164 IN CONFIRMATION OF THE GENUS OWENIA SO-CALLED. 



unfortunate, in fact altogether objectionable. In its exclusive 

 sense it can only be properly applied to the wombats, in its looser 

 signification it cannot be accepted as the name of a division of the 

 Diprotodontia simply because it involves a contradiction ; it 

 inferentially secludes within the limits of a genus attributes which 

 the term Diprotodontia predicates of the whole suborder to which 

 the genus belongs. The infelicity of the selection of Diprotodon 

 as a generic name would only be accentuated by raising a modifica- 

 tion of it into the name of a higher generalisation. 



The Nothotheriidce include the genera Notoiherium, Diprotodon, 

 Euowenia, Zygomatarus, and probably Sthenomerus, but of the 

 last named genus the dentition is insufficiently known. Proba- 

 bility is also in favour of Scapamodon proving to belong to this 

 family. 



Characters of the Nototheriidce. 



Dentition / 25p, C % t P {, M J. 



Posterior upper incisors small. Premolars, except in Zygo- 

 maturus, subtriangular, single-cusped, with a posterior talon. 

 Molars transversely bilobed, the upper without longitudinal ridges, 

 talons antero-posteriorly narrow, Scapula long, narrow. Ilia 

 greatly expanded. Limbs gressorial, approximately equal ; their 

 proximal bones elongate, simple. Foot broad. Tail short, 

 tapering. 



Synopsis of genera : — 

 Incisors § — 



Upper premolars subtriangular, unicuspid ; 



cranial habit and length of muzzle 



moderate. 



Crowns of first incisors contiguous or slightly 



diverging, the lower incisors proclivous. 



Posterior upper incisors on the edge of 



the jaw ; cusp of premolar with a 



shallow posterior cleft Nototherium. 



