252 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



Islands (Mauritius, Rodriguez, and Bourbon) he remarks that, 

 as far as the indications go, these are the points still remain- 

 ing of an ancient continent, which, little by little, has sunk 

 beneath the ocean. Upon these, thus converted into islands, 

 have been concentrated the inhabitants of the land, where 

 they have been crowded together, as shown by their fossil re- 

 mains, and where they became exterminated, sooner or later, 

 either by the action of man or other agencies. 



M. Edwards thinks Madagascar was not connected with 

 these islands at any time, since, when first discovered by 

 Europeans, the latter contained no mammals at all, and there- 

 fore, of course, none of the forms at all peculiar to Madagas- 

 car, such as the lemurs, etc. On the other hand, there is evi- 

 dence to show that Madagascar and New Zealand were for- 

 merly united, since three species of JEpyornis from Madagas- 

 car bear a close generic relationship to Dinomis, Falapteryx, 

 and Apteryx of the latter region. All these belong to the 

 same zoological type, and communication must have existed 

 between the countries, possibly by groups of islands, forming 

 intermediate stations, and now unfortunately submerged, 

 leaving no trace behind. 6 B, April 15, 1872, 1030. 



NEW WINGLESS BIRD FROM QUEENSLAND. 



Professor Owen has discovered, among certain specimens 

 lately submitted to him, a new form of wingless bird from 

 the post-tertiary deposit of Queensland, Australia. This he 

 refers to a new genus of struthiones allied to the emu, which 

 he proposes to call Dromomis. 12 A, May 1 6, 1872, 52. 



GIANT RAPTORIAL BIRDS IN NEW ZEALAND. 



Among certain remains of Dinornis lately exhumed in the 

 Canterbury Province of New Zealand there have been de- 

 tected bones which are considered as belonging to a gigantic 

 bird of prey. This was probably at least twice the size of 

 any of the raptores now found in Australia or New Zealand, 

 and it is supposed to have had as its special mission the prey- 

 ing upon the young Dinornis. The natives have a tradition 

 of the former existence of a huge bird of the eagle kind, long 

 since extinct, and it is thought not improbable that this may 

 have had actual reference to the species in question. 5 D, 

 May, 1872, 312. 



