170 Nova/ Atisfrti/dsiai! Ornithologists' Union. [,si^"i" 



held these plates are now in tlie Pertli Museum, the original site 

 l)eing now fenced off and marked by fresh posts and plates. 



Tlife ornithological history of Shark Bay, however,- does not 

 commence until the arrival of the French corvette Uranic, com- 

 manded by M. de Freycinet, which sighted Edel's Land (to the 

 south) on nth September, 1818, after a voyage of 45 days from 

 the Isle de Bourbon. This French scientific expedition left Toulon 

 on 17th September, 1817, but the Uranie, before reaching home 

 again, unfortunately struck a rock whilst attempting to enter 

 " French Bay," in the Falkland Islands on 13th February, 1820. 

 She appears to have been beached, however, in time to prevent 

 absolute foundering, but much material of scientific value was 

 either totally lost or badly damaged by water. One can readily 

 s^^mpathize with Mons. Arago, who wrote an account of the 

 voyage, and who was draughtsman to the expedition, when he 

 states : — " She was run ashore in a sinking condition. . . 

 She fell over on the starboard side, and my cabin was under water 

 . rare birds and curious reptiles . . . ten portfolios 

 of sketches and finished drawings . . . all, all were engulphed." 

 Captain Freycinet appears to have visited Shark Bay previously 

 with an expedition under Captain Baudin. This navigator visited 

 the west and north-west coasts of Austraha about the year 1809. 

 There was no professed naturalist on board the Uranie. Messrs. 

 Quoy and Gaimard were the surgeons to the expedition --- 

 " neither being naturahsts by profession." On arrival the vessel 

 was anchored " two leagues from the shore, off Cape Levillain 

 (north-east point of Dirk Hartog), in eleven fathoms. Prodigious 

 numbers of whales sporting about. . . Before we weighed 

 anchor again, a boat under the command of M. Fabre, in which 

 were Messrs. Quoy, Ferrand, and young Taunay . . . leaving 

 us to pursue our way to the peninsula of Peron, where it was to 

 join us, made for the island of Irck Hatighs to begin their observa- 

 tions. . . At six o'clock we anchored in Dampier's Bay * 

 . . . near Cape Le Sueur " (Peron). 



It will thus be seen that it is to Quoy alone that we owe the first 

 information as to the birds found on Dirk Hartog Island. 

 Gaimard landed on Peron the following day, and with a com- 

 panion caused much anxiety through getting bushed and only 

 turning up at the camp on shore two days later, in a very ex- 

 hau?ted state. The expedition remained in Shark Bay a fort- 

 night. The Uranic sailed again 26th September. 



Dirk Hartog was not visited again by a naturalist until one 

 lumdred years later, when Mr. Thos. Carter landed on the island, 

 25th April, 1916. He did not remain there, however, during the 

 breeding season, being absent during June, July, August, and 

 the greater part of Septemlier. He returned at the end of the 

 latter month and remained during November. An interesting 

 account of his visit will be found in I'hc Il)is for October, 1917. 



* Dampier landed in Shark Bay 5th August, 1699, aud gave it its name. 



