The great advantage of a scientific eye over that of the unlearned
observer, in viewing the productions of nature, cannot be more strongly
exemplified than by the present state of the natural history of Botany
Bay, and its vicinity. The English who first visited this part of the
coast, staid there only a week, but having among them persons deeply
versed in the study of nature, produced an account, to which the present
settlers, after a residence of near eleven months when the last
dispatches were dated, have been able to add but very little of
importance. The properties and relations of many objects are known to the
philosopher at first sight, his enquiries after novelty are conducted
with sagacity, and when he cannot describe by name what he discovers, as
being yet unnamed, he can at least refer it to its proper class and
genus. The observation of unskilful persons is often detailed by trivial
resemblances, while it passes by the marks which are really
characteristic. Governor Phillip, in one of his letters, remarking the
prodigious variety of vegetable productions then before his eyes,
laments, that among all the people with him there happens not to be one
who has any tolerable knowledge of botany. This circumstance is perhaps
less to be regretted than a deficiency in any other branch of natural
knowledge. The researches of some gentlemen among the first voyagers were
particularly directed to botanical discoveries, and a work which is now
preparing, in a style of uncommon accuracy and elegance by one of the
most illustrious of them, will probably discover that there was little
left undone, even in their short stay, towards completing that branch of
enquiry. Of quadrupeds the whole stock contained in the country appears
to be confined to a very few species: Wolves have not been seen, though
the tracks of them were so frequently thought to be detected on this
coast by Captain Cook's party. Birds are numerous, but they belong in
general to classes already known to naturalists; a few drawings however,
and specimens of both, have been sent over. These, to gratify, as far as
possible, the curiosity of those readers whose attention is particularly
directed to natural history, have been engraved, and a short account of
them is thrown together in this chapter. Of reptiles few have been seen
that are at all curious. A large Lizard, of the Scincus kind, with the
remarkable peculiarity of a small spine or horn standing near the
extremity of the tail, is said to be among some specimens sent over as
private presents; and also a kind of frog, whose colour is blue; but
these do not in other respects differ materially from the usual form of
their respective species. The ants are fully described in Captain Cook's
first voyage.
* * * * *
QUADRUPEDS.
The KANGUROO has been particularly described already.
THE SPOTTED OPOSSUM.
The annexed plate represents a small animal of the opossum kind, which
has not before been delineated. It is perhaps the same which is slightly
described in Captain Cook's first voyage as resembling a polecat, having
the back spotted with white; and is there said to be called by the
natives Quoll.* The colour however is darker, being rather black than
brown.
[* Hawkesw. iii. p. 222.]
The Spotted Opossum, for so it may properly be named, is in length from
the nose to the extremity of the tail about twenty-five inches, of which
the tail itself takes up about nine or ten. The general colour of the
animal is black, inclining to brown beneath; the neck and body spotted
with irregular roundish patches of white; the ears are pretty large, and
stand erect, the visage is pointed, the muzzle furnished with long
slender hairs; the fore, as well as hind legs, from the knees downward,
almost naked, and ash-coloured; on the fore feet are five claws, and on
the hind, four and a thumb without a claw; the tail, for about an inch
and an half from the root, covered with hairs of the same length as those
on the body, from thence to the end with long ones not unlike that of a
squirrel. The specimen from which the above account was taken, is a
female, and has six teats placed in a circle, within the pouch.
Another animal of the opossum kind has been sent alive to the Rev. Dr.
Hamilton, Rector of St. Martin's, Westminster, and is now living in the
possession of Mr. J. Hunter. It appears to be of the same sort as that
mentioned in Captain Cook's first voyage,* and that also which was found
near Adventure Bay, represented in the eighth plate of Captain Cook's
third voyage, and slightly described in Vol. I. p. 109 of that work: but
it must be owned, that neither its form nor character is very well
expressed in that plate.
[* Hawkesw. vol. iii. p. 182.]
The countenance of this animal much resembles that of a fox, but its
manners approach more nearly to those of the squirrel. When disposed to
sleep, or to remain inactive, it coils itself up into a round form; but
when eating, or on the watch for any purpose, sits up, throwing its tail
behind it. In this posture it uses its fore feet to hold any thing, and
to feed itself. When irritated, it sits still more erect on the hind
legs, or throws itself upon its back, making a loud and harsh noise. It
feeds only on vegetable substances.
