As the genus ASTACUS is now becoming more numerous in species, it may be

divided, with advantage, into three sections, according to the form of

the caudal lobes; thus:--

A. The central caudal lobes divided by a transverse suture into two

parts, both being hard and calcareous, and with a small spine at the

outer angle of the suture (PATAMOBIUS, LEACH) as A. FLUVIATILIS of

Europe, and A. AFFINIS of North America, with an elongated rostrum, and

A. BARTONII of North America, with a short rostrum.

B. The central caudal lobe continued hard and calcareous to the end, as

ASTACUS FRANKLINII of Van Diemen's Land, and A. MADAGASCARIENSIS of

Madagascar; both have a very short beak, and the second abdominal ring

spinose.

C. The central caudal lobe continued or only slightly divided on the

middle of each side; but it and all the lateral lobes are thin and

flexible at the hinder parts, as ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, and A.

BICARINATUS of Australia, and A. CHILIENSIS of Chili.

CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH,

FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND,

BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY-GENERAL NEILL,

IN A LETTER TO J. E. GRAY, ESQ. BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON.

* * * * *

"Sir,--Although in the course of my life, I have had little opportunity

to pay attention to the study of Ichthyology, it occurred to me, as now

and then a leisure moment was afforded from official duties, that it

would perhaps be useful, as well as amusing, to collect and make drawings

of the fish about King George's Sound; and I have been in a great degree

stimulated to do so, from an accidental visit of my friend, His

Excellency Captain Grey, Governor of South Australia, who advised me to

forward the drawings to you for the purpose of being placed with others

of a similar kind in the British Museum, where ultimately sufficient

material may be collected to give some account of the New Holland fish.

"Nothing is assumed as to the execution of the drawings; in fact it often

occurred when I set off in my little skiff, (especially in the outset)

that seven or eight species were procured in the course of the excursion,

which compelled me to make drawings of all when I came home tired in the

evening; forwarding them to ensure, as far as possible, their colours

before they became extinct--a sort of forced effort in respect to the

execution has, therefore, only been effected. The outline of nearly every

specimen was taken from ACTUAL PROFILE, by laying the fish upon the

paper--in this way I defied error in outline--of course, afterwards

carefully drawing and correcting various parts which required it, in a

free or rough manner, time not admitting of much pains.

"In naming the fish, I have merely attempted to give the aboriginal and

popular names known to the sealers and settlers. In obtaining the former,

no little difficulty has been experienced. The younger natives generally

giving different names to those of the elder; but finding the fish named

by the latter more descriptive, I have, of course, in most instances,

adopted them.

"For instance, No. 1, KOJETUCK means the fish with the bones; which is

very descriptive, from Koje the bones, [Note 28: This was noticed by

Governor Grey.] having very singular bones placed vertically in the neck,

connecting the dorsal spines to the back, resembling small tobacco pipes.

"Also the KYNARNOCH, No 13, the bearded, etc. In many other instances the

savages of this province are equally clear in naming their animals; and

it is curious, even this applies to their children, who commonly receive

their name from some extraordinary circumstance at, or about the time of

their birth. I find, also, the old men are more minute in SPECIES; the

younger often call very different fish by the same name, as the MEMON,

Nos. 17, and 43, etc. but as this is curious, merely for the sake of fact,

it is otherwise of little importance to the naturalist,--the native name

being only useful to enable the collector to obtain any particular

species hereafter. As regards the fidelity of the drawings, it may be

worth while to mention a singular mistake made by my friend

TOOLEGETWALEE; one of the oldest and most friendly savages we have of the

King George tribe; who, in looking over my collection to assist me in

naming them, observed that the drawings were a little raised off the

paper; and like a monkey, began to touch them with his long talons; of

course I flew to their rescue, and asked what he meant?

"'INIKEN how make em? me twank skin put him on!' which literally

means--'Ah! I now see how you do it, you put the skin on!!' From want of

paper of uniform size, I was obliged to use any paper which came to hand,

cut the figures out, and afterwards paste them on clean paper; which

circumstance gave rise to the poor savage's mistake, and it was not until

I actually cut one out before him, that he could be convinced that he was

in error--a compliment I could hardly help smiling at. I have only to add

in conclusion, that no attempt has been made at ARRANGEMENT, having drawn

and numbered the fish as they were caught. Most have been taken by my own

hook; some by the native's spear, and some by the seine net.

"The natural SCALE of each has been pasted on to the drawing, and when

remarkable, both from the back and sides of the fish, which I considered

a more desirable plan than giving imitations, that could hardly, in

objects so minute, without the aid of a powerful magnifier, be depended

on.

"A descriptive account of each specimen, with the corresponding number to

that on the drawing, is also added.

"The effort has afforded me much amusement, and it will be still more

agreeable, if they will in any way contribute to a better knowledge of

the subject.

"I remain, Sir,

"Your most obedient servant,

"J. NEILL.

"Albany, King George's Sound,

"Western Australia."

On receiving this most valuable and interesting collection, I referred

the part relative to the Fish to my excellent friend, Dr. Richardson of

Haslar, one of the first Ichthyologists now living, who has kindly

arranged the notes in systematic order, and added to them, as far as he

was able, the modern scientific names. I have done the same to the

Reptiles myself. I have retained the original numbers as they refer to

the drawings which are preserved in the zoological department of the

British Museum.--J. E. GRAY.

* * * * *

REPTILES.

Fam. Lialisidae.

LIALIS BURTONII. Native name KERRY-GURA. Considered by the natives as

harmless; the scales of the back are very minute; the tail when broken is

sometimes terminated by three horny blunt ends; tongue divided and

rounded.

LIALIS BICATENATA. Native name WILLIAM LUNGER. Tongue not forked, broad,

and rounded off at the point. Not poisonous or at all dreaded by the

natives; finely striped down the back, and spotted with deep brown equal

marks; has a lappel on each side of the vent.

Killed 10th of October, 1841.

FAM. COLUBRIDAE.

NAJA,--? Native name TORN-OCK or TOOKYTE. Colour dirty olive over the

whole body; belly dirty olive; white, faintly dotted from the throat down

to the vent, with reddish dirty orange spots; the whole colour appears as

if faded; the scales are more closely united to the skin than those of

the NOON; fangs placed on each side of the upper jaw, short and rather

blunt; scuta, 223.

