Tasmanian Society. 
32.7 
and it was again submerged. The land was a third time raised to its 
present height, upon which the luxuriant trees now existing grow. 
The emergence of the land on its last elevation appears to have 
gone on more rapidly towards Point Nepean, which would place 
an island in mid-channel, and account for the size and character 
of the trees, which on this more elevated and apparently older 
portion consists of large Eucalypti and Acacia dealbata ? which 
do not grow betwixt Point King and Cape Schank, where the 
vegetation consists of Casuarina quadrivalvis, Banksia of three 
species, Acacia melanoxylon ? and another smaller species Bur- 
saria sjnnosa, and some other shurbs; there is but one Euca¬ 
lyptus tree on the whole ten miles. We know generations of 
plants, as well as of animals, are progressive and give place to 
new ones ; this may solve the problem of the non-existence of 
Eucalypti over ten miles of country and their sudden appearance 
on the extremity of the Point. 
“ From carefully examining the coast, I have no doubt but that 
these fossil forests extended over a considerable portion of the 
Bay of Port Phillip and Bass’s Strait, an opinion which is borne out 
by the fact that after heavy gales pieces of fossil wood and resin 
are driven on shore in the Bay. I have traced this fossil forest as 
far as the heads of Western Port, and have observed it in several 
localities on the shores of the Bay, and I have also been informed 
that the same kind of fossil trees are seen at Cape Liptrap to the 
eastward, and on the coast beyond the Glenelg to the west.” 
September 2, 1847. 
Captain Owen Stanley, R.N., and Captain C. E. Stanley, 
R.E., were elected members. 
Read a paper “On the Osteology of the Marsupialia.” By 
Professor Owen. Vide page 271 of the present number of the 
Tasmanian Journal. Mr. Gunn observed with reference to this 
paper that it would be desirable to ascertain whether the two 
species of Wombat may not exist in Van Diemen’s Land, as 
Dr. Hobson had satisfactorily ascertained that both inhabit Port 
Phillip. Perhaps the Wombat found in such vast numbers on 
the plains and lower country about the St. Patrick’s River, &c., 
may prove to be distinct from the one found usually amongst 
rocks and stones in elevated situations. 
Read extracts from a letter from Professor Owen to Mr. Ronald 
C. Gunn, wherein he expresses an anxious desire to obtain an 
impregnated Platypus or Echidna preserved in spirits. Also the 
brains of the Tkylacinus and Dasyurus (Devil of the colonists), 
with a view to making out the internal structure. A skull broken 
open and immersed in strong spirits would give the required 
opportunity. Mr. Gunn expressed his hope that some of the 
members would aid him in procuring these desiderata for that 
eminent comparative anatomist Professor Owen. 
