Ear bones of Nototheria and allied animals

If we pass in review the osteology of the ear bones of the Kangaroo, the Wombat, the Native Bear, etc., and then turn to the Nototneria, we get an interesting series of departures from a common type, which latter we may assume began by manifesting a fairly normal development of the bones, in the region of the ear. Just what that ancient type was need not at present detain us, our work being rather that of showing how the bones have developed, dwindled, coalesced, and otherwise altered, as the several groups of marsupials, above named, followed their special lines of evolution. In so doing, are we to regard each group as being a law unto itself expressed, once and for all, or did the several changes become analogues of those passed through by other creatures (not of necessity marsupial) in other parts of the world? Although perfectly aware of the fact that this subject is not popular with modern biologists, we think that work along these lines is worth attempting, and will eventually be found useful

Studies in Tasmanian mammals, living and extinct. Number I. Nototherium mitchelli (a marsupial rhinoceros).

The discovery at Smithton, during the present year, of a nearly complete skeleton of Nototherium mitchelli forms the occasion for a revision of many of our ideas respecting these remarkable marsupial animals, since the fragmentary remains hitherto available for study have failed to yield the sequence of evidence we now possess. This is a note only – intended to place upon record the fact Nototherium mitchelli was an extinct marsupial rhinoceros, and that the four genera, Nototherium, Zygomaturus, Enowenia, and Sthenomerus, with their - species, are accordingly under revision

Studies in Tasmanian mammals, living and extinct. Number IV. The cave deposits at Mole Creek

We have recently had the opportunity of visiting two of the caves at Mole Creek, and obtaining a number of specimens relating to the mammalian fauna of Tasmania. Higgins and Petterd (1883) drew attention to the osteological remains in these caves, and they were later noted by Johnston (1888). Very little attention appears to have been paid to this locality by subsequent investigators, and we, therefore, desire to submit this short preliminary note to the Society in the hope that further investigations will be made. In the near future we hope to obtain a second and deeper series of specimens, and then to transmit to the Society a paper dealing with the material in general. Until we obtain a longer and older series of specimens than we have at present, we prefer to treat the matter on very general lines. The two caves visited were Baldock's Cave and King Solomon's Cave. In the latter there are many specimens. The more recent are quite free, but the older ones have become encrusted with a thick limestone stalactitic coating, or else have become completely covered. In some cases the floors of certain of the caverns are practically bone breccia. Careful research may yield much of interest, for it is not improbable that some remains of Thylacoleo should be in these caves, if that marsupial lion ever inhabited Tasmania. Considering the knowledge we have recently gained in relation to the habitats of Nototherium, there is no reason to exclude the possibility of Thylacoleo being found. We have only had time to examine a small section of the caves mentioned, and that only in a very superficial manner

Studies in Tasmanian Cetacea. Part VI

On the third of October, of the present year, there came to us from Preservation Island the ossified mesorostral bones of a Ziphoid Whale. Owing to the dense character of such ossified rostral moieties it is not easy to determine their actual age, unless field notes have been collected, and as none are available to use, we can only say that, although apparently recent, it may have been washed out of a Pleistocene shell limestone formation. The specimen is not perfect and shows evidence of a wound during the life of the animal, which must have caused distortion to the end of the beak

Studies of Tasmanian Cetacea. Part IV. Delphinus delphis (the common dolphin)

The dolphin is common around the Tasmanian coast and in the estuaries of the larger rivers, sometimes ascending them for many miles from the open sea. During the currency of the Easter Camp of the Tasmanian Field Naturalists' Club at Port Arthur we were fortunate in observing a large number of dolphins in Maingon Bay, Tasman's Peninsula. There were several hundred dolphins in the bay and their evolutions in the surf were watched with interest by many of the Naturalists for the greater part of Easter Monday. Although it is here assumed that the modern method of reducing all the smaller dolphins to a single species (that of the type) is a more or less wise one, it must still be claimed that such a proceeding leaves certain outstanding facts unaccounted for. Includes illustrative plates

