Which compelled me to make drawings of all when I came home tired in the
evening; forwarding them to ensure, as far as possible, their colours
before they became extinct - a sort of forced effort in respect to the
execution has, therefore, only been effected. The outline of nearly every
specimen was taken from ACTUAL PROFILE, by laying the fish upon the
paper - in this way I defied error in outline - of course, afterwards
carefully drawing and correcting various parts which required it, in a
free or rough manner, time not admitting of much pains.
"In naming the fish, I have merely attempted to give the aboriginal and
popular names known to the sealers and settlers. In obtaining the former,
no little difficulty has been experienced. The younger natives generally
giving different names to those of the elder; but finding the fish named
by the latter more descriptive, I have, of course, in most instances,
adopted them.
"For instance, No. 1, KOJETUCK means the fish with the bones; which is
very descriptive, from Koje the bones, [Note 28: This was noticed by
Governor Grey.] having very singular bones placed vertically in the neck,
connecting the dorsal spines to the back, resembling small tobacco pipes.
"Also the KYNARNOCH, No 13, the bearded, etc. In many other instances the
savages of this province are equally clear in naming their animals; and
it is curious, even this applies to their children, who commonly receive
their name from some extraordinary circumstance at, or about the time of
their birth. I find, also, the old men are more minute in SPECIES; the
younger often call very different fish by the same name, as the MEMON,
Nos. 17, and 43, etc. but as this is curious, merely for the sake of fact,
it is otherwise of little importance to the naturalist, - the native name
being only useful to enable the collector to obtain any particular
species hereafter. As regards the fidelity of the drawings, it may be
worth while to mention a singular mistake made by my friend
TOOLEGETWALEE; one of the oldest and most friendly savages we have of the
King George tribe; who, in looking over my collection to assist me in
naming them, observed that the drawings were a little raised off the
paper; and like a monkey, began to touch them with his long talons; of
course I flew to their rescue, and asked what he meant?
"'INIKEN how make em? me twank skin put him on!' which literally
means - 'Ah! I now see how you do it, you put the skin on!!' From want of
paper of uniform size, I was obliged to use any paper which came to hand,
cut the figures out, and afterwards paste them on clean paper; which
circumstance gave rise to the poor savage's mistake, and it was not until
I actually cut one out before him, that he could be convinced that he was
in error - a compliment I could hardly help smiling at. I have only to add
in conclusion, that no attempt has been made at ARRANGEMENT, having drawn
and numbered the fish as they were caught. Most have been taken by my own
hook; some by the native's spear, and some by the seine net.
"The natural SCALE of each has been pasted on to the drawing, and when
remarkable, both from the back and sides of the fish, which I considered
a more desirable plan than giving imitations, that could hardly, in
objects so minute, without the aid of a powerful magnifier, be depended
on.
"A descriptive account of each specimen, with the corresponding number to
that on the drawing, is also added.
"The effort has afforded me much amusement, and it will be still more
agreeable, if they will in any way contribute to a better knowledge of
the subject.
"I remain, Sir,
"Your most obedient servant,
"J. NEILL.
"Albany, King George's Sound,
"Western Australia."
On receiving this most valuable and interesting collection, I referred
the part relative to the Fish to my excellent friend, Dr. Richardson of
Haslar, one of the first Ichthyologists now living, who has kindly
arranged the notes in systematic order, and added to them, as far as he
was able, the modern scientific names. I have done the same to the
Reptiles myself. I have retained the original numbers as they refer to
the drawings which are preserved in the zoological department of the
British Museum. - J. E. GRAY.
* * * * *
REPTILES.
Fam. Lialisidae.
LIALIS BURTONII. Native name KERRY-GURA. Considered by the natives as
harmless; the scales of the back are very minute; the tail when broken is
sometimes terminated by three horny blunt ends; tongue divided and
rounded.
LIALIS BICATENATA. Native name WILLIAM LUNGER. Tongue not forked, broad,
and rounded off at the point. Not poisonous or at all dreaded by the
natives; finely striped down the back, and spotted with deep brown equal
marks; has a lappel on each side of the vent.
Killed 10th of October, 1841.
FAM. COLUBRIDAE.
NAJA, - ? Native name TORN-OCK or TOOKYTE. Colour dirty olive over the
whole body; belly dirty olive; white, faintly dotted from the throat down
to the vent, with reddish dirty orange spots; the whole colour appears as
if faded; the scales are more closely united to the skin than those of
the NOON; fangs placed on each side of the upper jaw, short and rather
blunt; scuta, 223.
Although the natives assert, if a person is bitten by this make, and
"gets down," i.e. lays in bed three days, he will recover, yet I am very
doubtful of this account, more particularly from the women differing from
the men, as well as the whole subject being hidden in superstition.
Another ground of doubt rests upon the fact of having lost in Van
Diemen's Land, a favourite dog, by the bite of a snake very similar to
this; the poor animal expired fourteen minutes after the bite, although
the piece was almost instantaneously cut out.
