108 OS THE PHALANGIETIOJS OF THE POST TERTIARY 



in a strong angular ridge continued distad to the anterior segment. 

 Expansion of the shaft proximad of the epiphysis very moderate. 



The measurements of the articulatng head are thrice those 

 yielded by the recent bone in a full-grown animal, those of the 

 shaft nearly four times. Taking the weight of an adult Koala at 

 20 lbs., that of its extinct precursor may, on the hypothesis of like 

 proportions, be estimated at five-hundred weight or more. 



Postcript. — 



Since the foregoing notes were written, a fraction of a skull 

 has been met with, which is clearly to be traced to the Phascolaretina 

 as we may now perhaps venture to term this outlying section of the 

 Phalangistida?, and — unopposed by any obvious objection other 

 than inadequate siz", which may, without violence be attributed to 

 youthfulness — must needs be ascribed to Koalemus ingens. It may, 

 indeed, very possibly belong to another species, or even genus ; but, 

 if so, the naming is for those whose merit the discovery may be. 



The fossil comprises the preinaxillary with its palatal process ; 

 the dentition exhibited includes the sockets of i 1 and i a , with i 8 , c, 

 and a fang of pin 4 in place. The information to be g°thered from 

 this is not extensive, yet not altogether without interest. The 

 socket of i 1 is exceedingly large for one of the I'hnlangistidae — it is 

 in length more than equal to the combined length of the sockets 

 of i 2 and i 8 and is proportionately wide. Owing to the hardness 

 of the matrix its cavity has not been cleared out, but it evidently 

 extends far back, and causes a bulg'ng of the bone ccntrad of . he 

 nasal process ; at its outlet it is oviform, its narrower end extending 

 central of the middle of the socket of i a , causing here, too, a 

 thickening of the bone, on the ectal side of which is the socket 

 of i' 2 . This socket indicates a fang about equal in size to that 

 of i 8 ; i 8 is a short, stout columnar tooth, slightly conical near the 

 apex, which is ground down to a small horizontal surface ; it is less 

 procumbent than in Phaseolarctos The canine is in form quite 

 unlike, through structurally it is similar to, that of the- recent genus 

 — it is a strongly compressed obtuse cone, in outline a nearly 



