THE HISTORY OF ZOOLOGY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 
49 
The History of Zoology in Western Australia. Part i. — 
Discoveries in tiie 17T11 Century. By W. B. Alexander,* 
M.A. (Read September gth, 1913.) 
Some years ago the Mueller Botanic Society devoted con- 
siderable attention to ascertaining the history of discoveries 
concerning the flora of this State. Prof. Diels, in his excellent 
work, “ Die Pflanzenweld von West- Australia, has also devoted 
a chapter to the work of the early botanists in this part of the 
world. But so far as I am aware no one has previously endeavour- 
ed to bring together the records concerning our fauna which are 
contained in tire numerous volumes published by the explorers 
of the West Australian coastline previous to the foundation of 
the Swan River Colony. 
In this first portion of my paper I have collected the meagre 
observations on animals which were made by those Dutch navi- 
gators who touched upon our coastline either accidentally or by 
design. The only considerable information on the subject, 
however, in the period under consideration is contained in the 
admirable journal of the first Englishman who set foot in Australia, 
Capt. William Dampier. 
The first account to which 1 must refer is contained in the 
Decades of Peter Martyr, and relates to the voyage of a Spaniard. 
Diego de Lepe, and to discoveries made by him in 1499. In that 
year lie visited a country containing " trees of such bigness that 
sixteen men joining hands together and standing in compass can 
scarcely embrace some of them. Among these trees is found 
that monstrous beast with a snout like a fox, a tail like a marmoset, 
ears like a bat, hands like a man, and feet like an ape, bearing 
her whelps about with her in an outward belly, much like unto 
a great bag or purse. The dead carcase of this beast you saw 
with me and turned it over and over with your own hands, 
marvelling at that new belly and wonderful provision of Nature. 
They say it is known by experience that she never letteth her 
whelps go out of that purse except it be cither to play or suck 
until such time that they be able, to get their living by themselves." 
Mr. E. A. Petherick, the Commonwealth Archivist, who first 
drew attention to this passage, believes that it relates to the 
karri forests of South-West Australia, and that the animal de- 
scribed is a kangaroo. There is other evidence to support the 
view that de Lepe did reach South-West Australia, but it appears 
to me that the description is that of an opossum, and not of a 
kangaroo, and therefore the animal was more likely to have 
been met with in America. The following statements about the 
animal would fit ait opossum much better than a kangaroo : it 
had a tail like a marmoset, hands like a man, and feet like an 
* Biologist to the Western Australian Museum. 