Studies of Tasmanian cetacea. Part III. Tursiops tursio. Southern form

In foregoing papers we have dealt with (i.) Orca gladiator, Pseudorca crassidens, Globicephalus melas, and (ii.) Ziphius cavirostris. In the present instance we desire to place on record certain data relating to Tursiops tursio, and to show reasons why it should be included as an inhabitant of the Australian Zone. In a succeeding paper we hope to publish certain facts concerning D. delphis. The genus Tursiops should not be confounded with that of Tursio, which latter genus, with very little readjustment, might well be relegated to mere specific rank, for it is closely involved with other genera—for example, Prodelphus. Gray used the designation Tursio in 1862, but, as it had been previously used by Wagler for another genus, Grays designation lapsed, and Tursiops was substituted. Tursio, however, is still retained for its correct genus, which explains why care must be taken to differentiate between the two genera

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Nototheria and allied animals - a rejoinder

Before presenting to the Royal Society of Tasmania our notes upon the extinct Marsupial Rhinoceros, Nototherium mitchelli, we cast them into such a form as to embrace extreme osteological details upon the one hand, and the widest taxonomical scope upon the other. This latter item, in fact, had its entire origin in the circumstances incidental to the super-imposition of the Rhinoceros trend upon the more or less generalised Marsupial races of geological periods long since past. Any criticism of our work or methods should therefore, in justice, take note of this duality, or to descend to details—deductions made from the wide scope of the trend should not be quoted in terms of that man-made taxonomy that is enthralled within the iron bands of genus, species, and variety. Again, to quote backwards from the living—and largely fixed—marsupials of to-day, to plastic, rapidly evolving generalised types, is to throw ourselves open to contradiction by the very next discovery that fortune places at our disposal. Accordingly, we used considerable caution in this respect, but, as it now appears, stand charged with an under-estimation of the values of the evidence yielded by a study of the Nototherian and modern marsupial premolars. (1920, pp. 13, 17, and 76.) We therefore desire to add the present note to our previous papers in order to reply to certain remarks made by Mr. Heber Longman in his recent interesting contribution to the memoirs of the Queensland Museum, (2) on Euryzygoma dunense. (1920, p. 65.) Includes illustrative plates

Studies in Tasmanian mammals, living and extinct. No. XIII. The eared seals of Tasmania.

The following notes upon the eared seals that inhabit the islands and rocks of our coasts are contributed with a view to putting upon record such data as have been accumulated from time to time, respecting these interesting members of our native fauna. It is, as we have urged elsewhere, essential that a comprehensive study of our seals should be immediately undertaken, but, pending this, it is thought advisable to collect under a common heading such notes as we have hitherto committed to Museum registers, cards, and note books. Quite recently Professor Wood-Jones has aided the taxonomy of the question by the publication of an interesting monograph upon South Australian Eared Seals in general, and the total result of his researches is now available. The extensive synonymy of the subject is tabulated in handy form, and the animals themselves are classified under three species of the genus Arctocephalus. It would appear, therefore, that our most common eared seal is rather larger than Professor Wood-Jones allowed for in the construction of his table of specific characters of Arctocephalus doriferus, that its nasal and crest osteological data do not quite agree, but these are minor matters in a way, and easy of emendation if a study of the living creatures we are so strongly urging does not show them to belong to another species

Studies in Tasmanian mammals, living and extinct. Number IX.

Among the specimens recovered by Mr. K. M. Harrisson from the swamp lands of King Island, we have to record specimens relating to Nototherium victoriae, which include the following items. 1. The right and left rami of the mandible of a young animal, minus the premolars in either case, but having upon the right side, in addition to molars 4, 3, and 2, the tusk relating to that half of the jaw. Upon the left side, there are present molars 4, 3, 2, 1. 2. The associated right and left upper maxillaries, from a skull of an older animal than that which supplied the mandible, the bony tissue being fully ossified and the teeth worn down to smooth surfaces