117 



into tlie hands of Mr. Pascoe*, wlio described two species. 

 Peronf made large collections during a month's stay at the 

 island, and has given us a general view of its animal inhabitants, 

 both of sea and land. A few of the insects are described by 

 Boisduval; some reptiles by G-ray and Dumeril; and the marine 

 shells by Lamarck in his " Animaux sans Vertebres." 



HisTOEiCAL Sketch op the Discoveet and of the Pkogeess 

 or Occupation op the Island. 



Kangaroo Island was discovered by Flinders J during his 

 survey of the southern shores of the continent. Coming from 

 the westward, he sighted the north coast of the island on 

 March 21, 1802; made for the most northern promontory, 

 which he named Port Marsden, and anchored off Kangaroo 

 Head. The next day a party of the ship's company landed to 

 procure a supply of fresh meat, which was abundantly furnished 

 by numerous kangaroos, and "in gratitude for so seasonable a 

 supply, I named this southern land Kanguroo (sic) Island." The 

 ship remained at its anchorage until March 24, but returned 

 April 1. On this second visit a party explored Pelican Lagoon, 

 and traversed the narrow isthmus which connects Dudley 

 Peninsula with the main mass of the island. Plinders says very 

 little about the natural features, but references will be made 

 in their proper connection. A final leave was taken on April 

 6, and on the 8th of the same month Flinders met his rival, 

 Captain Baudin, commanding the French corvette Le Geo- 

 graphe, in Lacepede Bay, and communicated to him, among 

 other discoveries, that of Kangaroo Island. 



The island, which was sighted by Baudin on April 9, was 

 named by him Decres Island. On this voyage, it would appear, 

 that he only skirted the north coast, on his way through In- 

 vestigator's Straits to the Great Australian Bight; as the 

 author§ of the narrative of the expedition writes : — " The 

 geography of Decres Island was not complete — gulfs not ex- 

 plored. A second campaign to this region was then still indis- 

 pensable" (loc. cit., I., p. 332). 



On January 2, 1803, Baudin commenced the circumnaviga- 

 tion of the island, starting from Cape Willoughby, its eastern 

 extremity, by the south coast, naming the capes and bays — 

 most of which are still known by their original names — and on 

 January 6 anchored in Nepean Bay, off Kingscote. Here a 



* " Journal of Entomology," II., 1863. 



t "Voyage de Decouvertes aux Terres Australes," vol. ii., pp. 76-83. 

 J "A Voyage to Terra Australis," 1814. 



§ F. Peron, " Voyage de Decouvertes aux Terres Australes, sur les Cor- 

 vettes le Geographe et la Naturaliste, 1800-4." Vol. i., 1807 ; vol. ii., 1816. 



