BY FKITZ NOE'l'LING, M.A., I'H.l). 125 



Conseqviently, the discovery of remains of a gigantic 

 marsupial in Tasmania should not have created the general 

 surpi-ise they did. When, in 1910, the news that bones of 

 a gigantic marsupial had been discovered in the Mowbray 

 swamp, near Smithton, became known, the- discovery was 

 at first somewhat discredited. However, confirmation soon 

 came, and the remains were purchased by the Launceston 

 Museum from their discoverer, Mr. Lovett. Mr. 

 Scott, the Curator of the Museum, has since described them 

 under the name of Nototherium tasmaniense (6), but I am 

 somewhat doubtful whether a new species is justified. After 

 having seen the wonderful remains of Diprotodon australis 

 in the Adelaide Museum, 1 think a more careful compari- 

 son of the Tasmanian remains with those from South iVu&- 

 tralia should have been made before a new species was 

 created. More weighty reasons for the establishment 

 of a fourth species, in addition to the three already known, 

 should have been advanced, than those given by Mr. 

 Scott; in fact, if we consider that both N. ineraie Owen 

 and N. dunense De Vis. differ so little from Nototherium 

 Mitchelli Owen that they are probably nothing more than 

 varieties, the characteristics on which this fourth species, 

 N. tasmaniense, is established, are altogether unsatisfac 

 tory. However that may be, it matters very little whether 

 Nototherium tasmaniense is identical with N. Mitchelli or 

 not, or if even the generic determination be uncertain. 

 The main fact that the remains of a gigantic marsupial, 

 which belongs either to Nototherium or Dipi'otodon, have 

 been found in Tasmania, is indisputable. 



Early in 1911 I had an opportunity of visiting Smith- 

 ton, and, thanks to the kindness of Councillor S. Moore of 

 Smithton, I was able tO' examine the exact spot where the 

 remains were found. The Mowbray Swamp is about 1-2 

 miles west of Smithton, and, apparently, fills up a shallow 

 depression of the svirface- Probably it represents an old 

 river course, which once had an outlet to the sea, but which 

 subsequently became blocked up by sand. At present the 

 ''swamp'' IS divided from the sea by a narrow strip of sand, 

 on which low dunes are rising towards the coast. There 

 is hardly any natural fall from the swamp towards the sea, 

 and the vegetabilic mould, or, better said, peat, which fills 

 up the depression, is completely waterlogged. The thick- 

 ness of the peat layer is not exactly known yet, but along 

 the edge of the swamp, where drainage work has been 

 intensive, it reaches about 25ft. to 30ft. To me it seems- 

 very probable that the deepest point of the firm bottom, 



(6) The Tasmanian Naturalist, 1911. 



