Zoological Society. 



and Haiti there are several. Geological researches may assist the 

 explanation of these anomalies. There are three mountain-ranges 

 of different date and vegetation. One of these constitutes the Ba- 

 hamas, north side of Haiti and Cuba : the Cibao range, covered with 

 pathless forests of Pinus occidentalis, re-appears in Cuba and the 

 Isle of Pines, terminating in Mexico. The precipitous mountains 

 of the Grand Anse are formed of limestone, which is prolonged 

 through Jamaica into Yucatan, covered with its peculiar production, 

 Myrtus Pimenta, equally remarkable for its individual beauty and 

 fragrance. 



" Pauca haec vidimus operum Dei." 



April 13. — William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-President, in the Chair. 

 The following communication was read : — 



Some Observations on the Skull of Phascolomys Vombatus. 

 Br J. E. Gray, Esq., F.R.S. etc. etc. 



In the collection at the British Museum there are three skulls 

 which agree with Prof. Owen's character of Phascolomys Vombatus, 

 as described in vol. iii. of the Zool. Soc. Transactions : that is to 

 say, they have only slightly curved upper cutting teeth, short noses, 

 &c. Two were sent from Van Diemen's Land by Mr. Ronald 

 Gunn, and one from N. S. Wales was presented by my late friend 

 and admirable botanist, Mr. Allan Cunningham, F.L.S. 



The specimens from Van Diemen's Land are much smaller (the 

 largest being 6 in. 4 lines long), and more depressed and truncated 

 behind, and have two moderate- sized oblong holes in the hinder part 

 of the palate. The specimen from N. S. Wales is one inch longer, 

 and has two large triangular holes in the end of the palate. All the 

 three specimens differ in the size of the teeth, and especially in the 

 size and relative position of the upper cutting teeth. 



1 . The least of the Van Diemen's Land skulls has rather small 

 grinders, but the upper cutting teeth are small, compressed, rather 

 diverging from each other, forming an angle in front and only touch- 

 ing each other at the truncated inner edge. The crowns of these 

 teeth are 5 lines long and 2^ lines wide. The lower cutting teeth 

 are small with a roundish crown. 



2. The other Van Diemen's Land skull, which is rather larger in 

 all its measurements, has larger grinders. The cutting teeth are 

 much larger : the upper large, oblong, diverging from each other, 

 forming together a segment of a circle in front, and only touching 

 each other by the inner edge. The crowns of these teeth are 5^ lines 

 long and 3 J lines wide. 



3. The skull from N. S. Wales has the teeth very like those of 

 the small Van Diemen's Land specimen, but rather larger : the upper 

 cutting teeth are considerably larger and rather more triangular, but 

 in the same angular position. 



It is desirable that more of these skulls should be compared, to de- 

 termine whether these are only individual variations, or that there 



