Guide to the Animals observed or collected by Joseph Banks esqr. & Doctor Solander in the voyage round the world begun August 25th 1768 ended July 12th 1771
MS 9138
National Library of Australia View Catalogue Record
Collection Summary
- Title
- Animals observed or collected by Joseph Banks esqr. & Doctor Solander in the voyage round the world begun August 25th 1768 ended July 12th 1771
- Date Range
- c. 1771
- Collection Number
- MS 9138
- Extent
- 0.03 metres (1 volume)
- Language of Materials
- English
- Repository
- NLA
Introduction
Scope and Contents
Unpublished notebook containing some of the earliest known scientific descriptions of Australian fauna, based on observations of participants in Cook's first voyage to the Pacific aboard HM Bark Endeavour. The notebook (octavo bound in vellum) summarises mostly zoological information given to Pennant by his close associates, Sir Joseph Banks and Daniel Carl Solander, and by other members of the Endeavour crew. Besides references to Australian fauna, the volume contains notes about species in New Zealand, South East Asia (particularly Java) and South Africa, presumably observed by Banks and others on the return voyage. Notes about animals and birds of the North Pacific were most likely added by Pennant in later years, based on information collected on Cook's second and third voyages.