5 2 Sedimentary Formations 
fineness of the pebbles and their perfect attrition afford testi¬ 
mony as to their antiquity, though now called recent. 
True Tertiary marine fossils occur on the south coast from 
Cape Howe to Cape Lewin, and have been described by Captain 
Sturt, Rev. Julian T. Woods, and Mr. Busk. They are also met 
with on the west coast as far as Nortli-west Cape, in great 
abundance. 
New Zealand also contains a great number of Tertiary genera 
and species admirably detailed and arranged as belonging to the 
Upper Pliocene, Upper and Lower Miocene, and Upper Eocene, 
in a “ Catalogue by Captain F. W. Hutton, F.Cr.S. (Geological 
Survey , New Zealand ), Wellington, 1873, of Tertiary Mollusca and 
Echinodermata, in the collection of the Colonial Museum.’* 
The classification is based on the 'percentage of recent species, 
the proportions of which are 70, 34, 23, and 9 per cent . 
Quaternary Formation and Recent Accumulations. 
The Quaternary Fauna of Australia lias been so long known 
by the patient and skilful researches of Professor Owen, that 
there is no need to do more than refer to his writings, as the 
source of most of our knowledge respecting the strange animals 
that preceded the human epoch and perhaps extended into it. 
Huxley and others have also added to tne general history of these 
creatures.* 
Remains of reptiles have also been found both in New South 
Wales and in other parts of Australia, in quaternary deposits, as 
for instance, Megalania prisca (Owen), a Lacertian allied to the 
Varans and Lace Lizards of Australia, which had, probably, a 
length of 22 feet. 
* An anecdote may be introduced here which may hare some interest for 
visitors to the Australian Museum. In 1847, Mr. Turner sent, to Sydney a box 
of bones from King's Creek, in Darling Downs, and Dr. Leichhardt, Mr. Wall 
(then Curator of the Museum), with myself examined them, and found there 
nearly the whole of the bones of the head, though in fragments ouly, besides 
other prominent portions of the Diprotodon skeleton, which had only been then 
partially known to Professor Owen, who had not at that time seen the upper jaw. 
So far, therefore, this individual was unique. With much trouble we putt ho 
bones together, and a cast was afterwards made of the skull, which is still in 
the Museum. A paper contributed by myself (dated 30th November 1817), 
and afterwards re-published in the Appendix to my Report of 14th October, 
1853, (“ On the Geology of the Condamine River"), and some letters from the luto 
W. S. Macleay Esq., and Dr. Leichhardt, detailed the characters of the animal 
so far ns they were then known, and the condition and other contents of Mr. 
Turner’s coil % ction. This would not deserve any mention here, but for the 
sake of introducing a curious event relating to the head of the Diprotodon 
alluded to, Mr. Turner sold his collection to the late Mr. Benjamin Boyd, 
who sent it to England. The ship \va9 wrecked at Beaehy Head, on the coast 
of Sussex, and the collection, forming part of the relics of the cargo which 
were sold, was taken to London, and Professor Owen bought it of the dealer 
who had become its owner, not knowing its history. 
