On the fossil mammals of Australia.": Part IX. Family Macropodidae; Genera Macropus, Pachysiagon, Leptosiagon, Procoptodon, and Palorchestes. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, Volume 164, 1874. [KANGAROO]

London: Taylor and Francis, 1874. 1st Edition. No wrappers, as extracted. First edition of a classical paper complete with 8 lithograph plates by the famous English paleontologist, biologist and comparative anatomist Richard Owen. This paper is the first in a series of ten entitled "On the Fossil Mammals of Australia." NOTE: We offer other Owen papers separately, including almost all papers in his "On the Fossil Mammals of Australia" series.

Family Macropodidae; Genera Macropus, Pachysiagon, Leptosiagon, Procoptodon, and Palorcheste: First appearance of a classical paper in which Owen describes the finds of the remains of some of the extinct Kangaroos - Macropodidae, meaning "large foot". "In illustration of certain fossils from the freshwater beds of the Queensland province, showing the hindmost mandibular molars with characters of the general type of those of the Macropus Titan, but with modifications indicative of specific difference, it appears requisite to premise figures and descriptions of the corresponding molars at a similar stage of wear and age, which are plainly referable to Macropus Titan" (Owen).

Owen "distinguished himself with his powers of organization and deduction. At the same time he showed himself to be a peerless anatomist with instincts for reconstruction almost on a par with the great Cuvier in Paris. He became such an expert on the anatomy of animals that he was granted first refusal on any animal that died at the London Zoological Gardens, and these he would invariably have delivered to his house for examination. Once his wife returned home to find a freshly deceased rhinoceros filling the front hallway" (Bryson, A Short History of Nearly Everything, 88). CONDITION & DETAILS: London: Taylor and Francis. 4to. No wrappers as extracted from "Philosophical Transactions", 1874. Vol. 164, pp. 783-803. 8 lithographed plates. Complete. The text is clean and bright. Occasional (scarce) very light toning on the plates. Very good + condition.