17 



STUDIES IX TASMANIAN MAMMALS. 

 LIVING AND EXTIN1 T. 



Number II. 



- ction 1. 



The History of the Genu Nototherium. 



Section 2. 



Tlic Osteology of the Cervical Vert brae of 



Nototherium mitchelli. 



B 

 il. II. Scott (Curator of the Launceston Museum) 



and 

 Clive E. Lord (Cui uiian M us< um ). 



Plates VI. and VII. 

 (Read Bth Jun< . L920.) 



SECTION 1. 



THE HISTORY OF THE GENUS NOTOTHERIUM. 



la the middle of last century tin first f< 

 r mains of the extinct gigantic marsupial fauna of Aus- 

 tralia were discovered. Although subsequent discoveries 

 gave rise to the opinion that theii distribution must have 

 been a wide one, it was not until the year L910 tin 

 remains of these animals w re discovered in Tasmania. 

 This and subsequent discoveries in the island, have all 

 1> ii of the one genus — Nototherium — but there appears 

 to be nn valid reason why the discovery of the remains 

 of such marsupials as Diprotodon and Thylacoleo may 

 not. be anticipated. This view is sti ngthened by the 

 thai thi -|> ntly obtained at Smithton is 



Nototherium mitchelli, the typical mainland form, and 

 not N. tasmanicum, which, up to the present, has only 

 been discovered in this island. The discovery is 

 another link in the chain of evidence, showing that the 

 subsidence "t" Bass Strait must have been of quite recent 

 date — geologically considered. 



