XX. 



letters and specimens. For tlve nature of the exhibits see 

 M iscellaneous Cunt cibutions. 



Mr. V. Gt. Watebhotjse exhibited a number of fragments of 

 skeletons of various extinct marsupial animals, including 

 Diprotodon austral is and Phascolomys gigas, in addition to 

 several othera, which had been presented to the ISouth Austra- 

 lian Museum by Mr. E. M. Eobcrtson, of Normanville, who 

 found the first instalment in the bed of the Salt Creek, where 

 t bey had been laid bare by the action of a freshet. At the first 

 opportunity Mr. Waterhouse visited the place, but found the 

 water too high to enable further search to be carried on ; but 

 Mr. Kobertson kindly undertook the task of watching for 

 further opportunities, with the result of raking up several 

 other pieces, amongst them being several duplicates, proving 

 that these were the remains not of several species of animals 

 only, but of more than one of each kind. As Mr. Waterhouse 

 was in doxibt as to the true character of some of the remains, 

 he forwarded duplicates to Professor Owen, at the British 

 Museum, stating his opinion as to their nature, and received 

 the following letter, confirming his ideas and thanking him for 

 helping the Professor in his researches : — " British Museum, 

 September 17, 1879. Dear Mr. Waterhouse — Accept my best 

 thanks for your letter of June 18, 1879, and continued kind 

 interest in my quest of the extinct mammals of Australia. 

 Tour case of fossils duly arrived. They included, as you state, 

 parts of Diprotodon and of a gigantic wombat Phascolomys gigas. 

 (This is generically distinct from the smaller Phascolomys?) 

 The great kangaroo is of the interesting genus and species 

 Procontodon goliah. The more fragmentary specimens I have 

 not yet satisfactorily determined, at least as belonging to any 

 species not hitherto known. ... I am still hoping to get (in 

 spirits) an impregnated uterus of either platypus or echidna, 

 but at my age (75) I cannot but feel that the day of work is 

 drawing to a close. — "With every good wish, believe me most 

 truly yours, Eichd. Owex. Mr. F. G. Waterhouse, C.M.Z.S., 

 Curator Adelaide Museum." 



A brief discussion followed, the general surmise being that 

 the bones which had been brought to light had not been 

 deposited in the creek, which was not an old one, but had been 

 unearthed bv the washing away of the substance in which they 

 lay. 



The Ho>~. Secretary read some notes by Mr. Thomas Bur- 

 goyne, of Port Augusta, on "A Marsupial formerly found at 

 Port Augusta," but now extinct there. The animal alluded to 

 he thought was the smallest marsupial in the world. It had 

 been met with on the eastern coast about Port Augusta 25 

 years ago, and. according to the accounts of the blacks, were 



