Notices and Analyses, 827 



3. On the Fossil Bones found in the Bone Caves and Bone 

 Breccia of New Holland. By Professor Jameson. — Ed, New 

 Phil, Journ, March, 1831. 



We some time ago noticed the discovery of a quantity of fossil bones 

 by George Rankin, Esq. of Bathurst, in a limestone cave in Wel- 

 lington Valley. A number of these remains have since been sent 

 to Professor Jameson, in order that it might be determined to what 

 animals they had belonged, — we are now favoured with the results 

 of the examination. 



It appears, that, in conjunction with Dr Adam, the Professor was able 

 to refer some of the teeth to the wombat, some to the kangaroo, and 

 others he was unable to determine, for want of means of comparison. 

 Under these circumstances, the collection was sent to Mr Clift of 

 London to be described, (because there was no anatomist in Edin- 

 burgh equal to the task ?) and he has returned a report to the 

 following purport : — 



The collection contains a bone approaching very nearly in form to the 

 metacarpal bone of an ox, but much larger. It also bears a great 

 resemblance to the radius of the hippopotamus. It does not belong 

 to the elephant, being too large for its length. 



The great bulk of the collection is composed of bones of the dasyurus, 

 wombat, and kangaroo ; but several of the specimens are stated to be 

 « doubtful." 



From the geological characters of the caves and bone breccia, the mode 

 of distribution of the bones in the caves, and the nature of the teeth 

 and bones themselves, Professor Jameson draws the following con- 

 clusions : — 



1. That these caves agree in character with those in Europe. 



2. That the bone breccia exhibits the same character as the varieties 

 of that rock found in different parts of the European continent and 



" r islands. 



* '3. That New Holland was, at a former period, distinguished from the 



other parts of the world, by the same peculiarities in the organiza- 

 '^\^_ tion of its animals, which so strikingly characterize it at the present 



day. 



4. That the large bone resembling the radial bone of the hippopotamus, 

 shews that Australia formerly possessed animals much larger than 

 any of the present existing species, equalling, or even exceeding in 

 magnitude the hippopotamus: a fact of high importance, when we 



,j^^ recollect that the quadruped population of New Holland is at preseni 

 but meagre, the largest species being the kangaroo. ^ 



5. That the bone caves and bone breccia contain, along with animals 

 at present known, others that appear to be extinct, as is the case with 

 the caves and breccia of Europe. 



'' 6. That the same agent or agents that brought together the remains of 

 i animals met with in bone caves and bone breccia in Europe, operated 

 •'' on New Holland. 



7. Lastly, that the animals in the Australian caves and breccia were 

 destroyed, and became fossil, if not at the same precise time as the 

 European, during a similar series of geological changes. 



