Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/526

 BOTAnV.] NATURAL HISTORY. )1 the south-west of' the ]ast-mentlonad sound, nd it hap- poning at a season when some rain had fallen, I met with several plants in an abundant flowering jtate, of species, however, in part originally disdoverad upon other coasts, m described by Mr. Brown, during the Investigator's voyage. Of the West Coast (properly so denominated) which aeen during the Bathurst's voyage, very little can be said in reference to itg vegetable productions, and most probably nothin can be here advanced, tending to augment our very scanty knowledge of its Flora, acquired in part long since, through the medium bf the celebrated navigator, Dampier, bat more especially by the botanists accompanying Captain Baudin's voyage. I had. no opportunity of examining any part of the main, during our run northerly along its exten- sive shore, but I landed on Rottnest Island, and repeatedly  visited the northern extremity of Dirk Hartog'a Island, off Shark's Bay, where I gathered, under every discouragement of season, some of the moat important portions of its rich. vegetation; in many instances, however, in very imperfect conditions of fructification. Its general features led decidedly t assimilate it to the striking character of botany of. the South Coast; s. characteristic of which it more than 'probable the main land. largely partakes, if may draw an inference from its aspect at widely distant parta. Upon those portions of the brorth Coast, which wer hleity surveyed' during the Metmaid's Rrst voyage, at period immediately subsequent to the season of the rains,, I had very fuvohrable'opportunltles of increasing my collec- lions upo 'the"Goulbum' Islands, Port Easington ands' Raffles, Coker's Island, Mount-Norris Bay, and on the shores of Van Diemen's Gulf; and among may described

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