4 
“ in the banks of the creek, in a red loamy breccia, or in a bed 
<£ of pebbles, containing many trachyte pebbles of the coast 
“ range, from the west side of which these creeks descend.” 
These fossils have been known for a great many years, Sir 
Thomas Mitchell, C.B., having sent specimens home as early as 
1842. When writing in January 8, 1842, and forwarding speci- 
mens of Diprotodon Australis , he places the locality in latitude 
28° S., longitude 150° E., and thus speaks of the Condamine 
Biver : — “ This stream is remarkable from forming large basins 
“ at some places, and losing its course in swamps at others, and at 
“ other parts again cutting its course in a deep channel, through 
“ deep beds of alluvium, in which these bones are brought to 
“ light.” It is evident that the place thus spoken of by Sir 
T. Mitchell must be between Leyburn and Yandilla —unless 
wonderful changes have taken place since that time — as that is 
the only locality in which the Condamine loses itself at the 
present time. 
In the years 1848—5, we hear of Mr. E. C. Hobson, M.D., 
making discoveries from the Quaternary gravel, Mount Macedon, 
Melbourne, in a swamp or bog, at a depth of 4^ feet, of which, 
in a letter dated January 1st, 1845, he writes “ After digging 
“ through a solid peaty soil for 3 feet, you then arrive at a 
“ stratum of gravel, about 18 inches thick, in which the bones 
“ are deposited ; this layer rests upon a bed of firm clay, which 
“is unfossiliferous.” Then comes next in the list of discoverers 
Dr. Leichhardt (1844), that much lamented explorer ; followed 
by P. Mayne, Esq., Count Stryelecki, Melbourne and Wellington 
Valley (1844) ; E. N. Isaacs (1849), Gowrie; and many others, 
up to the present date, when link by link has been gradually 
added ; but the desire to become more acquainted with these 
extinct races of animals is waning — the old enthusiasts dying off, 
and none treading in their path. In fact, in my rambles, I have 
been surprised to find men of education totally ignorant as to 
these bones being those of extinct animals, and many of them 
believing them to be bullock bones ; but I must give credit to 
the few that I have met — among the farmers and boundary- 
riders especially— willing and able to give me some valuable 
information as to the whereabouts of these remains. 
We have now a Museum in embryo of our own, and shall 
be expecting to have some specimens of these extinct animals in 
it ; but we shall not, if there is not a better spirit shown by 
those in power to parties willing and able to give their assistance. 
I do not mean in a pecuniary way only, but for room for those 
specimens that are already there, so that students of Geology or 
Paleontology may become familiar with Ihem ; and, what is 
more, to make that Museum valuable, there must be attached a 
Library for reference, so that the latest discoveries may be 
known, in order that we shall all be working in the light, and 
not groping about in the dark, imagining we have made great 
