STUDIES IN TASMANIAN MAMMALS, LIVING AND 



EXTINCT. 



Number IX. 



By 



H. H. Scott, Curator of the Launceston Museum, 



and 



Clive E. Lord, F.L.S., Director of the Tasmanian Museum. 



(Read 26th February, 1923.) 



NOTOTHERIUM VICTORIJE, OWEN. 



Among the specimens recovered by Mr. K. M. Harrisson 

 from the swamp lands of King Island, we have to record 

 specimens relating to Nototherium victorias, which include 

 the following items. 



1. The right and left rami of the mandible of a young 

 animal, minus the premolars in either case, but having upon 

 the right side, in addition to molars 4, 3, and 2, the tusk 

 relating to that half of the jaw. Upon the left side, there 

 are present molars 4, 3, 2, 1. All the teeth manifest the 

 character of immaturity, incidentally demonstrated by the 

 small amount of wear, and the actual bone tissue is much 

 lighter in texture than that seen in matured specimens from 

 the same locality. The absence of premolar teeth is most 

 unfortunate, and curiously enough all the Nototherian jaws 

 yet received from King Island are in a similar condition 

 Our present note is rather to record than describe the find, 

 since they are chiefly valuable in a comparative connection. 



2. The associated right and left upper maxillar'cs, from 

 a skull of an older animal than that which supplied the 

 mandible, the bony tissue being fully ossified and the teeth 

 worn down to smooth surfaces. The right moiety gives us 

 molars 4, 3, 2, 1, all in situ, and much in the same condition 

 as they were when the animal was alive. Upon the left 

 side molar 4 is present, but is detached, and molar 3 is 

 mutilated at the point of contact with molar 4. M.)lars 2 

 and 1 are intact and still iv situ. 



NOTOTHERIAN TUSKS. 



The tusk recorded above agrees exactly with sneci- 

 mens previously received from King Island, through the 

 kindness of Mr. F. H. Stephenson, and its place in the skull 

 can be stated with certainty since the complete set of f jur 

 tusks were found with the bones recovered by Mr. Stephenson. 



