Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/253

 . SURVEY OF THE INTERTROPICAL can, however, be very little more Worth knowing of them, as I apprehend the difficulty of landing is too great ever to expect to gain much infor- mation; for it is only in Shark's Bay that a vessel can anchor With sety. With respect to the subjects Of natural history. .that have been procured upon the voyage, it is much to be lamented tlmt the small size of the vessel, and our constant professional duties; prevented my extending them. Of quadrupeds we saw but few. Birds were very'numerous, but the operation of :skinning and preserving them would have taken up more time than could be afforded. A few insects, some shells, and a small series of.spocimens of the geology of the parts we landed at, were among the only things obtained, exCepting the extensive and valuable collection of phnts formed by Mr. Cun- ningham, which are now in the possession of Mr Ai.ton, of the Royal Gardens at Kew; for which establishment it would seem that they were solely procured. It was in fact the only department of natural history in which any pains were taken, and. for which every assistance was rendered. A small herbxium was, however, collected. by me, containing nearly five hundred species: they are in the possession of my re- spacted friend Aylmer B. Lambert, Esq., whose

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