The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-10-17
The diehta paiu eagle: guesdau 7uoruiu II 1888
AUSTRALIANS LOST ANIMALS


Over Seventy Now Extinct Arc Known by
Their Fossils.
The surprises experienced in the
study of this fair volume which we
world do name" are inexhaustible, and
it often happens that in the most unex-
pected places discoveries of incalculable
value to science are made. Such, at
least, is the case in regard to the Won
derful find of mammoth bones, of which
accounts have been received from Mr..
Hurst and his companions, who were
sent to Lake Mulligan by the museum
board. A more apparently uninterest-
ing and forsaken spot than this local
ity could not be found in the whole of
Australia. When Capt. Sturt, along
with DR. Browne and Mr.. Jonn Nc
Douall Stuart, went northwest from
Menindie on the river Darling in 1854.
he came into great stony desert lying
to the eastward of Lake Frome. and
the party endured the most terrible
nature of the country and the extra
ordinary heat of the weather.
In such a country it was only too
plain that no living being could exist,
and. indeed, the utter absence of life
in any form was one of the weirdest
characteristics of the whole region.
Lying between the Grey range on the
east, and Mount Searle. Mount Freezing.
Mount Hopeless and other eminences on
the west. this stony desert contains many
dreary salt-pans, and of these lake
Mulligan is one Of the principal. Sturt
got to above the middle of the plain
and found the country so utterly for
bidding and lifeless that he reluctantly
retraced his steps once more to the
haunts of civilization, where he gave
such a disheartening account of his
travels that for many yearsjt was cur
rently asserted that the whole of the
interior of Australia consisted of one
vast stony desert, in which it was
scarcely possible that any living thing
could exist.
What different picture of the past
history of this country is brought to
light by the new discoveries. Mount
Searle, which rises to height of three
thousand feet above sea level, and
forms the eliminating point of tho
range between lake Frome and lake
Torrens, was probab at the period of
which we speak fully twice that eleva-
ton. On its sides grew huge trees. and all
around was dense tropical growth,
exceeding in luxuriance the forests OF
the eastern slopes of the Andes, in
South America. Every form of life on
the whole earth was at that time huge
and uncouth. The wombats, of which
the bones have now been unearthed.
were as large as bulloclxs. On the grassy
plains at the foot of the mountains
there roamed the diprotodon, gigan-
tic animal allied to the kangaroo in it,
structure and habits, but of a size be-
tween rhinoceros and an elephant.
The three nearly complete skele-
tons of this great creature, which
are now being brought down to
the Adelaide museum, are mag
nificent treasure in the interest
of science. Over seventy different indi-
vidual extinct animals are represented
in the two thousand bones which have
been dug out, and for the reception of
the unique collection the new buildings
of the museum will be ready none too
soon. One or two of the animals whose
presence has been revealed by the
bones will probably prove to be alto
gether new to science. Last year .
considerable amount of attention was
directed to Australia by those interest
ed in biological science. owing to tho
discovery of the new living marsupial,
which DR.. Stirling named Motorcycles
typhlops. and this new find will open
up more extended field for the study
of the life history of the marsupial in
past ages.
OF very far-reaching significance is
the story which is told by these mute
relics of remote age. 1t has often
been observed by naturalists that the
types of animals from which. in distant
geological periods the existing fauna
of Australia and of America have been
derived present strange correspond
ence Great dissimilarities no doubt
may be pointed out. but, on the other
hand. the resemblances are much
greater than. for instance. can he
made out with regard to the existing
animals of Australia and Africa. 1t
would seem, as if in fact, some of the
species of animals now inhabiting
South America nave been evolved from
the same original types as those of
Australia. Marsupial or pouch bear
ing animals are to be found on the
other as well as this side of the Pacific
The types are different, but sufficiently
akin TO denote a common ancestry.
Where, then, may we look for the
traces of those animals which were the
progenitors of the fauna of both sides
of the Pacific ocean? e.
A proba BILE answer is now being sup
piled through the conjecture that
within a comparatively recent geolog-
ical period there existed a great Pacific
continent The sea has covered almost
the whole of its vast area, and only a
few of its mountain peaks yet exist in
the form of islands dotting over the
surface of the great peaceful ocean.
Whether man was on the earth at any
time during the period of the exist
ence of this continent must probably
remain a moot point, but the existence
of remains of buildings on some of the
Pacific islands resembling those OF the
race who preceded the Aztec. Of Amer
lea. has been pointed to as proof
that such was the case.
At the remote time when the bones
of these newly discovered marsupials
were instinct with life il would seem
most likely that the higher portions of
Australia formed the outlying PENN
sulas or islands of the Pacific continent
and perhaps the line of the presen,
lakes, PRONE. Mulligan. and Gregory,
was the shore OF a large sea. from