18 STUDIES IN TASMANIA* MAMMALS, LIVING AND EXTINCT, 



In continuation of our previous note on the discovery 

 of an almost complete skeleton of Nototherium mitchelli C 1 ) 

 we propose to review briefly the history of the genus. 

 This is essential in order that our facts may be presented 

 in a clear light. Incidentally, it will be necessary to 

 deal with the various side issues which arose as Nototherian 

 remains were slowly recovered from the Pleistocene for- 

 mations of Australia, and eventually Tasmania also. 



Oh 13th April, 1831, a paper (dated at Sydney, 14th 

 October, 1830) was read before the Geological Society of 

 London ( 2 ). It was entitled, "An account of the limc- 

 "stone caves at Wellington Vallev. and of the situation 

 "near one of them, where fossil bones have been found," 

 by Major Thomas L. Mitchell, F.G.S., J.C., Surveyor 

 General of New South Wales. 



In this description it is pointed cut that the Wel- 

 lington Valley is 170 miles west of Newcastle, on the 

 eastern coast of Australia. The rock through which the 

 valley has been excavated was limestone, resembling, in 

 external characters, the carboniferous series of Europe. 

 The rugged surface of the limestone tract abounded in 

 cavities. One large cave descends at first with moderate 

 inclination, and at about 125 feet from the mouth the 

 flcor is thickly covered with fine, dry. reddish dust, in 

 which a few fragments of bones occur. About eighty feet 

 from the mouth of the cave is another cavity. Here the 

 sujrface itself consists !of a breccia full of the frag- 

 ments of bones. Near the lower part of the fissure (the 

 whole extent of which was not explored), were three lay- 

 ers of stalagmitic concretion about two inches in thickness 

 and three inches apart, the spaces being occupied with a 

 red ochrecus matter, with bones in abundance imbedded 

 both in stalagmite, and between the layers of it. In de- 

 scribing the bones it was stated that the bones, with two 

 exceptions, belong to animals at present known to exist 

 in the country. "Along with the remains just mentioned 

 "were found two bones, not agreeing with those of any of 

 "the animals at present known to exist in New South 

 "Wales. The first, and larger, is supposed to belong to the 

 "el; phant. The second bone is also obscure and imper- 

 "fect, but seems to be a part of one of the superior 

 "maxillary bones of an animal resembling the Dugong ; 

 ' it, contains portion of a straight tusk pointing directly 

 "forward." 



In 1838 Mitchell published his work on "Three Ex- 

 peditions into the interior of Australia ( 3 ). The issue we 

 have been able to refer to is a copy of the second edition, 

 published in 1839. Commencing at page 359, in Vol. II., 



