THE GIGANTIC MOA-BIRD. 



THE GIGANTIC MOA-BIKD. 



THE extinction of many animals that are known to have former]}' 

 existed on the earth is a subject which cannot very easily be ex- 

 plained, while the number of them is greater than at first sight would 

 be supposed. Various species no doubt undergo gradual extinction 

 by changes which deprive them of their accustomed food ; but others 

 seem to die out from unknown causes. During the historic period a 

 considerable number of animals have been swept off the British Islands, 

 among which are the bear, the wolf, the Irish elk, etc. In America, 

 during the comparatively short period of its history, various species 

 have vanished, and others are following them. The beaver, formerly 

 so generally spread over the whole of that country, is now only to be 

 found in remote regions. The deer and the moose are disappearing 

 in the same manner. The bison is very much diminished in numbers, 

 and must ere long be extirpated. The mastodon, a creature of enor- 

 mous bulk, has totally disappeared, although, along with the skeletons 

 of them which have been discovered, there are evidences of their hav- 

 ing lived on food derived from plants which are still existing. In 

 other parts of the world, the dodo and the moa have perished within 

 the last few centuries ; and the apteryx is undergoing the same fate. 



The moa or diuornis was a huge bird, of which the remains are 

 plentifully found in New Zealand. 

 Within recent historic times, this 

 colony was tenanted, to the al- 

 most entire exclusion of mam- 

 malia, by countless numbers of 

 gigantic wingless birds of various 

 genera and species, the Dinornis 

 gigantea, the largest, attaining a 

 size nearly thrice that of a full- 

 grown ostrich. From traditious 

 which are current among the Ma- 

 oris, they were fat, stupid, indo- 

 lent birds, living in forests and 

 feeding on vegetables ; while the 

 name moa seems to have been 

 given to them from their peculiar 

 cry. Since remains have been 



found in great plenty, the investigation of this singular bird is of the 

 greatest interest to students of natural history. 



It is to the Rev. Richard Taylor that the first discovery of moa 

 remains is due, which he thus describes : 



" In the beginning of 1839 I took my first journey in New Zealand to Poverty 

 Bay with the Rev. W. Williams, Bishop of Waiapu. "When we reached Waiapu, 



DINOENI9 GIGANTEA. 



