Extracts from Correspondence, Announcements, S^c. 407 



superciliaris) and of a Humming-bird from Venezuela — Chloro- 



stilbon nitens. 



Mr. D. G. Elliott of New York, F.Z.S., has lately published 

 the first part of an illustrated Monograph of the genus Pitta, of 

 which we shall give a notice in our next Number. 



The second portion of M. Le Moine's little book on the 

 Ornithology of Canada * has reached us. That this work has 

 attracted attention in Canada is evident from the fact that the first 

 edition is out of print, and that M. Le Moine has already issued 

 a second edition of part 1, of which we have also received a copy. 



XLIV. — Extracts from Correspondence, Announcements, S^c. 



Dr. F. Hochstetter informs us that he has been busy in 

 arranging the series of bones of the Moas {Dinornis, &c.) which 

 he collected in New Zealand during his sojourn there with the 

 Novara-expedition. Dr. Gustav Jager has completed the resto- 

 ration of the skeleton of Palapteryx ingens, and prepared sets of 

 plaster casts of all its bones, complete sets of which may be ob- 

 tained on application to him at Vienna for about ^61 2. The 

 bird stands about 6| feet in height. Drs. Hochstetter and 

 Jager have also prepared for exhibition skeletons of Dinornis 

 giganteus, D. robustus, D. elephantopus, and D. didifoiinis. 



" Palapteryx ingens," says Dr. Hochstetter, " (which is four- 

 toed, like Apteiyx), has certainly been exterminated but few 

 generations ago. I am of opinion that when New Zealand was 

 first peopled from the Tonga Islands, about 600 years ago, seve- 

 ral species of these giant birds (among which was Palapteryx 

 ingens) were still in existence ; that these large birds were 

 hunted by the natives and supplied them with flesh, as their 

 songs and traditions abundantly testify ; and that the failure of 

 this supply induced them, about 100 years ago, to resort to 

 the disgusting practice of cannibalism, which Cook found so 

 prevalent there." ■ 



The following are extracts from Mr. Blyth^s letters : — 



" Calcutta, April 14th, 1861. 

 " My genus Nitidula, of which I sent a description some time 



* Ornithologie de Canada, par J. M. Le Moine. Quebec, 1861, 12mo 

 398 pp. 



