Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia Volume II Part 48

Other caverns containing breccia of the same description occur in various parts within a circuit of 50 miles, and they may probably be found throughout the limestone country not yet examined.

AT BUREE.

On the north bank of the Macquarie, 8 miles east from the Wellington caves, and at Buree, about 50 miles to the south-east of them, I found this breccia at considerable depths, having been guided to it by certain peculiar appearances of subsidence and disruption, and by yawning holes in the surface, which previous experience had taught me to consider as indications of its existence.

On entering one of these fissures from the bed of the little stream near Buree and following, to a considerable distance, the subterraneous channel of the rivulet, we found a red breccia containing bones as abundantly as that of Wellington Valley. It occurred also amidst ma.s.ses of broken rocks, between which we climbed until we saw daylight above and, being finally drawn out with ropes, we emerged near the top of a hill from a hole very similar in appearance to the mouth of the cave at Wellington, which it also resembled in having breccia both in the sides of the orifice and in the surface around it.

AT MOLONG.

At Molong, 36 miles east of Wellington Valley, I found some concreted matter within a small cavity of limestone rock on the surface and, when broken, this proved to be also breccia containing fragments of bone.

SHATTERED STATE OF THE BONES.

It was very difficult to obtain any perfect specimens of the remains contained in the breccia--the smallest of the various portions brought to England have nevertheless been carefully examined by Professor Owen at the Hunterian Museum, and I have received from that distinguished anatomist the accompanying letter containing the result of those researches and highly important determinations by which he has established several points of the greatest interest as connected with the Natural History of the Australian continent.

IMPORTANT DISCOVERIES BY PROFESSOR OWEN.

Royal College of Surgeons, May 8th, 1838.

Dear Sir,

I have examined, according to your request, the fossil remains which you discovered in Wellington Valley, Australia, and which are now deposited in the Museum of the Geological Society; they belong to the following genera:

GIGANTIC FOSSIL KANGAROOS.

MACROPUS Shaw.

Sp. 1. Macropus atlas. O. This must have been at least one-third larger than Macropus major, the largest known existing species: it is chiefly remarkable for the great size of its permanent spurious molar; in which respect it approaches the subdivision of Shaw's genus, called Hypsiprymnus by Illiger. The remains of this species consist of a fragment of the right ramus of the lower jaw. (I*) Figure 1 Plate 47.

(*Footnote. The numbers and letters within a parenthesis in this letter refer to labels on the specimens.)

Sp. 2. Macropus t.i.tan. O. I gave this name to an extinct species, as large as the preceding, but differing chiefly in the smaller size of the permanent spurious molar; which in this respect more nearly corresponds with the existing Macropus major. The remains of this species consist of a fragment of the right ramus of the lower jaw. (II) Figure 3 Plate 47.

In both the above specimens the permanent false molar is concealed in its alveolus, and was discovered by removing part of the substance of the jaw, indicating the nonage of the individuals.

A portion of cranium with the molar series of teeth of both sides. (II) Figures 4 and 5 Plate 47. This specimen I believe to belong to Macropus t.i.tan.

The permanent false molar, which is also concealed in this upper jaw, is larger than that of the lower jaw of Macropus t.i.tan, but I have observed a similar discrepancy in size in the same teeth of an existing species of Macropus.

To one or other of the two preceding gigantic species of kangaroo must be referred:

II.a. Crown of right inferior incisor, Figure 6 Plate 47.

II.b. Lower extremity of right femur.

II.c. Lower extremity of right femur, with the epiphysis separated, showing its correspondence in age with the animals to which the fossil jaws belonged.

II.d. 5th Lumbar vertebra, Figure 8 Plate 47.

II.e. 10th or 11th Caudal vertebra. The proportion of this bone indicates that these great kangaroos had a relatively stouter and perhaps shorter tail than the existing species.

Macropus sp. indeterminate. Agrees in size with Macropus major, but there is a difference in the form of the sacrum: the second vertebra of which is more compressed--to this species which cannot be determined till the teeth be found, I refer the specimens marked:

III. Sacrum.

III.a. Proximal end of left femur.

III.b. Proximal end of left tibia, in which the anterior spine sinks more gradually into the shaft than in Macropus major. As this is the only species with the skeleton of which I have been enabled to compare the preceding fragments, I am not able to p.r.o.nounce as to their specific distinctness from other existing species of equal size with the Macropus major.

Macropus sp. indeterminate. From want of skeletons of existing species of kangaroo, I must also leave doubtful the specific determination of a species smaller than Macropus major, represented by the left ramus of the lower jaw (IV) in which the permanent false molar is in place together with four true molars, and which would therefore be a species of Halmaturus of Fred. Cuvier.

Macropus.

(V.) Part of the left ramus of the lower jaw, with two grinders in place, and a third which has not quite cut through the jaw.

(V.a.) Sixth and seventh grinders according to the order of their development, right side, upper jaw, of a kangaroo not quite so large as Macropus major.

Several other bones and portions of bone are referable to the genus Macropus, but they do not afford information of sufficient interest or importance to be specially noticed.

GENUS HYPSIPRYMNUS.

Hypsiprymnus, sp. indeterminate.

(VI.) Figures 1 and 2 Plate 48. A portion of the upper jaw and palate with the deciduous false molar and four true molars in place on each side; the fifth or posterior molar is concealed in the alveolus, as also the crown of the permanent false molar.

Hypsiprymnus.

(VI.a.) Figure 3 Plate 48. Part of the right ramus of the lower jaw, exhibiting a corresponding stage of dent.i.tion.

Observation. This species is rather larger than any of the three species with the crania of which I have had the opportunity of comparing them: there is no evidence that it agrees with any existing species.

GENUS PHALANGISTA.

(VII.) Cranium, coated with stalact.i.te.

(VII.a.) Part of right ramus, with spurious and 2nd molar.

(VII.b.) Right ramus, lower jaw.

Observation. The two latter specimens disagree with Phalangista vulpina in having the spurious molar of relatively smaller size, and the 2nd molar narrower: the symphysis of the lower jaw is also one line deeper in the fossil. As the two latter specimens agree in size with the cranium, they probably are all parts of the same species, of which there is no proof that it corresponds with any existing species. But a comparison of the fossils with the bones of these species (which are much wanted in our osteological collections) is obviously necessary to establish the important fact of the specific difference or otherwise of the extinct Phalanger.

GENUS PHASCOLOMYS.

Sp. Phascolomys mitch.e.l.lii, a new species.

(VIII.) Figure 4 Plate 48. Mutilated cranium.

(VIII.a.) Figure 5 Plate 48. Part of lower jaw belonging to the above.