Although the natives assert, if a person is bitten by this make, and

"gets down," i.e. lays in bed three days, he will recover, yet I am very

doubtful of this account, more particularly from the women differing from

the men, as well as the whole subject being hidden in superstition.

Another ground of doubt rests upon the fact of having lost in Van

Diemen's Land, a favourite dog, by the bite of a snake very similar to

this; the poor animal expired fourteen minutes after the bite, although

the piece was almost instantaneously cut out.

The women of King George's Sound declare the bite of the Torn-ock mortal;

but the men laugh at that, and maintain the three days' "couple," (sleep)

will restore the patients.

The specimen was 4 ft. 9 in. long, but they have been seen 6 or 7 feet

long. This is a favourite food of the natives of King George's Sound.

COLUBER? Native name BARDICK. Dirty olive green over the whole back;

belly dirty white; scuta 130.

The natives state that the bite produces great swelling of the part for a

day or two, and goes off.

Never grows above 14 or 15 inches long. Caught October 1841.

COLUBER. Native name TORKITE or TORKYTE. Back, from the point of the tail

to the point of the nose, dark sepia brown; under the head yellow; and

towards the middle of the belly orange; scales minute; scuta 140; tongue

forked; teeth very minute; no fangs observable. Caught August 30th, 1844.

Not at all dreaded by the natives; venomous, but not deadly, the bite

merely producing a bad ulcer for a day or two.

ELAPS MELANOCEPHALUS. Native name WERR. Dirty olive green on the back,

from the neck to the tail; scuta 147, dirty reddish orange; head black

from the nose to neck; sides of the head white; tongue forked.

Doubtful if poisonous; little dreaded by the natives. Killed October

12th, 1845.

ELAPS. Native name NORN or NORNE. Whole body covered with spear shaped

scales; head shining black; the ground colours of the back rich umber,

almost black; scuta 161, of a dirty red orange; fangs two on each side of

the upper jaw near the lios, small, and bent inwards; tongue forked.

This is the most fatal of the New Holland snakes; the animal bitten

seldom recovers. The Aborigines have a great dread of this reptile; they

however eat of it if they kill it themselves, but there is a superstition

amongst them about snakes, which prevents their eating them if killed by

a European.

The specimen I figured was a small one, 3 ft. 9 in. long; they are often

seen by the natives much larger. I have endeavoured to represent it as it

generally sleeps or lies in wait for its prey, small birds, frogs,

lizards, etc. It delights in swamps and marshes.

Killed October, 1844.

FAM. BOIDAE

PYTHON. Native name WAKEL or WA-A-KEL. This snake is considered by the

natives a great delicacy, and by their account resembles mutton in

flavour, being also remarkably fat. I requested them to let me taste the

specimen from which the drawing was made; but they devoured every atom

themselves, pretending they did not understand me. The WAKEL differs from

the NORN in its habits; although both ascend trees in pursuit of small

birds and the young of the opossums. The WAKEL delights in rocky, dry

places, near salt water; they are very sluggish, and easily caught by the

women, who seize them behind the head and wring their necks. They are

described to have been seen 9 or 10 feet long. My specimen, a young male,

was exactly 5 feet long. The scales of this species are firmly fixed to

the skin, in plates all over the back and belly. The colour is beautiful,

dark greenish brown, finely variegated with yellowish white spots.

It was killed by Paddy, a native constable, near Albany, October, 1841.

* * * * *

FISHES.

GOBIIDAE.

No. 58.--PATOECUS FRONTO. Rich. Ann. Nat. Hist. Oct. 1844, vol. xiv.p.

280, Ichth. Ereb. and Terr. p. 20, pl. 13, f. 1, 2.

Native name KARRACK. Colour, a rich dragon's blood, or mahogany; found by

a Danish boatman, named Byornsan, 80 miles off the east coast from King

George's Sound, December 11th, 1841. Anal rays imperfectly counted, and

there is a typographical error in the Zool. of Ereb. and Terr. The true

numbers of the rays follow: B. 6; D. 24-16; A. 11-5; C. 10; P. 8.

TRIGLIDAE.

No. 53.--SCORPOENA, or SEBASTES.--Native name, TYLYUCK, or TELUCK

(BIG-HEAD). "Rays, D. 12, 1-8; A. 3-5; P. 21; V. 1-5."

Uncommon. Inhabits rocky shores. Flesh firm and well-flavoured. Caught by

hook, 16th Aug. 1841.

No. 34.--SEBASTES?--Native name, CUMBEUK.

A common inhabitant of rocky shores. Good eating. The specimen was

speared by Munglewert, 17th May, 1841. "Rays, D. 14-17; A. 3-8; P. 14; V.

1-5."

No. 14.--APISTES. Apparently scaleless, and without free pectoral rays.

Does not correspond well with A. MARMORATUS. "Rays, D. 12," etc. Caught by

Seine, 18th March, 1841.

The fishermen dread wounds made by the species of this fish, as they

always fester.

Native name BOORA-POKEY, or POKY. SERGEANT of the settlers.

No. 36.--PLATYCEPHALUS.--Native name CUMBEL. Common Flat-head of the

settlers. Seems to differ from described species in the two dark bars of

the tail, being directly transverse, and followed by five large dark

purple round spots.

Inhabits sandy shores very commonly, all round the coast of New Holland.

A variety occurs at Maria Island, Van Diemen's Land. Caught by hook, 15th

May, 1841. Good eating.

MULLIDAE.

No. 13.--UPENEUS.--Native name, MINAME, or KGNARNUCK (the bearded); "Red

mullet" of the settlers.

PERCIDAE.

No. 46.--ENOPLOSUS ARMATUS. Cuv. et Val. 2, p. 133, pl. 20.--Native name,

KARLOCK. Speared by a native, June 1841. Inhabits rocky shores.

BERYCIDAE.

No. 2.--BERYX LINEATUS, C. and V. 3, p. 226.--Native name, CHETONG. Red

Snapper, or Tide-fisher of the sealers. Very common in the bays of rocky

shores. "Rays, D. 5-14; A. 4-13; P. 12; V. 1-7."

SPHYRAENIDAE.

No. 59.--SPHYROENA.--Native name, KORDONG. "Rays, D. 5, 1-9; A. 11; P.

13; V. 1-5."