This specimen is a male. The fur is long, but close and thick; of a mixed
brown or greyish colour on the back, under the belly and neck, of a
yellowish white. Its length is about eighteen inches, exclusive of the
tail, which is twelve inches long, and prehensile. The face is three
inches in length, broad above and very pointed at the muzzle, which is
furnished with long whiskers. The eyes are very large, but not fierce. On
the fore feet are five claws; on the hind, three and a thumb. The teeth
are two in the front of the upper jaw, and two in the lower; the upper
projecting beyond the under. In the Kanguroo it is remarkable that there
are four teeth in the upper jaw, opposed to two in the under. The
testicles are contained in a pendulous scrotum, between the two thighs of
the hind legs, as in the common opossum. The affinity of almost all the
quadrupeds yet discovered on this coast to the opossum kind, in the
circumstance of the pouch in which the female receives and suckles her
young, seems to open a field of investigation most interesting to the
naturalist: and the public will doubtless learn with pleasure, that it is
the intention of the most able comparative anatomist of the age, to give
a paper on this subject to the Royal Society. It cannot, therefore, be
necessary at present to pursue the enquiry any farther.
THE VULPINE OPOSSUM.
This is not unlike the common fox in shape, but considerably inferior to
it in respect to size, being, from the point of the nose to the setting
on of the tail, only twenty-six inches; the tail itself fifteen inches:
the upper parts of the body are of a grisly colour, arising from a
mixture of dusky and white hairs, with rufous-yellow tinge; the head and
shoulders partaking most of this last colour: round the eyes blackish:
above the nostrils ten or twelve black whiskers, four inches or more in
length: all the under parts of the body are of a tawny buff-colour,
deepest on the throat, where the bottom of the hairs are rust-colour: the
tail is of the colour of the back for about one quarter of its length,
from thence to the end, black: the toes on the fore feet are five in
number, the inner one placed high up: on the hind feet four toes only:
with a thumb, consisting of two joints, without a claw, placed high up at
the base of the inner toe. The whole foot serving the purpose of a hand,
as observable in many of the opossum genus. The legs are much shorter in
proportion than those of the common fox: the ears about one inch and an
half in length: in the upper jaw are six cutting teeth, and four
grinders, with two small canine teeth placed at an equal distance between
them: in the under jaw two long cutting teeth, not unlike those of a
squirrel, and four grinders to answer those in the upper jaw, but no
canine teeth.--A representation of the mouth and teeth may be seen in one
of the following plates.
NORFOLK ISLAND FLYING SQUIRREL.
Size of the American grey squirrel, and the general colour of the upper
parts very nearly resembling that animal; the under parts white: from the
nose to the tail runs a streak of dusky black, and another springs on
each side of the head behind the nostrils, passing over the eyes and
finishing behind them: ears not rising from the head: on each side of the
body is a broad flap or membrane, as in other flying squirrels, which is
united to both the fore and hind legs, as usual in many of this division:
this membrane is black, fringed on the outer edge with white: the tail
for two-thirds of the length, is of an elegant ash colour, paler than the
body, from thence to the end dusky black: the toes on the fore legs are
five in number; those of the hinder uncertain, as the legs behind were
wanting: length from head to rump nine inches; the tail is ten inches.
BIRDS.
BLUE BELLIED PARROT. Order II. Pies. Genus V. Species XIV. Var. B.
BLUE BELLIED PARROT.
Described thus by Mr. Latham.
"The length of this beautiful parrot is fifteen inches. The bill is
reddish: orbits black: head and throat dark blue, with a mixture of
lighter blue feathers: back part of the head green; towards the throat
yellow green: back and wings green: prime quills dusky, barred with
yellow: breast red, mixed with yellow: belly of a fine blue: thighs green
and yellow: tail cuneiform; the two middle feathers green; the others the
same, but bright yellow on the outer edges: legs dusky. Inhabits Botany
Bay in New Holland." Latham's Synopsis, vol. i. p. 213.
To this account little need be added, except that in our present
specimens the parts there said to be blue are rather a bright lilac: the
bill is a deep orange; and there are red spots on the back between the
wings, and a few near the vent feathers.
TABUAN PARROT. Order and Genus the same. Species XVI. A Variety.
The bird here represented has been seen by Mr. Latham, and was by him
referred to this species; of which however it seems a very remarkable
variety: The prevalent colour of the head, neck and breast, being,
instead of a deep crimson or purplish red, as in his description and
plate, as well as in a fine specimen now in his own collection, a very
bright scarlet: the blue mark across the lower part of the neck appears
the same; but the blue feathers in the wings are entirely wanting; and
the bill is not black. (See Latham's Synopsis, vol. i. p. 214.)
