STORIES FROM FOSSILS

New Zealand Times, Volume LII, Issue 12075, 28 February 1925, Page 13

STORIES FROM FOSSILS

DISCOVERIES IN QUEENSLAND. Some important discoveries in the way of fossils have been made in recent wears at the Marmor quarry, near■ Ko<-k----hampton, Queensland, indicating the existence in past ages of remarkable species of Australia’s unique marsupials now either lost or modified out of recognition, from their former dimensions. Substantiation has also been given to the theory that Kastern Australia with iasmania as part of the mainland once formed a distinct, continent, with distinctive tauna from that of the larger continent that existed westward of a sea then dimd'.njf tire rest of the present continent. The theory is that the animals in the east were unable to contend rgainst those of the western continent when the disappearance of the dividing sea resulted in their migration eastward, but survived in tile i/ortion of the eastern continent that became separated as an island and now forms Tasmania. Interested i» tlie discovery some time ago ot the fossilised tooth of a so-called pouched lion (Thyacoleo) in the quarry. Mr hongman (Director of the Queensland Museum) visited the spot iccently utd in company with the manager of the ciuarry (Mr Evans) made a unique covery. In earth about 60ft from the original surface they found four vertebrae of fossil snake.-,. easilv distinguishable on account of a peculiar ball and socket formation. Mr Dongman wa.-. particularly pleased, a- he thinks this is the first recorded instance of a fossil snake being found in any part of Australia. Eater another important discovery as made, this being of several specimens of fossil tcetli of an animal ielated to the marsupial devil, now found only in remote parts of Tasmania, and long s'Jico extinct on the mainland. Three of the teeth were embedded in a jawbone. Previous to this the only fossil remain* of n devil found ■comprised half a tooth. Many other fossil remains, including kangaroo;* and wallabies, weto picked i p. Mr Ixmgman states that the Marmor quarries offer a rich field fqr the collect tor, and it is quite possible very k uurtant discoveries may be made ther*.