The "Common Baracoota" is found off the whole coast of New Holland, but

the KORDONG seems to be peculiar to Western Australia. It comes into the

shallow bays in summer; and being a sluggish fish, is easily speared by

the natives, who esteem it to be excellent food. It will lay for a minute

looking with indifference at its enemy, while he poises the fatal and

unerring spear. Specimen caught in a net, December, 1841.

SILLAGINIDAE.

No. 25.--SILLAGO.--Native name, MURDAR. "Rock whiting" of the settlers.

"Rays, D. 10-23; A. 18; P. 13; A. 5."

Inhabits rocky shores and deep water. Caught by the seine, 3rd April,

1841. Good eating.

No. 11.--SILLAGO PUNCTATA, C. et V 3, P. 413.--Native name MURDAR.

"Common whiting" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 12, 1-26; A. 22; P. 11; V.

5."

Inhabits shallow sandy bays abundantly, and is much admired for the

delicacy of its flesh, but it is dryer eating than the whiting of Europe.

SCIAENIDAE.

No. 55.--CORVINA?--Native name T'CHARK or T'CHYARK. King-fish of the

sealers. "Rays, D. 9--1-27; A. 1-7; P. 15; V. 1-5."

Teeth strong and sharp. Grows to a great size; as I am informed by the

natives, that they often spear individuals weighing sixty or seventy

pounds. This fish enters the fresh-water periodically, like the Salmon of

Europe, to spawn, and it is the only fish in this country which I have

distinctly made out to do so. It is tolerably good eating. The specimen

was caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour by a hook, on the 30th August,

1841. (This may be the adult of the CORVINA KUHLII of the HISTOIRE DES

POISSONS, 5. p. 121.)

SERRANIDAE.

No. 19.--CENTROPRISTES TRUTTA. SCIAENA TRUTTA, G. Foster, Icon. 210.

(vide Ichth. of Ereb. and Terror, p. 30.)--Native name KING-NURRIE, or

IINAGUR. "Salmon" of the sealers. Pectorals yellow or orange coloured,

with dark bases; scales faintly fan-streaked; last rays of dorsal and

anal elongated. Faint oblong, orange-coloured spots on the sides, not in

vertical rows. "Rays, D. 9-16; A. 2-10; P. 16." Eye remarkably brilliant.

Good eating in the summer time, but far inferior to the SALMO SALAR. It

congregates in vast shoals, and pursues the fry of other fishes in

shallow bays, but never enters fresh-water. It is often taken of from

seven to ten pounds weight. It affords excellent sport to the angler. The

specimen was caught by the hook from my own door on the 4th May, 1841.

No. 3.--CENTROPRISTES (CIRRIPIS) GEORGIANUS. C. et V. 7. p. 451. Jenyn's

Zool. of Beagle, p. 13.--Native name WARRAGUIT. "Herring" of the

settlers. Rays, D. 9-14; A. 3-10; etc.

Inhabits rocky shores, and is taken in the summer, by net on sandy

beaches. Specimen caught by the hook, on the 27th March, 1841.

No. 23.--SERRANUS? vel CAPRODON (Schlegel.) aut PLECTROPOMA.--Native name

TANG or TAA (It bites.) The "Perch" of the Sealers. "Rays, D. 10-24; A.

2-9; P. 14; V. 1-5."

Eye fine crimson: pupil deep blue-black. Tail slightly rounded.

Remarkably strong canines, from which peculiarity it has obtained its

native name of TAA, as it bites severely when taken, if the fisher be not

on the alert. It is good to eat, but is not common. Caught by the hook on

9th of April, 1841.

No. 4.--PLECTROPOMA NIGRO-RUBRUM. C. et V. 2. p. 403.--Native name

BUNDEL. "Crab-eyed soldier" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 10-17; A. 3-9."

Inhabits rocky shores, and is not common. Specimen caught by the hook, on

the 4th April, 1841. Good eating.

No. 21.--HELOTES?--Native names, BOORA, BOWRU, also CHARLUP. The "Pokey,"

or "small Trumpeter" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 11--1-11; A. 2-11; etc."

Inhabits rocky places. Good to eat. Caught by the seine, on the 3rd

March, 1841.

CIRRHITIDAE.

No. 24.--CHEILODACTYLUS GIBBOSUS. Solander. Icon. Ined. Banks. No.

23.--Richardson Zool. Trans. 3, p. 102.--Native name KNELOCK (not

certain).

Inhabits sandy beaches; is little known to the sealers. Caught in a net,

3rd March, 1841.

No. 39. CHEILODACTYLUS CARPONEMUS.--C. et V. 5. p. 362.--Native name

CHETTANG. "Jew-fish" of the sealers (the name "Jew-fish" is applied

otherwise by the colonists).

Inhabits rocky shores. Some specimens weigh upwards of sixteen pounds.

Caught by hook, 17th May, 1841.

No. 42.--CHEILODACTYLUS. Native name TOORJENONG. "Black Jew-fish" of the

sealers. "Rays, D. 16-26; A. 2-10; P. 13; V. 5."

Inhabits rocky points of sandy bays, where they love to run in and root

up the sand with their fleshy mouths. They are sluggish, and easily

speared by the Aborigines, whose chief food it constitutes at certain

seasons. The specimen was speared in my presence by Wallup, on the 8th of

June, 1841. The TOORJENONG grows to a large size, exceeding twenty pounds

in weight. It is a gross feeder, and its flesh is hard and dry, but the

head and sides are much prized by the natives, and the head of a large

one makes tolerable soup.

No. 45.--LATRIS? (vix. GERRES?)--Native name QUIKE or QUIK, (horned).

"Rays, 9-16; A. 3-16; P. 14; V. 1-5."

Caught by the hook, off Rocky Point, on the 17th of August, 1844. Good to

eat. (A spine before each nostril, probably springing from the heads of

the maxillaries).

SPARIDAE.

No. 1.--PAGRUS GUTTULATUS. C. et V. 6, p. 160.--Native name KOJETUCK.

"Common Snapper" of the sealers, "Rays, D. 12-9; A. 3-8; P. 1-5."

The Snapper grows to a large size, attaining from thirty to forty pounds

weight, and is very voracious. It devours crabs and shell fish, crushing

them with its strong teeth. It is common on all the rocky inlets of the

coast of New Holland, extending down the eastern shores to Sidney.

CHAETODONTIDAE.

No. 41.--CHAETODON SEXFASCIUTUS. Richardson Ann. of Nat. Hist.--Native

name KNELOCK.

