1238 president's address. 



period also attained far larger dimensions than they do now ; 

 while the lizards were represented by the huge horned lizard 

 " Megalania prisca" and the Hesh-eating Notiosaurus. 



The bones of Dromornis may be taken as belonging to a species 

 of bii'd of which the emu is the smaller modern type. Remains 

 of Crocodiles have also been found, associated with those of 

 Diirrotodon in a manner presently to bo described. 



All these large mammals, with the exception of Thylacinus, 

 Sarcophilus and Thylacoleo were herbivorous, and as their 

 remains are found not only in the Pleistocene deposits of the 

 Dividing Range and in Caves, but also in the now arid plains of 

 the western interior, it may be inferred that the whole country, 

 wherever the soil was favoui-able, was more or less clothed with a 

 luxuriant growth of vegetation capable of supporting these huge 

 herbivores. 



As to the precise character of this vegetation no certain clue 

 has as yet been found : it would be premature therefore in the 

 present state of our knowledge to affirm that it has altogether 

 died out. This much is certain, that these gigantic animals have 

 been entirely extirpated ; and it remains to be considered what 

 was the probable cause of their extermination. Sir Richard 

 Owen has suggested that they were killed off by man, aided 

 possibly by the Dingo, which may have immigrated with him 

 from the Papuan Continent : but of this, as Sir Richard Owen 

 remarks, we have as yet no conclusive proof. On the other hand 

 striking evidence has been afforded by the dryness of the last few 

 seasons, of how quickly, through want of rain, and overstocking, 

 savannahs of waving grass may be converted into desert-like 

 plains ; and the immediate influence of these climatal changes on 

 the Fauna is fully attested by the numbers of Kangaroos and 

 Emus, which died last year through want of sustenance on the 

 western plains. 



Fragments of the bones of the extinct Pleistocene Mammalia are 

 met with in the deposits of gravels and clays of that age at a depth 

 of over 70 feet from the surface ; while others more perfectly 

 preserved have been found at a depth of only a few feet. A 



