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The Dinornis-A Bird Without Wings: Epyornis

The eggs and some of the bones of a gigantic bird, called the Epyornis, have been discovered in the island of Madagascar and taken to Europe. The largest of the eggs, which were found imbedded in alluvial soil, measured no less than twelve inches and two-thirds in length, while the egg of the common Ostrich is only about half that length. The difference in the contents of the two eggs is much greater, for Saint-Hilaire, who was the first describer of these extraordinary remains, calculates that the largest egg fourteen feet in height. It appears ex. ceedingly probable that these birds, if they do not still exist in the more inacces sible parts of the island of New Zealand, were inhabitants of that distant land when it was first peopled with human beings, as the traditions of the natives describe a gigantic bird, to which they give the name of Moa, with which their ancestors are said to have waged a war of destruction. The natives showed one traveller the place where the last Moa was detremendous battle, in stroyed after a which several of its assailants were killed.

The egg of one of these birds was discovered by Mr. Walter Mantell, who describes it as so large that his hat would but just serve as an egg-cup for it; it of the Epyornis received by the Paris would, therefore, appear to have been nearly as large as that of the Epyornis .

The Apteryx or Kiwi-Kiwi.

Museum would contain ten and an eighth quarts, or about as much as six eggs of the Ostrich, sixteen of the Cassowary, or The legs of the Dinornis were powerone hundred and forty-eight of the com- ful, and were no doubt well adapted for mon Hen. One of the eggs had been rapid locomotion; and in the Apteryx perforated by the natives, and used as a similar powerful extremities enable the animal to run swiftly, and when attacked of which have been given, appears to to defend itself with great vigor. The have inhabited the Mauritius and the Apteryx is nocturnal in its habits, and island of Bourbon at no distant period, dwells in the deepest recesses of the although for some centuries it has not forest, where gigantic trees are inter- been seen in a living state. Like the woven almost inpenetrably with climbing extinct wingless birds of New Zealand, it plants, and where, deeply secluded in the is nearly allied to the Cassowary, but was mountains, there occur open swampy spots more massive and of more clumsy procovered with bulrushes. The Apteryx is a native of New Zeaportions.