Description
The first printed image (1789) of an Emu which was first sighted on 21st January 1788 by surgeon Arthur Bowes, in Port Jackson and described and drawn in his diary on the transport ship Lady Penrhyn. His diary entry describes his observations:
The animals we saw during our stay in New Holland……-a bird of a new genus, as large and high as a Ostrich.
Binomial name: Dromaius novaehollandiae
First described: Latham 1790
Distribution: Australia wide (not including Tasmania)
From: Phillip, A. The Voyage of Governor Phillip to Botany Bay with an Account of the Establishment of the Colonies of Port Jackson and Norfolk Island; compiled from Authentic Papers, which have been obtained from the several Departments to which are added the Journals of Lieuts. Shortland, Watts, Ball and Capt. Marshall with an Account of their New Discoveries,….. London.
Collections:
British Library: Shelfmark: C.47.i.10
National Gallery Australia: NGA 2012.1466
National Library Australia: Bib ID 1165394
Royal Collection Trust: RCIN 1142204
Silent World: SF000022
State Library NSW: D Q78/26
State Library Victoria: RARELTF 994.02 P54V
References:
Crittenden, V. A Bibliography Of The First Fleet. ACT 1982 : 180
Ferguson, J. A. Bibliography of Australia Volumes 1-8, Canberra 1976: 47
Hill, J. The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages. San Diego 1974 :. 1346
McCormick, T. First Views of Australia 1788-1825. Sydney: 1987
Wantrup, J. Australian Rare Books. Sydney 1987: pp.59-64, pp.127-128, p.345-5, ill. p.63
