]80 On the Fossil Bones in New South IVales. 



tion of" that gentleman, whereas it was only brought by him to 

 Europe from the author, Major Mitchell, in New South Wales. 

 The collection has been carefully inspected by Bai'on Cuvier and 

 Mr Pentland. The latter gentleman, also eminently skilled in 

 fossils, has sent to us the following note regarding these in- 

 teresting remains. " I have to apologize for not having writ- 

 ten to you sooner on the subject of the Fossil Bones from New 

 Holland, which you have Ijeen kind enough to send to Paris 

 for Baron Cuvier's inspection and my own. I had, in fact, 

 drawn up a note on the subject, which I was on the point of 

 sending, when your nephew Torrie (at present in Auvergne), 

 informed me, that you had received several new specimens, and 

 had despatched a part of them to Paris by Mr Audubon. I 

 shall therefore defer, until I have examined this second collec- 

 tioHj to send you any detailed views on the subject, which shall 

 accompany the several specimens on their return with our friend 

 Copland, who will take charge of them on his way from Au- 

 vergne. The result of our examination of the bones brought 

 over by Dr Christie, has proved that they belong to eight species 

 of animals referrible to the following genera : Dasyurus or Thy- 

 lacins ; Hypsiprymnus or Kangaroo rat, one species ; Phas- 

 colomys, one species ; Kangaroo, two, if not three species ; Hal- 

 maturus, two species; and Elephant, one species. Of these 

 eight species, four appear to belong to animals unknown to zoo- 

 logists of the present day, viz. two species of Halmaturus; one 

 species of Hypsiprymnus and the Elephant. The three Kan- 

 garoos are difficult to distinguish from the living species of this 

 genus, owing probably to the imperfect nature of the speci- 

 mens, whilst the eighth animal, the Dasyurus, is doubtful, from 

 not possessing the head of the living species, to which the fossil 

 resembles by its size (the D. ursinus.) — Paris, 22d April IStJl." 

 In a subsequent note from Mr Pentland, 6th June 1831, he 

 says, — " I have not seen among the fossils you sent to Paris 

 anything resembling the Dugong ; nor do I believe there is 

 aught in these specimens to warrant Dr Grant's opinion (if 

 founded on inspection of similar specimens). The collection of 

 bones sent to you by Colonel Lindsay, from Wellington Coun- 

 try, contain remains of a species of Kangaroo exceeding by one- 

 third the largest known species of that genus." 