Inhabits rocky places. Not common.

No. 40.--CHAETODON.--Native name MITCHEBULLER or METYEBULLAR. Teeth very

minute.

Inhabits rocky places. Speared by Warrawar, on the 27th of May, 1841.

No. 27.2.--CHAETODON.--Native name WAMEL or WAMLE. "Rays, D. 10-20; A.

3-17."

No. 6.--PLATAX?--Native names, TEUTUEK or KARLOCK, from the shape of the

fins, also MUDEUR. "Striped sweep" of the sealers, and Pomfret of the

settlers. D. 10; A. 2. Teeth small. Very common on rocky shores. Is a

gross feeder; but good to eat. Caught by a hook on the 12th of March,

1841.

No. 8--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS?--Native names, KGNMMUL or KARRAWAY.

The striped zebra fish of the settlers. "Rays, D. 14-12; A. 3 11; V.

1-5." Mouth, small; tail rather concave.

Inhabits rocky shores, is a gross feeder, bad eating, and is not common.

Caught by the hook on the 6th of April 1841.

No. 10.--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS? Schlegel.--Native names, KOWELANY,

KARRAWAY, or MEMON. Tail a little forked. "Rays, D. 14-13; A.3-11; P. 17;

V. 1-5." Eye, grey.

Inhabits rocky shores, and is not very common. Caught by a hook, on the

6th of April, 1841.

No. 17.--MELANICHTHYS.--Native name MEMON or MUDDIER. "Rays, D. 14-13; A.

3-11; P. 17; V. 1-5."

Eye greyish yellow; teeth in a trenchant series on the edge of the upper

and lower jaw, and also on the maxillaries. Is a gross feeder, and its

flesh has a strong disagreeable smell, but is much relished by the

Aborigines.

Inhabits rocky shores, and is rare. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841.

No. 33. Genus unknown.--Native name, TOOBETOET or TOOBITOO-IT. Rays, D.

17-11; A. 11; P. 11; V. 4.

Is a rare inhabitant of rocky places. Speared by Mooriane, 14th of May,

1841. This seems to be a new generic form, nearly allied to HOPLEGNATHUS,

Richardson; or SCARODON, Schlegel.

No. 43.--SCORPIS?--Native name, MEMON or MEEMON. "Sweep" of the sealers.

"Rays, D.; A. 1." Teeth minute. It is a gross feeder and poor eating.

Very common on rocky shores. Being a bold voracious fish, it is easily

speared or taken with a hook. The Aborigines generally select a rock

which jutts out into the sea, and sitting on their hams, beat crabs into

fragments with a little stone, and throw them into the sea to attract

this fish. The instant a fish comes to feed on the bait, the native,

whose spear is ready, suddenly darts it, and rarely fails in bringing up

the fish on its barbed point. Specimen caught by the hook, 15th of June,

1841.

No. 44.--KURTUS?--Native name, TELYUA, or TELLYA, "Rays, D. 13; A. 2-19;

V.5."

Thrown up on Albany beach, 14th of August, 1841.

PLATESSIDEAE.

No. 50.--PLATESSA? vel. HIPPOGLOSSUS? CHUNDELA.--Native name, CHONDELAR,

or CHUNDELA. The "Spotted sole" of the settlers. Very common in all the

shallow bays in the summer time, where it may be taken by the seine. The

natives detect it when its body is buried in the sand, by the glistening

of its eyes, and spear it. When fishing with the torch, in the night

time, the natives feel for this fish with their naked feet. Specimen

caught by seine, August, 1841. This fish is delicate eating.

SCOMBERIDAE.

No. 32.--CARANX MICANS, Solander, Icon. Parkinson, Bib. Banks, No.

89.--Native name, MADAWICK, "Skip-jack" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 8-28;

A. 2-23; P. 15." Very common in shallow sandy bays, and forming the

staple food of the natives, who assemble in fine calm days, and drive

shoals of this fish into weirs that they have constructed of shrubs and

branches of trees. Specimen caught by hook on the 12th of May, 1841.

No. 16.--TRACHURUS LUTESCENS. Solander (SCOMBER) Pisees Austr. p. 38.

Richard. Ann. Nat. Hist. x. p. 14.--Native name, WARAWITE and

MADIWICK. "Yellow tail" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 6; A. 2." Eye very

large.

Inhabits the edges of sandy banks. Good eating. Caught by hook 5th of

March, 1841.

MUGILIDAE.

No. 29. MUGIL vel. DAJAUS DIEMENSIS. Richardson, Ichth. of the Erebus and

Terror, p. 37, pl. 26, f. 1.--Native name, KNAMLER or KNAMALER. "Common

mullet" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 4-9; A. 1-13."

Frequents shores with sandy beaches, and forms a principal article of

food to the native youths, who are continually practising throwing their

spears at this fish. It is very common, and is good eating. Caught by the

seine, 12th April, 1841.

No. 57.--MUGIL.--Native name, MERRONG, or MIRRONG. "The flut-nosed mullet"

of the settlers.

This is the finest fish of New Holland that I am acquainted with. In

Wilson's Inlet, about forty miles west of King George's Sound, it abounds

in the winter months; and the different tribes, from all parts of the

coast, assemble there, by invitation of the proprietors of the ground,

(the MURRYMIN,) who make great feasts on the occasion. The fish attains a

weight of three and a-half pounds, and a fat one yields about three

quarters of a pound of oil, which the natives use for greasing their

heads and persons. This fish runs up the rivers during the floods, and so

becomes very fat. In summer it retires to the ocean. Caught in September,

1841.

LABRIDAE.

No. 47.--LABRUS LATICLAVIUS. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 139.--Native

name, KANUP, or PARILL, (Green-fish.)

Is a rare inhabitant of rocky shores. Caught by hook, 17th August, 1841.

Poor eating.

No. 20.--LABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICK, KIELMICK, or KIELNMICK.

"Rock-cod" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 22; A. 14."

Tail square. Very common on rocky coasts. Soft, indifferent eating.

Caught by the hook, 3rd May, 1841.

No. 9.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL. "Common rock-fish of the sealers.

"Rays, D. 9-11; A. 2-11, etc."

Mouth furnished with small sharp teeth. Caught by hook, 12th March, 1841.

No. 37.--LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL, KUHOUL, or BOMBURN. "Black

rock-fish" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 9-11; A. 3-10 seconds, etc."

