99 
fish, and our collections were increased by several species of Balistes, 
Chastodon, Lophius, pelagic Crustaceans and soft Zoophytes.” 
On the 15th, “tke day was marked by an important discovery, 
that of a new genus of fish ( Balistapodus wittensis , n. sp.), near to 
Balistes, but differing from it by the complete absence of a ventral 
fin : this last character makes of it the first type of a new order in 
the Ichthyological Method of my illustrious master M. de Lacepede 
He dared to fix in his tables the place that each 
of the unknown groups would occupy there some day 
His great work on fishes was not yet finished, and already on far off 
shores his daring conceptions were realised.” 
On the 18th of August, as their stock of water was almost ex- 
hausted and many of the crew were suffering from scurvy, they left 
the Australian coast for Timor, where on September 21st they were 
joined by the “Naturaliste.” 
The proceedings of the “Naturaliste” in the period during which 
she was separated from her consort are related by M. Freyeinet. 
After the cessation of the storm in Geographe Bay she made her 
way to Rottnest Island, which she reached on June 14th. Whilst 
waiting here for the “Geographe,” different parties of her crew ex- 
plored the islands and the Swan River. 
Round the salt lakes in the interior of Rottnest “a prodigious 
quantity of bivalve shells of a single species formed a shore of about 
5 metres (15 feet) in breadth.” On the island “we killed . . . . 
several seals, whose flesh tasted excellent.” 
At the entrance to the Swan River “a prodigious multitude of 
pelicans had fixed their abode : we could only secure one. The 
shore was covered by a very great quantity of white, gelatinous, and 
transparent molluscs, washed up by the sea, which are doubtless 
the food-supply of the birds which frequent the place.” On the 
banks “the Eucalyptus resinifera occurs abundantly; and great 
flocks of land birds, especially elegant parrots, flying among the 
trees, enlivened, by their presence, these unknown, wild, and deso- 
late regions.” The calcareous rocks at the .mouth of the river 
“exhibit evident traces of the former presence of the sea; the rock 
is almost exclusively composed of incrustations of shells, of roots, 
and even of trunks of trees petrified; a phenomenon which recurs 
in different parts of New Holland.” 
In what is now called Perth Water “we met with new flocks of 
pelicans, which flew round us; we killed two of them.” After pass- 
ing the Heirisson Isles (the present Causeway) “for the first time, 
we perceived some black swans; they were swimming majestically 
on the water: we killed several; they had entirely black plumage, 
except the quills, which were w 7 hite, the beak was red, and the feet 
black. We observed that, shortly after death, their beak lost its 
beautiful red colour, and became black.” 
In descending the river their boat was stranded in the shallows 
among the Heirisson Isles; they were about to land for the night, 
( 5 ) 
