A. B. Fish Hooks of New South Wales. A Feather of the Cassowary

The second printed image of an Emu.

The Emu which had been named Cassowary in Governor Arthur Phillips account, published in 1789 had been 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.

Modern binomial name: Dromaius novaehollandiae
First described: Latham 1790
Distribution: Australia wide (not including Tasmania)

From John White’s, Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales

References:
Ferguson, J. A. Bibliography of Australia Volumes 1-8, Canberra 1976 97.
Hill, J. The Hill Collection of Pacific Voyages. San Diego 1974 1858.
Nissen, C. Die illustrierten Vogelbucher. Stuttgart 1995 ZBI 4390.
Abbey, J.R. Travel in Aquatint and Lithography 1770-1860. London 1972 605.
Wantrup, J. Australian Rare Books. Sydney 1987 17.
Crittenden, V. A Bibliography Of The First Fleet. ACT 1982 248.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 87340
State Library New South Wales: Call Number: MRB/Q991/2A2
National Gallery Victoria: Accession Number2012.31
State Library Victoria: CCF 919.44 W58
National Museum of Australia: Object number 2007.0035.0001