MISCELLANEOUS. THE WINGLESS BIRDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealander, Volume 7, Issue 550, 23 July 1851, Page 4

MISCELLANEOUS. THE WINGLESS BIRDS OF NEW ZEALAND.

The following 1 scientific papers on the wingless birds of New Zealand are extracted from a recent report in the Literary Gazette, of tbe proceedings of the Zoological Society. November 12tb. —William Yarrell, Esq., Vice-Pre-sident, in the chair. The scientific session of the society was opened with an unusually full attendance of members, coHsuleiaMe interest having been excited by tbe announcement that Professor Owen would communicate some Anther discoveries in reference to the vringless biids of New Zealand. " On the skull of the great Dinornis^' by Professor Owen, LL.D., V.P.R.S., &c. —This communication is the fifth of a seiies of memoirs devoted to the reconstruction and introduction into the annals of zoologicnl science of tbe great wingless birds which formeily inhabited the islands of New Zealand. The subjects of the memoir had been transmitted to tbe author by Sir George Grey, Governor-in-Chi <f of New Zealand, who had discovered them in a cave near the base of the great volcanic mountain Tongariro. After :i minute description of the fossil cranium, which was remarkable for the strength of the broad deflected beak, the author next drew attention to a more mutilated cranium of nearly equal size, which, from the sutures, he inferred to belong to a young* individual of the largest species, Dinornis giganleus. The more perfect skull belonged, probably, to the species next in point of size, which had been called B. ingeus. The crania of two smaller species of Palapteiyx were then described, and the size and shape of the brain were shown by sections of tbe cranial cavity. An entire cianium of the Notornis was exhibited, in which the author pointed out those parts that were defective in the fragmentary specimen, from which the natuie and affini'.ies of the Notornis as a large species of coot or waterroil had been originally deduced. A fragment of a humerus of diminutive size was finally described, that being the fust evidence of the rudimentary wings of the Dinornis that had yet reached Europe, notwithstanding the number of collections of the remains of the great extinct birds of New Zealand that have from time to lime been transmitted from that colony since the attention of the settlers was called to them in 1839. 2. u Notice of the discovery, in the Middle Island of New Zealand, of & living specimen of Notornis, a bird of the rail family, allied to Brachypteryx, and hitherto unknown to naturalists, except in a fossil state, by Dr. Mantell." The author describes the circumstances under which the fossil remains of the then supposed extinct rail, named Notornis by Professor Owen, consisting of the skull and beak, humerus, sternum, &c, weiediscoveied by his son in the deposit containing bones of several genera and species of the Dinorsis, Palapteryx, &c, at Waiugaroa, on the west coast of the north island of New Zealand, in 1817". These relics are now m the British Museum. The Maoris, or natives, stated that there formerly existed a large bird, resembling the Swamp-Hen, which was a favourite article of food with then ancestors, but had gradually become scarce, and was finally exterminated by the wild cats and dogF, which are now the great pest of the colony. This bird was called Takahe, and was of a blaok colour, destitute of wings, and had a long bill, which, as well as the legs, was of a bright red colour. No traces of the Takahe had been discovered since the arrival of any of the English Colonists. Towards the close of lnst \ par boino sealers obtained tbe recent bird now exhibited. It appeared that the men frequenting the southwest extremity of the Middle Ibland observed foot-tracks of a laige and unknown bird on the snow which then thickly covered the ground, and, on puisuing the tjail.

