THE HISTORY OF ZOOLOGY IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 
59 
found in the Shark’s maw was probably that of a dugong, as 
was pointed out by Peron, who discusses this passage. The 
upper lip of the dugong is “ thick and bristly,” so would agree 
with the description. As we have seen, however, Dampier had 
lived largely on dugongs when on the coast previously, so that 
he ought to have recognised the animal. 
Finding no water, they left Sharks Bay, but “ the day before 
we came out 1 sent a Boat ashore to the most Northerly of the 
Two Islands, which is the least of them, catching many small Fish 
in the mean while with Hook and Line. . . . They saw a large 
Turtle, and many Skates and Thornbacks, but caught none. . . . 
In passing out we saw three Water-Serpents swimming about in 
the Sea, of a yellow Colour, spotted with dark, brown Spots. 
They were about four Foot long, and about the bigness of a 
Man’s Wrist, and were the first l saw on this Coast, which abounds 
with several sorts of them.” 
The Roebuck proceeded northwards and on the 16th lost 
sight of land, ” and saw small Dolphins and Whales, and abund- 
ance of Scuttle-shells swimming on the Sea ; and some \\ ater- 
snakes every day.” 
During the night of the 18th “ When we were off the Shoal- 
point I mention’d, where we had but 20 Fathom-water, we had in 
the Night Abundance of Whales about the Ship, some a-lread, 
others a-stern, and some on each side blowing and making a 
very dismal Noise ; but when we came out again into deeper 
Water they left us. Indeed the Noise that they made by blowing 
and dashing of the Sea with their Tails, making it all of a Breach 
and Foam, was very dreadful to us, like the Breach of the Waves 
in very Shoal-water, or among Rocks. The Shoal these W hales 
were upon had Depth of Water sufficient, no less than 20 Fathom, 
as I said ; and it lies in Lat. 22 deg. 22 min.” 
The 21st day “ as we saw some Sea-snakes every Day, so 
this Day we saw a great many, of two different Sorts or Shapes. 
One Sort was yellow and about the Bigness of a Man’s Wrist, 
about 4 Foot long, having a flat Tail about 4 Fingers broad. 
[Probably Hydrus platurus]. The other Sort was much smaller 
and shorter, round and spotted black and yellow." Perhaps 
Platurus laticaudatus. On the evening of the same day they 
anchored inside Rosemary Island, one of the Dampier Archipelago, 
on which they landed. We saw here some Cormorants, Gulls, 
Crabcatchers, etc., a few small Land-Birds, and a Sort of white 
Parrots, which flew a great many together. We found some 
Shell-fish, viz., Limpits, Perriwinkles, and Abundance of small 
Oysters growing on the Rocks, which were very sweet. In the 
Sea we saw some green Turtle, a pretty many Sharks, and Abund- 
ance of Water-Snakes of several Sorts and Sizes. 