The specimen here delineated may be thus described.
Length twenty-four inches: bill brown, the upper mandible tinged with
red: the head, neck, and all the under parts of the body a bright
scarlet: the back and wings a fine green. On the lower part of the neck,
between that and the back, a crescent of blue: the tail long and
cuneiform, most of its feathers deep blue: the legs ash coloured: on the
upper part of the wings a narrow line of lighter green.
PENNANTIAN PARROT. Order and Genus the same. Species, 134.
Size of the scarlet lory, length sixteen inches: the bill of a blueish
horn colour; the general colour of the plumage scarlet; the base of the
under mandible and the chin covered with rich blue feathers: the back
black, the feathers edged with crimson: wings blue, down the middle much
paler than the rest: the quills and tail black, the feathers edged
outwardly with blue, and three of the outer tail feathers, from the
middle to the end, of a pale hoary blue: the tail is wedge shaped, the
middle feathers eight inches in length; the outermost, or shortest, only
four: the bottom of the thighs blue, legs dusky, claws black.
This beautiful bird is not unfrequent about Port Jackson, and seems to
correspond greatly with the Pennantian Parrot, described by Mr. Latham in
the supplement to his General Synopsis of Birds, p. 61. differing in so
few particulars, as to make us suppose it to differ only in sex from that
species.
PACIFIC PAROQUET. Order and Genus the same. Species L VI. A new variety.
Mr. Latham's description is this:
"Length twelve inches, bill of a silvery blue; end black: in some, the
forehead and half the crown; in others, the forehead only, of a deep
crimson: behind each eye a spot of the same colour: on each side of the
vent a patch of the same: the plumage in general of a dark green, palest
on the under parts: the tail is cunei-form; the two middle feathers are
five inches and an half in length; the outer ones two inches and an half;
upper parts of it the same green with the body; beneath ash colour: the
outer edge of the wings, as far as the middle of the quills, deep blue;
the ends of the quills dusky: legs brown: claws black." Latham's Synopsis,
vol. I. p. 252.
The variety here represented has a brown bill, tinged with red at the
end, and a cap of azure blue at the back of the head, interspersed with a
few small feathers of a yellowish green; the top of the wings is of a
yellow hue, and there are no blue feathers in the wings.
THE SACRED KING'S FISHER. Order of Birds II. Pies. Genus XXIII. Species 12.
The following description is extracted from Mr. Latham's Synopsis of
Birds, vol. ii. p. 623. The specimen here represented, being the same as
his fourth variety of that species marked D.
"This in size is rather less than a blackbird: the bill is black; the
lower mandible yellowish at the base: head, back, wings, and tail, blue
tinged with green: the under parts of the body white, extending round the
middle of the neck like a collar: legs blackish."
To which account we may add, that the bill is very strong at the base,
and sharp at the point; that the feathers immediately above the bill are
tinged with yellow; and that the toes, as in most of this species, are
three before and one behind.
SUPERB WARBLER, MALE. Birds, Order III. Passerine. Genus XLI. Warbler.
Species 137. A new variety.
"The length of this beautiful species is five inches and a half: the bill
black: the feathers of the head are long, and stand erect like a full
crest; from the forehead to the crown they are of a bright blue; from
thence to the nape, black like velvet: through the eyes from the bill, a
line of black; beneath the eye springs a tuft of the same blue feathers;
beneath these and on the chin, it is of a deep blue almost black, and
feeling like velvet: on the ears is another patch of blue, and across the
back part of the head a band of the same, (in some specimens, the patches
of blue under the eye and on the ear unite together, and join with the
band at the nape, as in the plate*) the whole giving the head a greater
appearance of bulk than is natural: the hind part of the neck and upper
parts of the body and tail, deep blue black; the under, pure white:
wings, dusky; shafts of the quills chesnut: the tail, two inches and a
quarter long, and cuneiform; the two outer feathers very short: legs
dusky brown: claws black." Latham's Synopsis, vol. iv. p. 501.
[* Latham's Synopsis, vol. iv. pl. 53.]
The disposition of the blue is found to differ in most of the specimens.
In the present variety, the whole head is enveloped in blue, which
terminates in an irregularly waving line, and is continued below the eye
in a broad band, edged in the same manner, and running almost to a point,
as low as the bottom of the neck on each side; but there is no band
continued round the neck, which, both above and below, is of the deep
blue like velvet, mentioned by Mr. Latham. Some feathers of a very bright
orange lie immediately under that blue, and above the wings*.
