I have seen no Emus in North-western Australia, but on two occasions their tracks were impressed in the mud on some plains lying on the banks of Glenelg River; and Mr. Dring, of H.M.S. Beagle, informed me that, whilst that vessel was employed in the survey of Fitzroy River, about seventy miles to the southward of the former, he not only several times saw traces of them but that, on one occasion when he was in the bush, two of them passed within a few yards of him. They may, I conceive, therefore be considered as inhabitants of this part of the continent.
ALLIGATORS.
No alligators were seen by the land party in any of the rivers of North-western Australia, but the crew of the schooner saw one in Hanover Bay. I can however safely assert from my own experience that they are by no means numerous upon this coast. At the islands of Timor and Roti however they abound.
TURTLES.
Turtles were abundant on the coast, and a freshwater tortoise was found inland.
PLANTS.
Amongst the vegetable kingdom I shall only observe generally that the Calamus, or rattan, which in King's voyage* is considered to be peculiar to the primary granitic formation on the east coast, is abundant in the interior of the north-west between latitude 15 and 17 degrees south.
(*Footnote. Appendix, volume 2.)
I found a dwarf cabbage-palm between 15 and 16 degrees south latitude, always in moist situations in the neighbourhood of streams, although not immediately on the banks.
Of the family of Urticeae many species of Ficus were observed.