Volume 1: Voyage de l'Astrolabe : Zoologie, May 1826-October 1827

Paul Gaimard Voyage de l'Astrolabe : Zoologie, 1826-1828

This volume begins with 40 pages dedicated to the people of New Holland and New Zealand. The text from pages 1-2 is largely reproduced in the published work (Zoologie, Vol. 1, pp.40-43), but the manuscript includes additional vocabularies for languages of Australia (King George Sound, Jervis Bay), New Zealand and Van Dieman's Land, with distinctions between the regions, bringing together 1000 words (including parts of the human anatomy, natural phenomena, colours, numbers and birds).

Indigenous vocabulary lists for King George Sound are found on pages 8-9; New Holland opposite Kangaroo Island on pages 9-12; Port Dalrymple, Van Dieman's Land on pages 13-14; Jervis Bay on pages 19-22; Tasman Bay New Zealand on pages 24-27, 30-31; Tolaga Bay on page 34; Ouangari Bay on pages 37-38.

In the section concerning mammals are 25 measurements for an eared seal from King George Sound, including the length of the longest moustache hairs, while only 10 measurements are given in the published edition. Other animals described include bandicoots, phalangers, dolphins, kangaroos, birds (a few varieties of albatross and common frigatebird) and reptiles (a variety of tree frogs, the Tongan reef sea snake, a monitor lizard and an alligator).

Pages 57-112 are left blank (except for the heading 'Oiseaux' and ruled lines).

Pages 117-133 are left blank (except for the heading 'Reptiles' and ruled lines).

Almost 150 fish are described on pages 135-211: the leiche, garfish, cornet fish, girelle (several varieties), the cheiline, trigger fish (4 spikes, 8 spikes, 3 fins), wrasses and golden-spot hogfish, puffer fish (2 varieties), the southern herring, guitar fish, flying fish, blue fish, porcupine fish, blue shark, plaice, rays, merlin, and sharks.

Molluscs are described on pages 212-228. 

Pages 229-233 are left blank (except for the heading 'Mollusques' and ruled lines). 

The section on articulated animals covers annelids and some 20 crustaceans (pages 234-257), but the pages destined for arachnids and insects are left blank (pages 264-281)

Invertebrates (zoophytes) are well represented on pages 282-333, notably by polyps with polypidoms (more than 50 specimens are covered).

There is a copy of a 'premier memoire' sent to the Academie des Sciences in May 1826 on pages 333-360 and a copy of a letter sent to the zoologist Blainville in June 1826 on pages 361-365. The volume ends with an alphabetical table of contents on pages 366-379.

Volume 1: Voyage de l'Astrolabe : Zoologie, May 1826-October 1827

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