[* The Specimens from which Mr. Latham took his descriptions were met with
at Van Diemen's Land, the most southern part of New Holland.]
SUPERB WARBLER, Female.
When Mr. Latham's Synopsis was published, the female of this species was
entirely unknown; and it was conjectured by that author that the
disposition of the blue might possibly mark the sexes. The female is now
discovered to be entirely destitute of all the fine blue colours, both
pale and dark, by which the male is adorned, except that there is a very
narrow circle of azure round each eye, apparently on the skin only: all
the upper feathers consist of shades of brown, and the whole throat and
belly is pure white. Except from the shape and size, this bird would not
be suspected at first sight to belong to the same species as the male:
the epithet of superb applies very ill to the female.
CASPIAN TERN. Birds, Order IX. Webfooted. Genus LXXXVIII. Species I. Variety B.
The plate of this bird is inserted at pag. 77. Mr. Latham's description
is as follows.
"Length nineteen or twenty inches: bill three inches, stout and of a pale
yellow: nostrils pervious: the crown of the head black; the feathers
longish, and forming a kind of pensile crest at the nape; the rest of the
head, neck, and under parts of the body, white: back and wings pale
cinereous grey: quills grey, with the ends dusky; the inner webs, half
way from the base, white: tail grey, forked; the end half of the other
feathers white; the last is exceeded by the first an inch: legs black.
Supposed to inhabit China; seen also, or very similar, from the
Friendly Isles; also found at Hapaee, one of the Sandwich Islands."
Syn. Vol. vi. p. 351.
NORFOLK ISLAND PETREL. Order IX. Web-Footed. Genus Xc.
Length sixteen inches, bill one inch and an half long, black, and very
hooked at the tip: the head as far as the eyes, the chin and throat,
waved, brown and dusky white: the rest of the body on the upper parts of
a sooty brown, the under of a deep ash colour; the inner part of the
quills, especially next the base, very pale, nearly white, and the wings,
when closed, exceed the tail by about an inch: the tail is much rounded
in shape, and consists of twelve feathers, of the same colour as the
upper parts of the body: the legs are pale yellow, the outer toe black
the whole length, the middle one half way from the tip, the webs also
correspond, the outer one being black, except just at the base; and the
inner one black for about one third from the end: the claws black; the
spur, which serves in place of a back toe, is also black.
This inhabits Norfolk Island, and burrows in the sand like a rabbit,
lying hid in the holes throughout the day, and coming out of evenings in
quest of food. This bird appears to differ so very little from the dark
grey Petrel of Cook's Voyage, vol. i. p. 258. that it is not improbable
it may prove to be the same species. This is described in the General
Synopsis of Birds, vol. vi. p. 399. under the name of Grey Petrel; as
also another species, in p. 400. by the name of White-breasted Petrel,
differing only in the breast from our specimen.
BRONZE-WINGED PIGEON. Order IV. Columbine. Genus XLVI.
Size of a large dove-house pigeon: general colour of the plumage
ash-coloured, brown on the upper parts, the feathers margined with pale
rufous; the under parts pale ash-colour, with very pale margins: the wing
coverts are much the same colour as the back, but the greater ones, or
lower series, have each of them a large oval spot of bronze on the outer
webs near the ends, forming together, when the wings are closed, two bars
of the most brilliant and beautiful bronze, changing into red, copper,
and green, in different reflections of light: several of the feathers
also among the other coverts have the same spots on them, but are
irregularly placed: the quills are brown, with the inner webs, from the
middle to the base, pale rufous; as are the sides of the body and all the
under wing coverts: the tail consists of sixteen feathers; the two middle
ones are brown, the others pale lead, or dove colour, with a bar of black
near the tips: the bill is of a dull red: the forehead very pale, nearly
white, passing a little way under the eye: the chin and throat pale grey:
the legs are red.
This bird inhabits Norfolk Island; and is clearly a non-descript species.
WHITE-FRONTED HERON. Order VII. Cloven-footed. Genus LXV.
This is little more than half the size of the common Heron: length 28
inches: the general colour of the plumage is bluish ash, inclining to
lead colour: top of the head black, and a trifle crested; the forehead,
sides of the head, chin, and throat white, passing downwards, and
finishing in a point about the middle of the neck before: on the lower
part of the neck the feathers are long and loose, and of a pale rufous
cinnamon colour; all the under parts of the body also incline to this
last colour, but are much paler: the quills and tail are dark lead
colour, nearly black: on the back the feathers are long and narrow, and
hang part of the way on the tail: the bill is four inches long, and
black; but the base half of the under mandible is yellowish: the legs are
formed as in other herons, of a yellowish brown colour, and the claws are
black.
