Prof; F. M‘Coy on the’ Natural History of Victoria. 187 
XVII.—Note on the Ancient and Recent Natural History of 
Victoria. By Frepvericxk M‘Coy, Professor of Natural 
Science in the University of Melbourne, and Director of the 
National Museum of Victoria, &c. 
To the Editors of the Annals of Natural History. 
GENTLEMEN, 
I drew up the following remarks as part of the preface to the 
local Catalogue of the collection of Victorian objects prepared 
for the International Exhibition to be held next year in London. 
As I believe, however, that some of the observations on the de- 
velopment of life in the geological periods may be interesting to 
geologists, as well as this first announcement of my identification 
of the various Canadian compound Graptolites in Victoria, and 
my recognition of Zamites and Teniopteris in our coal-beds, con- 
firmatory of my view of their Mesozoic age, published more than 
a dozen years ago, in your Journal, I beg of you to do me 
the favour to permit me to occupy a little space once more in 
your pages. 
I have the honour to remain, Gentlemen, 
Your most obedient humble servant, 
Frepericx M‘Coy. 
_ The most extraordinary character of the Recent Fauna of 
Australia is the appearance of isolation from the types inhabit- 
ing other parts of the world, produced by the great number of 
species belonging to genera not found in any other country, and 
by a large proportion of the species not only belonging to ge- 
nera peculiar to the place, but by these generic groups being fre- 
quently separated from the genera of animals inhabiting similar 
latitudes, existing under similar circumstances, and performing 
the same vital functions elsewhere, by characters of such high 
ordinal importance as to indicate families, tribes, and even orders 
not found anywhere else, and sometimes even affording the only 
examples of strange departure from the general anatomical plan 
on which all other animals are formed. It is a point of the 
highest interest to ascertain by the aid of paleontology how far. 
back in the carth’s history this isolation dates from ; and on this 
point I propose offering a few preliminary remarks, as the space 
allowed for the notice on the ancient and modern natural history 
of Victoria precludes the possibility of entering upon extended 
specific details. 
Nearly all the great geological works draw attention to the 
fact that in the oolitic rocks of England bones and teeth are 
found, indicating the former existence there of marsupial ani- 
mals of the same family as the common Bandicoot (Perameles) of. 
