2o8 



NA TURE 



[June 28, 1894 



I 



together. The limbs, almost invariably at a greater depth than 

 the rest of the skeleton, had their various segments greatly 

 flexed. The (eet were deepest of all. This attitude, together 

 with the frequent approximation of the bones of individual 

 skeletons, is, as has been observed, strongly suggestive of death 

 in situ after being bogged. A very simil.ar attitude was assumed 

 by the camels on the occasions when they got bogged in crossing 

 from the sand islets to the main land. 



The four Hirds whose remains were found close to the camp 

 had their heads all pointing to the soulh-west, that is towards 

 the part of the lake-bed considered to be the deepest, but their 

 bones, especially the ribs and short bones, were much broken 

 and mixed together. The larger bones, however, were well 

 preserved, and in one skeleton the cervical and dorsal vcrtebrx 

 formed a continuous series. It was, unfortunately, only possible 

 to secure two heads, and these, though apparently entire, were 

 so soft and fragile that they had to be set immediately in a half- 

 mould of plaster of Paris. 



determined by Prof. Tate to be C. rohusla, a species now 

 living, were found embedded in the same blue clay, and some 

 fructifications of Cham were washed out of it. 



Food Remains. 

 Associated with the skeletons of Diprotodon, in a relative 

 position which corresponded with that of the abdominal cavity, 

 were occasionally found loosely aggregated globular m.isses of 

 what I judge to be the leaves, stalks, and smaller twigs of some 

 herbaceous or arboreal plants. The fragments ate very uniform 

 in length, thickness and character, rarely exceeding an inch 

 in length or a line in thickness. They are solid, often irregularly 

 branched, frequently retaining portions of the bark, and have 

 their ends often frayed or crushed as if by the action of teeth. 

 Microscopic examination showed the structure of the sclerenchyma 

 tissue to be well preserved, and gave clear indication of the 

 existence of dotted ducts, but I could find no trace of leaves 

 that might have indicated a diagnosis. Judging from this entire 



Femur. 



III. :?- — Hc.Tl.jt l>l|)ri(lO(Ion I i.yiin; III I i.iy 



The position of the Bird-remains were here, as elsewhere, 

 indicated by ihepresenccof circular surface patches of "gizzard- 

 stones," consisting of fine and coarse sand and small siliceous 

 pebbles not exceeding three-quarters of an inch in diameter, 

 the surfaces of which were smooth and worn as if by allrilion. 



The stones comprised in one entire patch weigh fourteen 

 ounces, and include examples of siliceous sandstone, jasper, clay- 

 stone, blackened on the outside, black quartz, clear quartz., 

 chalcedony, together with a few fragments of blue brittle clay 

 with worn edges. .Such stones are not now found on the Flinders 

 Range, but arc characteristic of the great Central Australian 

 plain formation, which extends from the Lake Eyre basin across 

 the continent to the (iulf of <.',irpcnlaria. 



Such pebbles occurred either scattered or in groups at various 

 places in the lake, and were the only stones of any kind to be 

 found anywhere on its surface. The only shell found in the 

 clay matrix of the bones was a minute (resh-water Mollusk 

 [Polampfyr/^iii sp.). Three fruits, however, of a Callilris 



NO. 1287. VOL. 50] 



absence of leaves and from the degree of maceration, or entire 

 absence of the bark, these masses probably represent the con- 

 tents of the intestines. No traces of coprolites were anywhere 

 met with. 



I have submitted a sample of these food remains to Uaronvon 

 Mueller, who recommends that it should bi- sent to Prof. 

 Kadlkofer, of Munich, whose special investigations in xylo- 

 graphy may enable a more accurate determination to be made. 



Material outained. 

 At the present lime it is impossible to give more than a very 

 bare outline of the extent of material obtained. In the firsi 

 place, more than a third (and that the best) of it has not yd 

 reached Adelaide, nor can do so (or another month, and the 

 unpacking of what has already arrived has only just been com- 

 pleleil. On the field itself there was no time or means for 

 careful examination and comparison, Mr. Zielz. very rightly 

 understanding bis duty to be that of gathering in and ol pre- 



