322 ANNUAL OF SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERT. 



about three fourths of the Missouri and Illinois coal-fields marked out by 

 Owen would have to be wiped off the map, and its place supplied by Silurian 

 strata with its Pentamerus, Oblongus, and other characteristic fossils. He had 

 seen Lower Silurian and Upper Silurian fossils over large areas of Owen's 

 coal-fields. He supposed most of that coal to be outlayers resting in basins, 

 and having no connection with each other. 



New Species of Dinornis. At a recent meeting of the London Zoological 

 Society, Professor Owen communicated a memoir on a new species of Dinornis, 

 remains of which have, from time to time, been received from New Zealand. 

 The name proposed is Dinornis gracilis (Slender-legged Dinornis), as the 

 chief peculiarity of this remarkable species is that it manifested the propor- 

 tions of a wading-bird, on the scale of the ostrich. This singular bird must 

 have stalked about New Zealand, and probably waded the streams, or along 

 the shores and estuaries of the island, like a gigantic stork or crane. Pro- 

 fessor Owen had received indications of such a species ten years ago ; but 

 had delayed announcing it, until evidence satisfactory to other naturalists had 

 arrived. It forms the thirteenth well-established species of extinct wingless 

 birds that have been restored from the evidence of fossil remains discovered in 

 the island of New Zealand. 



Impressions of Insects in the Triassic Rocks. At a recent meeting of the 

 Boston Society of Natural History, the President, Dr. "Warren, remarked that 

 some time since he had stated that, though a matter of great doubt, he 

 thought it probable that, at sorns time, the impressions of insects and their 

 tracJcs would be found in solid rock. Since making that observation, he had 

 received several small slabs, upon which are tracks apparently, if not really 

 made by insects, which resemble the tracks of the cricket, cockroach, or 

 beetle. Upon several specimens, these tracks are of the same width and 

 general appearance ; and the individual footprints, if they may be so consid- 

 ered, are alike in all the specimens. These specimens were from the banks 

 of the Connecticut. One of the slabs likewise presented an impression very 

 much like that of a spider's body and extremities. 



New Gigantic Fossil Bird. At a recent meeting of the French Academy, 

 M. Prevost submitted the fossil bone of a bird found in the Paris basin, near 

 Mcudon. It was a tibia or leg bone; its length I7f inches, its breadth, afc 

 the lower end, fully 3 inches; at the upper, 3f; at the middle If. A differ- 

 ence of opinion existed among the naturalists as to whether it belonged to an 

 Echassier (a long-legged bird) or a Palmipede. If the former, M. Prevost 

 thought that it must have had twenty times the bulk of the swan. M. Valen- 

 ciennes regarded it as more allied in form to the albatross, and in this case 

 its dimensions will not be so great as M. Prevost conjectured. It has been 

 named Palrcornis Parisiensis, and was found at the bottom of the tertiary 

 beds, resting on the chalk. It was, therefore, much older than the huge 

 birds of New Zealand and Madagascar, which are found in alluvial deposits. 



New Fossil Reptile. At a recent meeting of the London Geological Society, 

 Professor Owen described a new species of extinct bidental reptile (Dicynodon 

 tigriceps\ transmitted from South Africa. The skull surpasses in size that of the 

 'argest walrus, and resemble.", that of the lieu or tiger in the great development cf 