they ought sight of the bird, which flod with great rapidity, but was at length dnven up a gully, behind R°solution Island, and captured alivp by their dogs. They kept it on board the schooner two 01 threp days, and then killed il, and roasted the body, which was esteemed a gieat delicacy ; the skm, winch is in excellent condition, was fortunately obtained, and thus tho, perhaps, only remaining individual of tins remarkable genus was procuied for the examination of the ornithologist. Its identity with the fossil Kotoinh Mantelli is evident: its powerful, but short beak, and its abbreviated winga, are in accordance with the indications of the fossil cranium, sternum, and humerus. This bird is about two feet high ; the beaks are short and very strong, the wings short and lounded, and their plumage feeble ; the legs are very strong. The colour of the plumage is a daik purple over the neck and body, and shaded with green and gold on the wings and back ; the tail ia very scanty, and is white beneath. Tho author dwelt on the interest attached to this discovery, from the remains of the Notorms having been found associated with those of the Dinornis, under ciicurustances which left no doubt of these genera having been contemporaneous ; thus confirming the inferences stated in his memoirs on the ossiferous deposit of New Zealand, read before the Geological Society, that gigantic wingless birds were coeval with existing species, and that their final extinction took place at no very distant period : there are good reasons for concluding that the native traditions, as to the Moa having lived when their ancestors first took possession of those islands, are well founded. The finest specimen of Apteryx Australu hitherto seen, and a Strlgnps, or Giound Parrot, also an extremly rare bud, peculiar to New Zealand, were likewise exhibited j also Apteiyx Oueiui, winch is now for the first time added to the British Museum. Panoramic sketches of tbe Middle Island of New Zealand were suspended in the room. Mr. Gould, to whom this unique specimen of Notorms had been lent for description and illustration in his " Bhds of Australia," then pointed out its ornithological characters, v.hich he considered to be allied to those of Porphyno and Tnbonyx, though genencally distinct fiom either, lie dwelt on the high interest of this living example of ft type of Ralhd<v only known hitherto by a few osteological fragments m a senn-fopsilated btate, and lemarlred that, but for this discovery, the bird would soon probably have become, like the Dodo, all but traditional. In the discussion which followed the reading of these memoirs, Professor Owen availed himself of the opportunity of replying to a question which was frequently put to him, as to whether the comparatively small Apteryx, Notorms, and similar existing birds might not be the degenei ate descendants of the gigantic extinct species ; and when the general results of the restoration of extinct specie?, and their relations to ex isting species of the different continents and islands of the globe, are first received, they commonly suggest the idea that the races of animals have deteriorated in respect to size. The more striking phenomena first and most strongly impress the mind, which contrasts for example, the great Cave Bears of Europe with the actual 13rown Bear, the Megatheriods of South America with the small existing sloths, and the gigantic Glyptodans with the Armadillos. The huge Diptrodon and Nototherium suggests a similar contrast with the Kangaroos of Australia ; and the towering Dinoanis and Palupteryx with the humble Apteryx of New Zealand. But the comparative diminutive animals of South America, Australia, and New Zealand, that form the nearest allies of the gigantic extinct species respectively characteristic of such tiacts of dry land, ore specifically, if not generically distinct from them, nor have such small species been more recently introduced. In England, for example, oui Moles, Water-voles, Hares, Weasels, Stoats, j Badgers, and Foxes, are of the same species as those that existed when the Hippopotamus swam the rivers, j the Ilyacna, Bear, and Lion lurked in the caves, and the Rhinoceros and Elephant trod the land. So likewise the remains of small Sloths and Armadillos are found associated with the Megalhei mm and Glyptodon in South Ameiica; and the fossil remains of species as diminutive as the present Kangaroos and Dasyures occur, abundantly, in Austialia with those of herbivorous j Manvpiuls as large as Tapirs, Rhinoceroses, and of carnivorous Marsupials as large as the Lion or Tiger. So likewi-e in New Zealand we find the small Apteryx j has co-exiired with the gieat Dinornis and Palapteryx. There was not a particle of evidence that any species of bud or beast that lived during the pliocene peiiod had had its chaiactois modified in any respect by the influence of time or of change of external influences. In proportion to its bulk is the difficulty of the contest which, as a living 1 organized whole, th© individual of such sppcps has to maintain against the surrounding agencies that are ever tending to dissolve tbe vital blood, and subjugate the living matter to the oidinary chemical and physical forces. Any changes, therefore, in such external agencies as a species may have been oiiginally adapted to exist in, will militate against that existence in a degiee proportionate, perhaps, in a geometrical ratio, to the bulk of the species. Jf a dry season be gradually prolonged, the large Mammal will suffer from the drought sooner than the small one : if such altera- j tion of climate affect the quantity of vegetable food, the bulky Herbivme will fiist feel the effects of stinted nourishment ; if new enemies are introduced, the large and conspicuous quadruped or bird will fall a prey, while the smaller species conceal themselves and escape. Smaller animals are usually, also, more prolific than larger ones. The actual presence, therefore, of small species of animals in countries wheie larger species ol the same natural families formerly existed, is not the consequence of any gradual diminution of tbe &ize of such species, but is the result of circumstances which may be illus- J trated by tbe fable of " tbe oak and tbe reed ;" tbe ! smaller and feebler animals have bent and accommodated themselves to changes which have destroyed the larger species. We find, nevertheless, that the same peculiar forms or families of animals exLst, and characterise particular portions of dry land, such, c. q. t as South Arn- < rica, Australia, and New Zealand, at the present day, as at a peiiod long antecedent to human history or existence ; and although many species have perished, there has been no general sweeping away of the peculiar aboriginal land animals of those continents or islands. But just as the smaller Sloths and Armadillos still linger m South America, so the smaller Kangaroos, Wombats, Dasyures, and other Marsupials, have continued to exist in Australia, and a few species of the comparatively diminutive wingless birds of the genera Avteryx and Brachyptei ix still exist in the island where their peculiar families were once much more richly represented, and by species on a far larger scale.

Ti,e Divini: and thu Doctor.— A devout minister was once asked by a sceptic if he preached to save souls; and on replying that he did, the caviller rejoined, ll Did you ever see &, soul 1" i( No." " Did you ever hear a soul ?" " No.?s "Did you ever taste a soul X" " No." " Did you ever smell a soul 1" " No." " Did you ever feel soul 1" " Yes thank God," said the preacher. " Well," said the cavilling doctor, " there are four out of the five senses against one that there is no soul." So the matter might have dropped ; but the preacher, as subtle in understanding as he was pious in heart, turned the table upon the cavilling doctor, and being informed that he was a doctor of medicine abked, " Did you ever see a pain 1" " No." was the reply. " Did you ever hear a pain !" " No." " Did you ever taste a pain?" " No." "Did you ever smell a pain 1" " No." " Did you ever feel a pain 1" " Yes," said the doctor. " Well, then," rejoined the preacher, " there are, you see, also four senses against one to prove that there is no such thing as a pain ; and yet, sir, you know theie is such a thing as pain, and I know that there is a soul." The doctor appeared counfounded, and walked off.