Inhabits rocky shores, and grows to the size of fifteen or twenty pounds

weight. Poor, soft eating. Speared by Warrawar, 12th May, 1841.

No. 7.--LABRUS?--Native name, POKONG. "Brown rock-fish" of the sealers.

"Rays, D. 9-12; A. 3-10," etc.

Flesh soft and poor. Inhabitants rocky shores; very common. Caught by

hook, 12th March, 1841.

No. 18.--CRENILABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICH, MINAME, or MINAMEN. Common

"rock-fish" or "Parrot" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 8-11; A. 2-10," etc.

Poor and soft. Inhabits bold rocky shores, where it is troublesome to the

fisher by carrying off his bait. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841.

No. 12.--LABRUS?--Native name IANON'T, WOROGUT, or CUMBEAK. "Rays, D. 30;

A. 12." Tail rounded, teeth very small.

Inhabits weedy places in deep water, and along sandy bays. Sometimes

taken by the natives on the edge of banks. Excellent eating. Caught by

hook, 18th March, 1841.

No. 30.--COSSYPHUS? CRENILABRUS?--Native name MOOLET or CHETON.

"Red rock-fish" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 11-10; A. 3-11; P. 15."

etc.--Teeth very strong; tail rounded; its rays oblong.

Inhabits rocky shores. Bites eagerly, and is a gross feeder. Indifferent

eating. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841.

No. 35.------? Genus not ascertained.--Native name KOOGENUCK, QUEJUIMUCK,

or KNOWL. Little known to the sealers. "Rays, 11-12; A. 2 or 3; P. 16 or

18." Dorsal spines remarkable; scales large; grows to a large size; the

flank scales of one weighing twenty-eight pounds, measure an inch and a

half in length, and an inch and a quarter in breadth. (They are

cycloid.--J. R.)

Inhabits rocky shores. The specimen was speared by Warrawar, 12th May,

1841.

CYPRINIDAE.

No. 5.--RYNCHANA GREYI. Richardson, Ichth. of Voy. of Erebus and Terror,

p. 44 pl. 29. f. 1. 6.--Native name, PINING or WAUNUGUR, not certain. Not

known to the sealers. Pupil like that of the shark elliptical, with the

long axis vertical.

When the skin was removed the flesh was very fat, resembling that of the

eel, had an unpleasant smell, and could not be eaten. The natives also

were averse to eating it, and only one man acknowledged to have seen it

before. Caught by seine, by Corporal Emms of the 51st regiment, 7th

April, 1841. (This fish is also an inhabitant of Queen Charlotte's Sound,

New Zealand.--J. R.)

SALMONIDAE.

No. 48.--AULOPUS PURPURISSATUS. Richardson, Icones Piscium, p. 6, pl. 2,

f. 3.--Native name, KARDAR. "Rays, D. 19; A. 14; V. 9; P. 10."

Very rare. Caught by hook, on a rocky shore, by Mr. Sholl of Albany, 14th

July, 1841. (Mr. Niell's figure differs slightly from that of Lieutenant

Emery, published in the ICONES PISCIUM above quoted, and chiefly in the

dorsal occupying rather more space, by commencing before the ventrals,

and extending back to opposite the beginning of the anal. The anus is

under the fourteenth dorsal ray. Mr. Niell's drawing also shews a series

of six large roseate spots on the sides below the lateral line, and a

more depressed head, with a prominent arch at the orbit.--J. R.)

ESOCIDAE.

No. 22.--HEMIRAMPHUS.--Native name, IIMEN. "Guardfish" of the settlers.

"Rays, D. 16, delicate black rays; A. 15, do; P. 12; V. 6." Lower jaw

equal to the head in length. Caught by the seine, 3rd March, 1841.

Inhabits sandy bays, but approaches the shore only in summer. It is very

delicate eating.

MURAENIDAE.

No. 52.--MURAENA? vel SPHAGEBRANCHUS.--Native name KALET. The eel figure,

nat. size. Dorsal fin continuous for about three and a half inches behind

the snout to the point of the tail: its rays very delicate; anal like the

dorsal, but commencing behind the vent. One small lobe in the gills,

about the size of a pin's head; no other perceptible opening.

Caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour, 16th August, 1841.

LOPHOBRANCHI.

No. 56.--OSTRACIAN FLAVIGASTER, Gray. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. p. 164,

p. 11, f. 1.--Native name, CONDE or KOODE. "Rays, D. 10; A. 9; P. 11,

etc."

This fish is not eaten by the natives, who abhor it. It is seen only in

the summer, and in shallow sandy bays, Caught in a net in October, 1841.

No 51.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, TABADUCK. Rays, D. 28; A. 26; P. 12;

C. 12.

Very rare, scarcely ever seen by the Aborigines. Caught by hook, August,

1841.

No. 49.--MONACANTHUS.--Not known to the Aborigines. Rays, D. 32; A. 30;

C. 12; P. 11. Eye yellow; dorsal spine short.

Taken in deep water by Mr. Johnson, off the Commissariat stores, near a

sunken rock, in deep water.

No. 15.--MONACANTHUS.--Native name, CAUDIEY. "Small leather-jacket" of

the sealers.

Inhabits deep water, with a rocky bottom; is good to eat. Caught by a

net, 18th March, 1841. Dorsal spine toothed behind.

No. 31.--MONACANTHUS, or (ALEUTERES, no spinous point of the pelvis

visible in figure.--J. R.)--Native name, TABEDUCK. The "yellow

leather-jacket" of the sealers. Dorsal spine toothed. D. 33; A. 32; P.

13. Caudal rounded, its rays very strong.

Inhabits deep water in rocky places, and is very common. It is esteemed

for food by the Aborigines; is much infested by an Isopode named NETTONG,

or TOORT, by the natives. This insect inserts its whole body into a

pocket by the side of the anus, separated from the gut by a thin

membrane. The fish to which the insect adheres are yellow; those which

are free from it are of a beautiful purple colour. Caught by hook, 12th

May, 1841.

CARCHARIDAE.

No. 54.--CARCHARIAS (PRIONODON) MELANOPTERUS, Muller and Henle.--Native

name, MATCHET. "Common blue shark" of the settlers. Specimen four feet

and a half long; have been seen longer. A female had four young alive

when taken. Spiracles behind the eyes. Caught by hook, 16th August, 1841.

