302 On the Fossil Bones of Wellington Valley, 



A. 5. Fragment of one of the lower canine teeth. 



C. A. 6. Fragment of the anterior part of the superior maxil- 

 lary bone, containing the left canine tooth. 



I agree entirely in opinion with my friend Mr Clift, that 

 these specimens are referable to an animal of the genus Dasyu- 

 rus, and to a species, if not exactly the same, at least very 

 nearly allied to the Dasyurus Ursinus of Harris (Lin. Trans.). 

 I have compared the fossil specimens 1. and % with the head 

 of the living species, belonging to the College of Surgeons in 

 London; and although resembling in many respects, it ap- 

 peared to me that there existed a difference in the form of the 

 teeth, to warrant my concluding that the fossil remains belong 

 to a variety of the D. Ursinus, not identical with the living, and 

 which, on comparing more perfect specimens, may be found to 

 constitute a distinct, and consequently new, species of this 

 genus. 



It may not be unnecessary to observe, that the D. Ursinus is 

 the only living species of this genus approaching in size (al- 

 though inferior in stature) to the fossil, (the D. Cynocephalus 

 of Harris, constituting the genus Thylacinus of Temminck), 

 and is at the present day confined to Van Diemen'^s Land. 



B. Genus HYPSIPRYMNUS. 



B. 1. Portion of the head, containing the three anterior 



molares in situ, on each side^ with the alveoli of the 

 fourth. 



I have carefully compared the fossil specimen with the heads 

 of the several species, many simple varieties of Kangaroo Rat 

 described by modern zoologists, and have found it to correspond 

 exactly with none of them. In size and general form ii resem- 

 bles more the Potoroo Leseur of Quoy and Gaymard (a spe- 

 cies found by these naturalists on the Island of Dirch Hartich, 

 in Seal's Bay) than to any other. The most marked difference 

 which the fossil offers with the living species consists in the 

 great extension of the bony palate posteriorly, which, in all the 

 living specimens I have examined, some of which were old in- 

 dividuals, never extended beyond a transverse line passing 

 through the spaces which separates the 2d and 3d molares: 



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