Zoological results of FreycineVs Expedition. 267 



To the route pursued by the Corvettes L'Uranie and La Physi- 

 cieune until their final loss off the Falkland Islands, it is there- 

 fore unnecessary to advert particularly, while noticing the zoo- 

 logical results of this interesting expedition. Numerous and 

 valuable as they are, and grateful as we must consequently feel to 

 MM. Quoy and Gaimard for their collection, it may readily be 

 presumed that they might have been rendered still more impor- 

 tant had due attention been paid to the subject by the heads of 

 the French marine. It is indeed somewhat singular that a govern- 

 ment which professes the warmest attachment to scientific pur- 

 suits, and which even numbers among its members, men whose 

 talents in the various departments of science, and especially in 

 Zoology, cannot be disputed, should have neglected to avail 

 itself to the fullest extent of the opportunities afforded by such a 

 voyage, as that of M. Freycinet. To account for the anomalous 

 circumstance of no naturalist whatever having been attached to a 

 voyage of scientific discovery, we are informed that this able 

 navigator had been so forcibly struck by the irregularity and in- 

 subordination which he had witnessed in the expedition of M. 

 Baudin, (an expedition which is too generally known in conse- 

 quence of the cruel and ungenerous treatment of Captain Flinders, 

 while it is strongly impressed on the memory of naturalists by 

 the names of Peron and Le Sueur,) that he had determined on 

 receiving under his command no person except such as belonged 

 to the marine, and were consequently dependent on him as their 

 superior officer. He ought surely to have been aware that to 

 him as commandant every person on board, whether civil or 

 naval, was bound to submit, and that even a passenger embarking 

 under his charge, would have been responsible to him for his 

 conduct so long as he remained with the expedition. 



We will not stop to inquire whether the objection of M. Frey- 

 cinet might have originated in any hidden motive ; nor will we 

 even suspect the possibility of its recurring to his recollection, 

 that the laurels of the former expedition were entirely reaped by 

 the naturalists who formed part of it. It is sufficient to say that 

 his objection was received as valid by the French government. 

 No naturalist was therefore appointed to accompany him ; and 