No. 26--CESTRACION PHILIPPI, Mull. and Henle.--Native names, MATCHET,

KORLUCK, or QUORLUCK. "Bull-dog-shark" of the sealers. Specimen two feet

and a half long.

Inhabits rocky shores, and is very sluggish; it does not grow to a very

large size. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841.

TRYGONES.

No. 38.--UROLOPHUS.--Native name, KEGETUCK or BEBIL. "Young sting-ray" of

the sealers. Caught by seine, 4th May, 1841.

No. 28.--Near PLATYRHINA.--Native name, PARETT. "Fiddler" of the sealers;

Green skate of the settlers. Eye dullish yellow; pupil sea-green, glaring

in some lights; teeth transverse, like a file; spiracles two, large,

behind the eye, in the same cavity; belly white, terminating at the

caudal fin.

Very common in the sheltered bays, close in shore among the weeds. Not

eaten by the Aborigines, who greatly abhor them, as they do also the

sting-ray. Specimen two feet nine inches and a half long.

* * * * *

(D.) DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS.

BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M.E.S.

The four insects here figured and described are, as far as I am aware,

new. Petasida, and Tettigarcta are interesting in the shape of the

Thorax, differing widely from that in any of the allied genera, while the

new species of Eurybrachys and Chrysopa are striking from their colouring

and marks.

PETASIDA EPHIPPIGERA, pl. 4. fig. 1.

Thorax much dilated behind, depressed and rounded at the end; the side

deeply sinuated behind; head pointed, antennae long; of a yellowish

orange; antennae with a few greenish rings, cheek below the eye with a

greenish line, head above with a longitudinal greenish line. Thorax with

a slight keel down the middle, wrinkled behind of a dusky blueish green,

a large patch of an orange colour on each side in front, and a small spot

of the same colour on each edge of the produced part at base; elytra

orange with numerous black spots, and black at the tip, lower wings pale

orange at the base, clouded with black at the tip; abdomen orange,

slightly ringed with green; legs orange, with three greenish spots on the

outside of the femora of hind legs.

Length 1 inch 9 lines.

Hab. Australia.

CHRYSOPA MACULIPENNIS, pl. 4. fig. 2.

Head red, with a black spot on the crown; antennae short brownish black;

thorax hairy; thorax, abdomen, and legs, brownish black. Wings brown,

with iridescent hues, the upper with transverse yellowish lines and spots

at the base; a long yellowish line parallel to the outer edge at the end,

and emitting a whitish spot which reaches the edge, three spots on the

apical portion, the two on the outer edge large; basal half lower wings

pale, some of the areolets yellowish; a few clouded with brown, tip of

the wing yellowish.

Expanse of wings 1 inch 4 1/2 lines.

Hab. Australia.

EURYBRACHYS LAETA, pl. 4, fig. 3.

Head thorax and upper wings of a rich brown colour, the outer edge of the

last is deep black, with a transverse yellowish spot just before the

middle, the remainder of the edge slightly spotted with black, upper side

covered with short blackish hairs; lower wings deep black; abdomen of a

bright red, with a round white tuft on the upper side near the end; first

two pairs of legs of a deep brown, with some reddish lines; hind legs

ferruginous with blackish spines.

Expanse of wings 7 lines.

Hab. Australia.

TETTIGARCTA, n. genus, WHITE. Fam. CICADIDAE.

Head very small in front, blunt; lateral ocelli close to the eyes, space

between them with long hairs.

Prothorax very large, extending back in a rounded form beyond the base of

hind wings, the sides sharp pointed, the back very convex and wrinkled.

Body and under parts densely clothed with hair.

This very singular genus differs from all the Stridulantes in the size

and shape of the prothorax; in the neuration of the elytra it is allied

to PLATYPLEURA (Amyst and Serville) in the size of head and hairiness of

body it approaches CARINETA of the same authors. The Pupa, (fig. 5.)

differs in the form of fore legs from those of the other Cicada.

TETTIGARCTA TOMENTOSA, pl. 4, fig. 4, and 5 its pupa.

Of a brownish ash colour, the hairs on upper part of body short and deep

brown, on the sides and under parts long and grey; prothorax varied with

black, in front, two large patches covered with grey hairs, mixed with

longer; elytra spotted and varied with brown, wings clear, somewhat

ferruginous at the base.

Expanse of wings 3 inches 4 lines.

Hab. Australia.

* * * * *

DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA,

BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ., F.R.S.

Lamarck separated the mother-of-pearls shell (MARGARITA) from the

swallow-tail muscles (AVICULA) on account of its more orbicular shape.

Other Conchologists have been inclined to unite them, as some of the

species of AVICULA approach to the shape of the other genus. The new one

just received from Australia, which I am now about to describe, in this

respect more resembles the Margarita than any before noticed; yet I am

inclined to think that the pearl-shells deserved to be kept separate, as

the cardinal teeth are quite obliterated in the adult shells, which is

not the case with any AVICULAE I am acquainted with; and the young

pearl-shells are furnished with a broad serrated distant leafy fringe,

while the AVICULAE are only covered with very closely applied short

concentric slightly raised minutely denticulated lamina, forming an

epidermal coat on the surface.

1. AVICULA LATA, pl. 6. f. 1.

Shell dark brown; half ovate; broad obliquely truncated, and scarcely

notched behind; covered with close regular very thin denticulated

concentric lamina, forming a paler external coat. The front ear rather

produced, with a distant inferior notch; internally pearly, with a broad

brown margin on the lower-edge.

Inhab. North and West coasts of Australia.

2. SPATANGUS ELONGATUS, pl. 6. f. 2.

Body elongate, cordate, with a deep anterior grove and notch; covered

above with minute hair-like spines, with scattered very elongated tubular

minutely striated spines on the sides; the anterior groves and

circumference of the vent with larger equal hair-like spines on each

side; the under surface with a triangular disk of similar spines beneath

the vent, and with elongated larger tubular spines.

Inhab. Western Australia.

Having only a single specimen completely covered with spines, it is

impossible to describe the form of the ambulacra or the disposition of

the tubercles. The lower figures represent the mouth and vent of the

animal in detail.

* * * * *

DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS

BY EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, ESQ., F.L.S., etc.

THYRIDOPTERYX NIGRESCENS, pl. 5. f. 1.

Head densely clothed with long whitish hairs; thorax and abdomen with

black hairs; wings hyaline, the nervures and nervules brown, with a few

black scales: base of the anterior and abdominal fold of the posterior

more or less covered with black hairs; antennae and legs fuscous brown.

