Extinct Birds.

The most remarkable fact in the Natural History [unclear: of] New Zealand is, that not many hundreds of years ago [unclear: the] less than fourteen different kinds of Moa (Dinornis) [unclear: was] living in these islands. Skeletons of seven of these [unclear: species] will be found at the south end of the Ground [unclear: Flox,] in the centre of the Hall. The skeleton of D. [unclear: robustue] is that of a single individual found at Highley Hill, but [unclear: as] make it more complete, a few of the upper neck [unclear: vertebre], the toes, and the pelvis, have been added. There [unclear: is] species (D. maximus) rather larger than this, of which [unclear: is] possess no skeleton. The skeleton of D. struthioides [unclear: is] manufactured from bones found in a swamp near [unclear: Humilton]. The skull, pelvis, and legs belong to this [unclear: speed] but the vertebrae and ribs probably do not. D. [unclear: elephanto] page 31 [unclear: put is] also a manufactured skeleton from the same place, [unclear: but in] this case we may safely assume that all the bones [unclear: belong to] this species, as it was the commonest, and larger than [unclear: the] others. The skeleton of D. crassus was found in a [unclear: limestone] cave, near the Waitaki. It is nearly [unclear: complete], except three toe bones and two sternal ribs on the right [unclear: side,] which have been supplied from the Hamilton [unclear: collection]. The head and first twelve cervical vertebræ are [unclear: from] an individual of the same species found at Shag [unclear: point]. This is the second best skeleton in the world—the [unclear: best] being one that was obtained at Tiger Hill, in [unclear: Otago], in 1863, and sent to the York Museum, in [unclear: England] The skeleton of D. gravis is manufactured from [unclear: the] Hamilton collection, as also is that of D. didiformis. [unclear: The skeleton] of D. casuarinus was found while making [unclear: the road] by the South Recreation Ground, Dunedin; the [unclear: skull,] upper neck vertebræ, and right metatarsus, have been [unclear: added]. In the same enclosure are skeletons of the [unclear: Ostrich], Rhea, and Cassowary, for comparison. Further [unclear: ins] of the Moa will be found in the First Gallery, [unclear: Desk Cases] 25 and 26. Here will be seen a leg and foot of [unclear: D. ingens], with the skin and tendons attached. It was [unclear: found] in a crevice on the Knobby Ranges. Also a neck of [unclear: D. crassus], with the skin and many of the vessels [unclear: remaining;] this was found in a cave near Alexandra. In the [unclear: same] case are specimens of skin, and feathers of three [unclear: different] species. The skull of D. gravis is the most perfect [unclear: in the] world, and the bony eye-ring (sclerotic) is unique.

[unclear: In Case] 26 are the complete tail bones of two individuals from [unclear: Shag] Point; a scapulo-coracoid, the only bone [unclear: representing the] wing in the Moa, from Hamilton; stones [unclear: from the] gizzard, and a foot-print in sandstone, from [unclear: Poverty] Bay. We also see in the burnt and broken [unclear: bones] proofs that the Maoris killed and ate the Moa. Close [unclear: to,] in Upright Case 5, are vertebral columns of [unclear: different] individuals, and below them some very perfect pelves; one [unclear: of] which is that of a young bird not finished growing, In [unclear: Upright] Case 4, are eight legs and feet of individual [unclear: Birds, of] which four have a hind toe. In Desk Case 26 are [unclear: the leg] bones and pelvis of an individual D. curtus, [unclear: found at] Lyell Bay, Wellington. This is the smallest [unclear: known] species of Moa. Models of three different eggs of the [unclear: Moa] and fragments of egg shells will be found in Desk page 32 Case 39 Upper Gallery.^* In Desk Case 27, First [unclear: Galle] are the bones of Aptornis, a large extinct kind of [unclear: Ra] and also a few of Harpagornis, a huge eagle, also [unclear: exti] In Upright Case 3 will be found a nearly complete [unclear: ske]ton of Cnemiornis calcitrane, an extinct goose [unclear: incapa] of flight, and allied to the Cape Barron Goose (see [unclear: Upright] Case 50, Upper Gallery). This skeleton is [unclear: manufact] from material found at Hamilton. Near it is a [unclear: compl] skeleton of Clangtela finschi, manufactured from [unclear: mater] found in a cave near Alexandra. Its nearest ally [unclear: is] the Golden Eye Duck of Europe (Clangula islandica), [unclear: Upri] Case 51, Upper Gallery). The egg of this bird from [unclear: the] same locality will be found in Desk Case 40, [unclear: Upper] Gallery.