The East Coast of the North Island—zoological collections of the Endeavour voyage

Abstract

Joseph Banks and his party made the first observations and collections of the New Zealand fauna by Europeans between 9 and 29 October 1769 while at sea and at three sites on the North Island East Coast: Poverty Bay, Anaura Bay and Tolaga Bay. They collected insects, molluscs, fish and birds, many of which were drawn and described on board. Using this material, later authors allowed some species to enter the permanent scientific literature. Parkinson's drawings and Solander's manuscript descriptions are still extant, but the original specimens in many cases have been lost. The collections with respect to the East Coast are discussed, and some brief comment is made on the current state of the fauna, and its environment.