178 
stone. These, when closely examined, were found to form incrus- 
tations for the more solid bird bones. Around, and above, these 
elevations were scattered numerous small smooth pebbles,* which 
were partly buried in drift sand. The elevations could still be 
recognised during the dry season, when the whole bed of the lake 
was covered with a white saline incrustation. 
“The remains of the first two birds found were imperfect 
skeletons of which only the leg and toe bones (which were under- 
ground) could be removed, all the other bones being irretrievably 
damaged. Subsequently, when the clay bottom of the lake became 
sufficiently dry and hard for camel riding, I made a flying trip of 
two days duration to the north-western shore of the lake, about 
eight miles distant from our camp, where, I was told, bird bones 
had been noticed in greater number. The result of this trip, 
however, proved to be unsatisfactory, only a few bones being . 
obtained and these in a very defective state. 
“Tn the course of time, while proceeding with the exhumation of 
Diprotodon fossils near our permanent camp, single bird bones were 
frequently found mixed with those of the former animal ; but in 
many cases they were destroyed before they were noticed. This 
was unavoidable, because, in order to gain access to the large 
Diprotodon bones which were to be removed, great masses of clay 
had to be shifted, and it was in the course of this removal that 
the accidental damage took place to the smaller and unnoticed 
bird bones which were disseminated in the clay. Judging from 
the frequency with which its remains were found, this bird must 
have been numerous at the time of its existence. During the 
second month’s operations we discovered a nearly perfect sternum 
—the only good specimen obtained—and near to it other parts of 
a skeleton scattered throughout the clay. All, however, except the 
sternum were in a very bad condition. In the course of the third 
month a part of the lake, near our camp, which was, at the time of 
our arrival, partly under water and too boggy for work, became 
partly dry, owing to the continuance of dry northerly winds. 
‘To this place I decided to give a trial with the result that three 
bird skeletons, besides other fossils, were found lying close 
together and only about a foot below the surface. The first bone 
uncovered was a pelvis, and on following this up we came upon the 
vertebral column which was, however, in a hopeless state of decay ; 
"near the end of this was the lower jaw. Perceiving also, with 
great delight, parts of the skull, I decided to extract the whole 
mass of surrounding clay in which it wasembedded. The second 
skeleton was in a similiar condition:—head only partly re- 
cognisable; pelvis good ; sternum, both in this and the previous 
* “Nature,” Vol. L., p. 208. 
