Rare c.18th engraving of the Lace monitor, made from drawings sent from Sydney Cove in 1788.
Common names: Lace Monitor, Tree Goanna
Aboriginal names: Guugaarr in Yuwaalayaay, Guugaarr in Yuwaalaraay, Mangun.Gaali in Yuwaalayaay, Mangun.Gaali in Gamilaraay, Gamilaroi / Kamilaroi, Mangun.Gaali in Yuwaalaraay, Yurrandaali in Gamilaraay / Gamilaroi / Kamilaroi
Modern binomial name: Varanus varius
First described: White, J. 1790
Distribution: QLD, NSW, VIC, SA
First described: John White 1790 THE LACED LIZARD. Genus CXXII. Lacerta.–Lin. Sist. Nat. “This most elegant species is in length, from the nose to the end of the tail, about forty inches: in the mouth are a few weak teeth, though rather sharp, at about a quarter of an inch distance one from another: the tongue is long and forked: the general shape is slender and the ground colour of the skin, on the upper parts, a brownish or bluish black, whimsically marked with golden yellow in some parts this colour is beautifully mottled or freckled, like some kinds of lace-work in others, striped in various directions, particularly on the legs, which seem as if striped across with black and white: the under parts are yellow, crossed with single bars of black on the chin and throat, and double clouded ones on the belly: the toes are five in number on each foot, barred across with black and yellow, as the legs, and each furnished with a crooked black claw: the tail measures more in length than the whole of the body towards the base, clouded and marked as the rest but the further half banded with black and yellow, each band three inches broad, the end running to a very sharp point. This beautiful Lizard is not uncommon at Port Jackson, where it is reputed a harmless species. Individuals vary much one from another, in respect to the length of the tail, as also in the colour of the markings some having those parts marked with a pure silvery white, which in the above described are yellow.”
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
