PREFACE. vii 
friends Sir John and Lady Franklin, who, besides facilitating my views in every way, both 
publicly and privately, with the most generous hospitality received myself and family into 
their house, where Mrs. Gould and my eldest son, who had accompanied us, remained for 
nearly ten months, while I pursued my researches in various parts of Van Diemen's Land and 
the continent of Austraha ; and it is only by those who, like myself, have had the advantage of 
residing in the bosom of this amiable family, that the kindness of their nature and the goodness 
of their hearts can be duly appreciated, and which can never be erased from my memory. I 
must acknowledge not less gratefully the many acts of kindness rendered to me by Sir George 
and Lady Gipps during my stay in Sydney. After exploring Van Diemen's Land, the islands 
in Bass's Straits, South Australia, and New South Wales, into the interior of which country I 
penetrated to the distance of nearly four hundred miles from the coast-line, I despatched my 
able assistant, Mr. Gilbert, to explore the western and northern portions of the country, and 
returned to England in August 1840; I immediately commenced the work de novo, and the 
result of my labours is now before the public. It fortunately happened at the commencement 
and during the progress of the work. Her Majesty's ships the Beagle, under the command of 
Captains Wickham and Stokes; the Britomart, under Captain Stanley; the Fly, under Captain 
Blackwood, and the Pelorus under Captain Chambers were employed in surveying the 
northern and north-western coasts of Australia ; and the Erebus and Terror under Captain Sir 
James C. Ross, in a voyage of discovery towards the south pole. While engaged in the 
performance of their arduous duties, the officers of those vessels succeeded in procuring many 
interesting novelties, which, with the greatest liberality, were communicated to me for the 
present work, whereby its value has been much enhanced. This liberality will be found duly 
acknowledged in the histories of the species, for the use of which I am indebted to the kindness 
of B. Bynoe, Esq., Surgeon R.N., Lieut. Emery, R.N., Commander J. M. R. Ince, R.N., 
Edward Dring, Esq., Purser R.N., Dr. Robertson and Robert M'Cormick, Esq., Surgeons 
R.N., and John M'Gillivray, Esq. 
After spending two years in Western and Northern Australia, Mr. Gilbert returned to 
England in September 1841, bringing with him the result of his labours, which proved of 
sufficient value and importance to induce me to believe that much yet remained to be 
discovered in those countries, and to direct him to return thither, which he accordingly did in 
the ensuing spring; and after again visiting Swan River, and sedulously exploring the interior 
so far as practicable, he proceeded to Sydney, and, unfortunately for himself, allowed his love 
