Principle in Palceontohgy . 181 



or terminal phalanx of a creature allied to the Mylodon.'''' The 

 upper face of the sheath is naturally open ; and the next joint 

 is short and thick, like some of the phalanges of Professor 

 Owen's Mylodon (see ' Memoir of Mylodon^ plates 15 and 16). 

 I am not going to try and prove what this claw is not like, as 

 Professor Owen does. I only draw attention to the probability 

 that there were in olden times, as at the present day, small 

 Edentata as well as large ones ; and as I first discovered the 

 presence of fossil edentate Monotremes in this country, I may 

 be allowed to say, with the evidence before me, that animals 

 allied to the Mylodon will yet be found. I am very careful in 

 my statements : I respect Professor Owen, and am ready to 

 serve him at any time, whatever difference there may be in our 

 opinions. I have cast my lot with Australians these twenty 

 years ; I have had opportunities like few persons living to 

 study our fauna, and will not give in, because it must be proved 

 first that I am wrong. I shall always strive to deserve the 

 high compliment which Professor Owen, as well as Professor 

 Flower, have paid me regarding my ability as the Curator of 

 the Australian Museum ; and I hope that, like the tattoo- 

 marks in " Tichborne v. Lushington," my postscript will 

 settle the disputed point. 



Postscript. — In [drawing a few of the lower incisors of 

 " Thylacoleo " last night for the purpose of giving illustrations 

 of them in a future issue of the ' Sydney Mail,' I noticed, to my 

 astonishment, clear evidence of attrition on the inner side of 

 several. There was no doubt about it, they had touched each 

 other during the lifetime of the animal (as kangaroo-teeth do), 

 but generally at the tip only. In one specimen, however, the 

 surface of the inner side was observed to be quite smooth to 

 the extent of one inch on the lower margin. The ridge so 

 prominent in young or immature specimens had totally disap- 

 peared, and my supposition that the jaws were loosely attached 

 is clearly borne out. Professor Owen lays great stress on the 

 sharp points of all the lower incisor teeth found in a perfect 

 state ; and as he makes this an argument in favour of the car- 

 nivority of our now " unmasked " friend, I may as well state 

 why the teeth are not worn down. Every one of our ujyper 

 incisors of Thylacoleo has the under surface, against which 

 the lower teeth work, scooped out ; and even in young ani- 

 mals the teeth-marks are plainly visible, and not a vestige of 

 enamel can be seen. Is it a Avonder that the lower incisor 

 teeth keep perfect so long as they are not violently broken off? 

 and will Professor Owen continue to call this probably hand- 

 some and certainly harmless creature, with " trembling jaws," 



