86 
the Moluccas. Leaving Ainboyna in October, they sailed down the 
coast of Western Australia which, however, they did not sight till 
they reached the neighbourhood of Cape Leeuwin on December 7th. 
The expedition was accompanied by two naturalists, the zoologist 
Riche, after whom Cape Riche on the South coast was named, and 
the botanist Labillardiere. The latter and Captain d ’Entrecasteaux 
both wrote accounts of the voyage, from which the following infor- 
mation as to the animals they met with is taken. 
On the islands of the Recherche Archipelago, which they dis- 
covered, they found “many seals of the species which Button denom- 
inates petit phoque , and Linnaeus phoea pus-ilia / which basked 
quietly in the sun upon the rocks and the sandy beach, and some of 
them allowed themselves to be knocked on the head.” They were 
of various colours — white, grey (more or less deep), and brown 
(bordering* upon black). They were, however, all of the same 
species. Labillardiere fired at one, which lay at a distance from 
him. Finding himself wounded and distrusting his strength, he 
durst not take to the water. Immediately another very large one, 
hearing l he cries of that which had been wounded, came and licked 
the blood with apparent satisfaction, but at the sight of a long-boat, 
which was steering towards the.m, they plunged into the sea. “Soon 
afterwards, more of these animals were seen advancing towards the 
beach. Before they ventured upon land, they never failed to raise 
their bodies nearly half out of the water, and they remained some 
time in that attitude, smelling and gazing all round, in order to dis- 
cover whether or not they could safely come and repose upon the 
rocks.” D’Entrecasteaux tells us that they appeared to him, as to 
everyone else, not at all disagreeable to eat. 
“On the same islands there was a numerous flock of geese, 1 2 * 
several of which allowed themselves to be taken by the hand* but 
the rest, apprized of the danger, immediately flew away. This new 
species is somewhat smaller than our wild swan, and of an ash- 
coloured grey, a little lighter on the belly. The bill is blackish with 
a tumour of sulphur-yellow at its base. The leg's are slightly tinged 
with red. Riche named them Anas Terrae Leeuwin. D’Entrecas- 
teaux tells us that their flesh was much more delicate than that of 
European geese. 
“Two sea-gulls, 8 a male and a female, of the species called by 
Buffon bourgmestre , and by Linnaeus Lams fuscus , perched upon 
the heights at a small distance from us,” says Labillardiere. “The 
female having been shot, the male, frightened by the noise of the 
explosion, took to flight, but presently returned, and being deter- 
mined not to abandon his mate, was killed by her side. On one 
of the islands I killed the charming yellow turtle dove, remarkable 
for six or eight golden feathers towards the bases of its wings, and 
1 Zalophus lobatus, Grav. 
2 Coreopsis novaehollandiae, Latham (Cape Barren Goose). 
•'* Catharacta lonnbergi, Mathews (Australian Skua). 
