XIV 
INTRODUCTION. 
the lacrymal foramen in front of the orbit, by the palatal vacuity, by the loose tympanic bone, by the 
development of the tympanic bulla in the alisphenoid, by the very small relative size of the brain, and other 
characters. “ The carnassial tooth is 2 inches 3 lines in longitudinal extent, or nearly double the size of 
that in the Lion. The upper tubercular tooth resembles, in its smallness and position, that in the placental 
Felines. But in the lower jaw the carnassial is succeeded by two very small tubercular teeth, as in Plagi- 
aulax ; and there is a socket close to the symphysis of the lower jaw of Thylacoleo , which indicates that the 
canine may have terminated the dental series there, and have afforded an additional feature of resemblance 
to the Plagiaulax .” 
As might naturally be expected, the climate of a country which extends over more than 30 degrees of 
latitude is very much diversified. Cape York and Arnheim’s Land are as near 11° south as possible, while 
Wilson’s Promontory, in Victoria, reaches 39°, and the southern part of Tasmania 44i° . The parts of 
Australia approaching the Tropic differ very considerably from its southern portions ; for, lying more to the 
north, the latter are under the influence of monsoons, and rains more or less regular occur in their proper 
seasons. Speaking generally, however, Australia may be characterized as one of the driest and most heated 
countries of our globe ; for, although an island in the strictest sense of the word, it is so extensive that the 
surrounding seas have little influence upon the distant interior, which must still be regarded as a great sterile 
waste, destitute of mountains sufficient to attract the moisture requisite to form navigable or other rivers. In 
writing this in 1863, when travellers have crossed the country and so many valuable discoveries have lately 
been made, I am willing to admit that this great desert is here and there relieved by higher lands which will 
ultimately become useful to the enterprising settler, and that, in all probability, many fine and extensive oases 
have yet to be brought to light ; but, at the same time, I believe there will always be considerable uncertainty 
in the seasons of the interior of this great land. In southern latitudes we know that this is the case, while 
in the north a wet or a dry monsoon greatly alters the face of the country, and exerts a powerful influence 
on animal and vegetable life. Hence it is that the scanty fauna of this part of Australia is so organized that 
it is able to exist without water : the various species of Rodents, such as the members of the genera Mux and 
Hapalotis, and the Wombats, Lagorchestes, and Bettongias, and other Kangaroos, are thus constituted ; and 
it will be recollected that, when speaking of the Halcyons and other large Kingfishers in the ‘ Birds of 
Australia,’ I stated that I believed they never partook of this element, their food consisting of lizards and 
insects, to which, in like manner, it was not essential. The Australian mammals must, however, be put to 
severe straits occasionally, not from the want, but from the superabundance of water, a wet monsoon in the 
north, and the heavy rains which occasionally occur in the south, deluging the basin-like surface of the inte- 
rior and rendering it untenable, and obliging them to retire to the higher ridges until the drought, which 
generally ensues, has restored it to its normal condition. The districts, or countries as I may call them, 
which constitute the other portions of Australia are very different, indeed completely opposite in character ; 
I mean the rich lands which surround nearly the whole of the sterile centre. The mountain-ranges, of no 
very great elevation it is true, exert much influence upon the face of nature, constantly attracting rains, 
which, pouring down their sides, deposit a rich alluvial soil, favourable to the growth of gigantic trees and 
the most luxuriant vegetation. The forests of Palms which there occur are scarcely infer ioi to those of any 
other country, while the stately native Cedars and Fig-trees are wonders to every traveller. These giants of 
the forest are scarcely ever to be found in the interior ; sterility is not suited to their existence ; they do not 
occur in company with the Bankxue, the Hake®, or the Casuarin®, most of which are characteristics of land 
