80 



Marsupialia — Wombats, etc. 



Table-case, 

 No. 14a. 



the remains of Dromatherium sylvestre, one of the earliest known 

 mammals, from the Trias of North Carolina, and Microconodon 

 from the same deposit; also Phascolotherium, Amphilestes, 

 and Ampliitherium, from the Lower Jurassic of Stonesfield ; 

 Triconodon and Amblotherium from the Upper Jurassic of Pur- 

 beck ; Priacodon, and Dryolestes from the Upper Jurassic of 

 North America. These were all very small animals, and their 

 remains are chiefly confined to detached teeth and rami of 

 mandibles. 



Fig. 100. — Dentition of Wombat, Phascolomys. 



a. Palatal view of skull. b. View of grinding surface of teeth of lower jaw. 



c. Side-view of a single molar tooth detached. 



Table-case, 

 No. 14. 



But the greatest development of the Marsupialia at the 

 present day, as well as in Tertiary times, is to be found on the 

 continent of Australia. The carnivorous genera Thylacinus, 

 SarcopMlus, and Dasyurus, are all represented in the collection 

 by remains from the caves of Queensland and the alluvial 

 deposits of New South Wales. 



Of the Diprotodont type no fewer than ten species of Wombats 

 (Phascolomys) are known and described by their fossil remains. 

 They varied in size from that of the existing species up to Phas- 

 colonus gigas, which was equal in size to a Tapir, but of much 

 stouter build. Only three small species are now living; they are 

 of burrowing habits and are confined to the continent of 

 Australia and to Tasmania. Intermediate between these great 