This bird was sent from Port Jackson in New Holland, and as it has not
been noticed by any author, we consider it as a new species.
WATTLED BEE-EATER. Order II. Pies. Genus XXVI.
The size of this bird is nearly that of a cuckow: length fourteen inches
and a half: the bill one inch long, and of nearly the same shape and size
as in the Poe Bird; the colour black: the general colour of the plumage
is brown, palest on the under parts; most of the feathers are pointed in
shape, and have a streak of white down the middle: the fore part of the
head, as far as the eyes, is smooth, but the rest of the head appears
full, the feathers being longer: from the gape of the bill a broad streak
of silvery white passes under the eye, and beneath this, on each side of
the throat, hangs a pendulous wattle, about half an inch in length, and
of an orange colour: the wings, when closed, reach about one third on the
tail, which is about half the length of the bird, and cuneiform in shape:
both the quills and tail feathers are of a darker brown than the rest of
bird, and have the tips white: the middle of the belly is yellow: the
legs are of a pale brown, the hind toe very stout, and the outer toe
connected to the middle one as far as the first joint.
The above inhabits New Holland; it was received from Port Jackson, and is
no doubt a non-descript species.
PSITTACEOUS HORNBILL. Order II. Pies. Genus VIII.
The bird is about the size of a crow: the total length two feet three
inches: the bill is large, stout at the base, much curved at the point,
and channelled on the sides; the colour pale brown, inclining to yellow
near the end: the nostrils are quite at the base, and are surrounded with
a red skin, as is the eye also, on the upper part: the head, neck, and
under parts of the body are pale blue-grey; the upper parts of the body,
wings, and tail, ash colour; and most of the feathers are tipt with dusky
black, forming bars of that colour across the wings: the wings, when
closed, reach to near three-quarters of the length of the tail: the tail
itself is long, and cuneiform, the two middle feathers measuring eleven
inches, and the outer one on each side little more than seven; a bar of
black crosses the whole near the end, and the tips of all the feathers
are white: the legs are short and scaly, and the toes placed two
forwards, and two backwards, as in those of the toucan or parrot genus:
the colour of legs and claws black.*
[* Mr. Latham, who has been kind enough to give his sentiments on this
occasion, is of opinion that this bird does not strictly belong to any of
the present established genera. The make indeed is altogether that of an
hornbill, and the edges of the mandible are smooth, but the toes being
placed two forwards and two backwards, seem to rank it with the Parrots
or Toucans; and it has been unlucky that in the specimen from which the
description was taken, the tongue was wanting, which might in a great
measure have determined the point: but the inducement for placing it with
the hornbills has had the greater weight, as not a single species of the
toucan tribe has yet been met with in that part of the world.]
This bird was killed at Port Jackson, and we believe it to be hitherto
non-descript.
* * * * *
Such is the account of the birds of which drawings or specimens have been
obtained from Port Jackson or from Norfolk Island. Wild ducks, teal,
quails, and other common species are numerous in both places, and the
variety, as well as number of the small birds is considerable. Birds of
the Cassowary or Emu kind have very frequently been seen; but they are so
shy, and run so swiftly, that only one has yet been killed. That bird was
shot near the camp, while Governor Phillip was absent on his first
expedition to Broken Bay, and was thought by him to differ materially
both from the ostrich and cassowary; the skin was sent over, but at the
time when this sheet was printed off, had not been stuffed, or put into
form. Should it, on examination, exhibit any remarkable peculiarities, we
shall endeavour to obtain a description of it, to subjoin at the
conclusion of this volume.
* * * * *
Since stating the dimensions of the kanguroo, in page 106, Lord Sydney
has received from Governor Phillip, a male of a much larger size, which
measures as follows.
f. in.
Length from the point of the nose to the end of the tail, 8 5
Length of the tail, 3 1
-- head, 0 11
-- fore legs, 2 0
-- hind legs 3 7
Circumference of the fore part by the legs, 1 9
---- lower parts -- 4 5
Round the thicker part of the tail, which gradually
tapers to the end. 1 1
The above is the largest kanguroo that has yet been seen, and there is
every reason to believe that even this had not nearly attained its full
growth.
Lieutenant Shortland describes them as feeding in herds of about thirty
or forty, and assures us, that one is always observed to be apparently
upon the watch, at a distance from the rest.