Exp. 10--12 lines.

The larva of this species forms a dwelling for itself, similar in form

and structure to that of its American congener, the EPHEMERAEFORMIS,

Steph.

CALLIMORPHA SELENAEA, pl. 5. f. 2.

Wings of a brilliant silvery white; the anterior traversed by a fulvous

band commencing at the base on the costa, which it follows for about

one-third of its length, then crossing the wings directly to the anal

angle, where it unites with a vitta of the same colour, extending from

the angle nearly to the base along the inner margin; this vitta is

bordered interiorly with thickly placed black dots; the transverse

portion of the fulvous band is bordered on both sides with black, and has

a sinus about the middle; cilia fulvous; posterior wing with a black spot

near the outer angle: below, the wings are white, except the cilia of the

anterior, and a large blotch, red anteriorly, black posteriorly, near the

outer angle; head rufous; antennae fuscous; thorax and abdomen white, the

former with the shoulders rufous.

Exp. 2 1/2 inches.

CHELONIA PALLIDA, pl. 5. f. 3.

Anterior wings pale brown, with white nervures and nervules, and marked

with several whitish spots, of which four are on the costa, two

longitudinal before, two transverse beyond the middle of the wing, and on

the inner margin are three irregular patches, sometimes confluent, beyond

which is a band parallel with the outer margin, commencing above the

upper median nervule, and terminating on the inner margin; posterior

wings white, with a discoidal spot, a macular band near the outer margin,

and a less distinct marginal one, all brownish; head white; thorax white,

with three black vittae; abdomen above rufous, with six transverse black

spots, the sides varied with black and white; antennae black; femora red;

tibiae and tarsi black.

Exp. 2 1/4 inches.

CHELONIA FUSCINULA, pl. 5. f. 4.

Anterior wings fuscous, with a pale vitta commencing near the base on the

subcostal nervure, reaching the costa before the middle, and extending

along it to the apex, where it joins a flexuous submarginal band,

connected with a vitta occupying the whole inner margin; beyond the cell

is an abbreviated flexuous striga; followed by a subquadrate dot;

posterior wings pale dull red, with a broad submarginal fuscous band, and

a discoidal spot of the same colour; head and anterior part of thorax

pale, posterior black; abdomen above red, with a black dorsal line;

antennae fuscous; femora red; tibiae and tarsi fuscous.

Exp. 1 1/4 inch.

ACONTIA? PULCHRA, pl. 5. f. 5.

Wings of a somewhat chalky white, the anterior with three rufous dots on

the costa before the middle, of which the third is the largest, and near

the apex a large brown spot, fulvous towards the costa, clouded with

bluish white, connected with the inner margin by four indistinct yellow

dots; forehead red; head, thorax, and abdomen, white; palpi red at the

apex; feet white first and second pairs spotted with red.

Exp. 2 inches.

* * * * *

LIST OF BIRDS, KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA,

BY JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F.R.S.

ORDER RAPTORES.

Aquila fucosa, CUV.

Ichthyiaetus leucogaster, GOULD.

Pandion leucocephalus, GOULD.

Haliastur sphenurus.

Falco melanogenys, GOULD.

----- sub-niger, G. R. GRAY.

----- frontatus, GOULD.

Ieracidea Occidentalis, GOULD.

--------- Berigora.

Tinnunculus Cencroides.

Astur approximans, VIG. and HORSF.

----- Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.?

Accipiter torquatus, VIG. and HORSF.

Buteo melanosternon, GOULD.

Milvus isurus, GOULD.

------ affinis, GOULD.

Elanus axillaris.

------ scripta, GOULD.

Circus assimilis, JARD.

------ Jardinii, GOULD.

Strix personata, VIG.

----- delicatulis, GOULD.

Athene connivens.

------ Boobook

ORDER INSESSORES.

Hirundo neoxena, GOULD.

Cotyle pyrrhonota.

Acanthylis caudacuta.

Eurostopodus guttatus.

Podargus humeralis, VIG. and HORSF.

Aegotheles Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.?

Merops ornatus, LATH.

Dacelo gigas, BODD.

Halcyon sanctus, VIG. and HORSF.

------- pyrrhopygia, GOULD.

Alcyone azurea.

Falcunculus frontatus, VIG. and HORSF.

Oreoica gutturalis.

Xerophila leucopsis, GOULD.

Colluricincla cinerea, VIG. and HORSF.?

Pachycephala gutturalis, VIG. and HORSF.

------------ inornata, GOULD.?

------------ pectoralis, VIG. and HORSF.

------------ rufogularis, GOULD.

Artamus sordidus.

------- personatus, GOULD.

Cracticus destructor, TEMM.

Gymnorhina leuconota, GOULD.

Grallina melanoleuca, VIEILL.

Strepera ----------?

Campephaga humeralis, GOULD.?

Graucalus melanops, VIG. and HORSF.

Cinclosoma punctatum, VIG. and HORSF.

---------- castanotus, GOULD.

Malurus cyaneus, VIEILL.

------- melanotus, GOULD.

------- leucopterus, QUOY AND GAIM.

------- Lamberti, VIG. and HORSF.

Stipiturus malachurus, LESS.

Cysticola exilis?

Hylacola pyrrhopygia.

-------- cauta, GOULD.

Acanthiza pusilla, VIG. and HORSF.

--------- uropygialis, GOULD.

--------- inornata, GOULD.

--------- lineata, GOULD.

--------- chrysorrhoea.

Epthianura aurifrons, GOULD.

---------- tricolor, GOULD.

Sericornis frontalis.

Pyrrholaemus brunneus, GOULD.

Calamanthus campestris.

Anthus pallescens, VIG. and HORSF.

Cincloramphus cantillans, GOULD.

Petroica multicolor, SWAINS.

-------- phoenicea, GOULD.

-------- Goodenovii, JARD. AND SELB.

-------- rosea, GOULD.

-------- bicolor, SWAINS.

Drymodes brunneopygia, GOULD.

Zosterops dorsalis, VIG. and HORSF.

Pardalotus punctatus, TEMM.

---------- striatus, TEMM.

Dicaeum hirundinaceum

Estrelda bella.

-------- temporalis.

Amadina Lathami.

------- castanotus, GOULD.

Rhipidura albiscapa, GOULD.

