180 
be mentioned that a block of clay, containing bones which filled 
a box about 15 inches square, developed cracks in two places 
each over an inch in width. Such facts will in some measure 
explain the difficulties and delays that have been experienced in 
connection with the restoration of these bones. 
“Tt may perhaps be mentioned in this place that, on one 
occasion, the white incrustation of saline crystals which then 
covered the surface of the lake was completely blown off by the 
force of the wind, leaving bare the natural clay of its bed. 
‘The appearance on the surface of skeletons, particularly of 
Diprotodon, is, no doubt, to be explained by a similar and recur- 
ring action of the wind, which, at certain seasons, blows with 
great force and frequency on the desiccated surface of the clay 
itself. Vide ‘Nature,’ vol. L., p. 210. 
“The position of the sternum was always indicated by the 
presence of the gravel masses, previously mentioned, which rested 
upon its concave (upper) surface, whether on, or below, the ground. 
Though a few fragments of birds’ bones were obtained before my 
arrival on the field, nearly all of them were obtained towards the 
latter part of my stay. Short of an exact enumeration it may be 
stated that the material obtained comprises about six femora, three 
only being in really good condition, the others unfortunately 
much distorted, by pressure, or otherwise injured ; the tibio-tarsi, 
tarso-metatarsi, and toe bones of about a dozen birds, the major- 
ity of these being now in an excellent state of completeness and 
preservation ; one almost perfect sternum ; one skull a good deal 
damaged with its hyoid bone, and parts of a second head with the 
greater portion of its lower jaw ; one nearly complete wing, with 
portions of others; two ribs; one set of caudal vertebre and 
three pelves—the latter being much broken, partly by rabbits in 
camp (Vide ‘Nature,’ vol. L., p. 210), partly in transit, and 
partly on account of the conditions just described.” 
ExistING NOMENCLATURE OF THE LARGE AUSTRALIAN FOssIL 
StrutTuHious Brirps. 
So far as this is concerned the position is as follows :-— 
The genus Dromornis was founded by Professor Owen, on the 
Peak Downs femur, and the author has, at least provisionally, 
referred to the same genus the first found femur of the Wellington 
Caves, the fragment of the pelvis of the Canadian Lead and the 
portion of the Mount Gambier tibio-tarsus. ‘The probabilities 
are” says Professor Owen, in a letter to Mr. Clarke,* ‘‘that the 
femur from the breccia cave of Wellington Valley, that described 
(from Peak Downs), your portion of a pelvis, and the South 
Australian tibia are parts of the same genus if not species. It is 
* Journal and Proc. R. Soc. N.S.W., 1877, Vol. XI, p. 43. 
