30 STUDIES IN TASMANIAN MAMMALS, LIVING AND EXTINCT, 



2. The above is an extension of our statement oiven 

 in the former note' to the effect that in an animal 

 like N . tasmanicum the structures present could 

 serve no greater purpose than the moderate re- 

 sistance of force, but in N. mitchelli they are 

 built up to a strength essential for conducting 

 the fiercest aggressive warfare. 



COULD A NOTOTHERIUM HAVE HORNED A 

 FOE? 



In order to establish the fact that a Nototherium 

 could have horned its foe, it will be necessary to carry 

 our study of the cervical vertebras forward to the occiput 

 itself, and pay some attention to the muscular and liga- 

 mentous conditions that obtained there. As we are also 

 dealing here with a heavy headed animal whose weapon 

 was planted on the nose, and therefore removed from the 

 neck bv a distance of seventeen inches (433 mm.), as 

 against 2 inches (50 mm.) in the case of a modern bull, 

 we must expect to find exceptional conditions provided. 

 A glance at the picture of the neck bones will demon- 

 strate their ability to resist the shock of the act of ram- 

 ming a foe, and now the study of the occiput proves that 

 the act of violently thrusting upwards' the head and re- 

 volving it, together with most perfect checks, to avoid 

 dislocation of the neck, were duly provided, as note: — 



1. The foramen magnum is transversely oval, 55 mm. 



in width, and 40 mm. in height, the occipital 

 condyles being very heavy, as might be expected. 

 Tho lower edges of the, condyles are exca- 

 vated by two* enormous fossae for the implanta- 

 tion of the rectus capitis muscles, essential to the 

 uplifting and rotating of the head. These fossae 

 are 30 mm. long x 12 mm. wide, and would also 

 lodge the atlanto-axoidean ligaments to relieve 

 tho muscles from strain, and to enable them to 

 exert their full power. 



2. The crest of the magnum foramen carries an ex- 



tensive transverse attachment tract some 20 mm. 

 long, for the reception of the central odontoid 

 ligament, one of the most important factors to 

 a war-like animal — since any failure of this and 

 the next two ligaments noted would mean death 

 when ramming a foe. 