--------- Motacilloides.

Seisura volitans, VIG. and HORSF.

Microeca macroptera, GOULD.

Smicrornis brevirostris, GOULD.

Corvus Coronoides, VIG. and HORSF.

Chlamydera maculata, GOULD.

Corcorax leucopterus, LESS.

Pomatorhinus trivirgatus, Temm.

------------ temporalis, VIG. and HORSF.

Cacatua galerita, Vieill.

------- Leadbeateri.

Licmetis nasicus, Wagl.

Calyptorhynchus Banksii, VIG. and HORSF.

--------------- Leachii

--------------- xanthonotus, GOULD.

Polytelis melanura.

Platycercus Baueri, VIG. and HORSF.

----------- Barnardi, VIG. and HORSF.

----------- Adelaidiae, GOULD.

----------- flaveolus, GOULD.

Psephotus multicolor.

--------- haematonotus, GOULD.

Melopsittacus undulatus.

Euphema aurantia, GOULD.

------- elegans, GOULD.

Pezoporus formosus.

Trichoglossus Swainsonii, JARD. and SELB.

Trichoglossus concinnus, VIG. and HORSF.

------------- pusillus, VIG. and HORSF.

------------- porphyrocephalus.

Climacteris scandens, TEMM.

----------- picumnus, TEMM.

Sittella melanocephala, GOULD.

Cuculus inornatus, VIG. and HORSF.

------- cineraceus, VIG. and HORSF.

Chalcites lucidus, VIG. and HORSF.

Meliphaga Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. and HORSF.

--------- Australasiana, VIG. and HORSF.

Glyciphila fulvifrons, SWAINS.

---------- albifrons, GOULD.

---------- ocularis, GOULD.

Ptilotis sonora, GOULD.

-------- cratitia, GOULD.

-------- ornata, GOULD.

-------- penicillata, GOULD.

Zanthomyza Phrygia, SWAINS.

Melicophila picata, GOULD.

Acanthogenys rufogularis, GOULD.

Anthochaera carunculata, VIG. and HORSF.

----------- mellivora, VIG. and HORSF.

Acanthorynchus tenuirostris.

Melithreptus gularis, GOULD.

------------ lunulata, VIEILL.

Myzantha garrula, VIG. and HORSF.

ORDER RASORES.

Phaps chalcoptera.

----- elegans.

Ocyphaps Lophotes.

Geopelia cuneata.

Dromeceius Novae-Hollandiae, VIEILL.

Otis Australasianus, GOULD.

OEdicnemus longipes, VIEILL.

Haematopus fuliginosus, GOULD.

---------- longirostris, VIEILL.

Eudromias Australis, GOULD.

Lobivanellus lobatus.

Sarciophorus pectoralis.

Charadrius Virginianus?

Hiaticula monacha.

--------- nigrifrons.

--------- ruficapilla.

Erythrogonys cinctus, GOULD.

Leipoa ocellata, GOULD.

Pedionomus torquatus, GOULD.

Turnix varius.

------ velox, GOULD.

Coturnix pectoralis, GOULD.

Synoicus Australis.

-------- Sinensis.

ORDER GRALLATORES.

Grus Antigone?

Platalea regia, GOULD.

-------- flavipes, GOULD.

Ardea cinerea?

----- pacifica, LATH.

----- Novae-Hollandiae, LATH.

Nycticorax Caledonicus, LESS.

Botaurus Australis, GOULD.

Ibis Falcinellus, LINN.

Numenius Australasianus.

Numenius uropygialis, GOULD.

Recurvirostra rubricollis, TEMM.

Chladorhynchus pectoralis.

Himantopus leucocephalus, GOULD.

Limosa ----------?

Glottis Glottoides.

Pelidna ----------? like P. MINUTA.

Scolopax Australis, LATH.

Rhynchaea Australis, GOULD.

Porphyrio melanotus, TEMM.

Tribonyx ventralis, GOULD.

Gallinula immaculata.

Rallus Philipensis? LINN.

ORDER NATATORES.

Cygnus atratus.

Anseranas melanoleuca.

Leptotarsis Eytoni, GOULD.

Cereopsis Novae-Hollandiae, LATH.

Casarka Tadornoides.

Biziura lobata, SHAW.

Bernicla jubata.

Anas Novae-Hollandiae, LATH.

---- naevosa, GOULD.

---- castanea.

Nyroca Australis, Eyton.

Rhynchapsis Rhynchotis, STEPH.

Malacorhynchus membranaceus, SWAINS.

Podiceps Australis, GOULD.

-------- poliocephalus, JARD. and SELB.

-------- gularis, GOULD.

Phalacrocorax pica.

------------- leucogaster, GOULD.

Phalacrocorax sulcirostris.

------------- melanoleucus.

Plotus Le Vaillantii?

Pelecanus spectabilis, TEMM.

Sula Australis, GOULD.

Spheniscus minor.

Lestris catarrhactes.

Laras leucomelas.

Xema Jamesonii, WILS.

Sterna poliocerca, GOULD.

------ velox, GOULD.

Sternella nereis, GOULD.

Hydrochelidon fluviatilis.

Diomedea exulans, LINN.

-------- cauta, GOULD.

-------- melanophrys, TEMM.

-------- chlororhyncha, LATH.

-------- fuliginosa.

Procellaria gigantea, GMEL.

----------- perspicillata, GOULD.

----------- hasitata, FORST.

----------- leucocephala.

----------- Solandri, GOULD.

Daption Capensis, STEPH.

Prion vittata, CUV.

----- Banksii.

----- Turtur.

----- Ariel, GOULD.

Puffinus brevicaudus, GOULD.

Puffinuria urinatrix, LESS.

Thalassidroma Wilsoni.

------------- nereis, GOULD.

------------- melanogaster, GOULD.

The preceding list comprises the birds inhabiting the settled districts

of South Australia: viz. the Murray, from the great bend to the sea, the

fertile districts sixty miles northward and southward of Adelaide,

Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, etc. When the remote parts of the colony

have been explored, it will doubtless become necessary to add to it many

other species common to New South Wales and Western Australia.--J. G.

The End

Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1: Sent By the Colonists of South Australia, with the Sanction and Support of the Government: Including an Account of the Manners and Customs of the Aborigines and the State of Their Relations with Europeans — Volume 01 · 第 23 / 23 章

Late in the evening, the overseer and boy returned from the westward, and