THE OOLOGIST. 



63 



The Great Moa (Diornis maxi- 

 mus.) 



4 MONG recent discoveries of the fossil 

 ■^ remains of gigantic birds, that of the 

 Moa of New Zeahind claims due promi- 

 nence, not only in regard 

 to its importance as a 

 paleontological disclos- 

 ure, but concerning its 

 history, structure, and 

 size, ornithologically. 

 There have been ascer- 

 tained to be a number of 

 species of Diornis, the 

 largest of which, D. max- 

 im us, stands about twelve 

 feet in height, and is a- 

 mong the largest fossil 

 l)irds ever discovered. Its 

 build, as will be seen in 

 tlie illustration, is very 

 stout and characteristic- 

 ally imcouth, which seems 

 to be in keeping with the 

 supposed slow and slug- 

 gish habits of the birds. 

 The great development of 

 the femur, tibia and met- 

 atai'sus, indicate a bird of 

 great power, and capable 

 of considerable speed, al- 

 though the length of the 

 two last seems dispropor- 

 tionate, and rather an im- 

 pediment. 



It is supposed the Moa 

 existed until as recently 

 as two centuries ago, and 

 that its extinction is due 

 to "bush" fires, and to 

 the continual war waged 

 against them by the natives. The birds 

 were hunted for food, and if we are to take 

 the persistency of the natives in hunting it 

 for a criterion, we must conclude it to have 

 been a favorite article of their food. Their 

 liaunts were the timbered portions of the 

 elevated country, whei'e a number of their 



SKELETON OF T 



bones, together with numerous rude imple- 

 ments and weapons have been found. It 

 did not possess even rudimentary wings, 

 as the Apteryx, but depended solely upon 

 its speed of foot for means of esca|)e from 

 enemies. It is natural to suppose that so 

 great a bird, with upright mien and out- 

 stretched neck, and pos- 

 sessing ample means by 

 which to defend itself 

 against a moderately e- 

 qnipped enemy if it chose, 

 should have been regard- 

 ed with both fear and rev- 

 erence ; but it is said the 

 natives hunted and killed 

 it, and made the occasion 

 one of their periodical 

 gala-days. 



The eggs of the Moa 

 varied somewhat in size 

 from five to six inches in 

 breadth, by eight to nine 

 or more in length, and 

 were of a dirty white col- 

 or. Only one egg was 

 laid for a hatching, for the 

 natives state that but a 

 single young bird accom- 

 panied the parents. The 

 eggs were considered a 

 delicacy, or at least a 

 much desired article of 

 food ; for the remains of 

 the shells found in various 

 parts of the islands indi- 

 cated that they must have 

 been very commonly eat- 

 en, and that the birds at 

 one time probably existed 

 in great numbers. There 

 are one or two eggs in 

 European museums, and 



HE OUEAT MOA. 



the Smithsonian Institution has a cast of 

 one in its oological collections. Little or 

 nothing is known of the nest, if indeed there 

 was any ; probably the egg was deposited 

 on the bare earth or in a hollow scraped in 

 the "round. Thei-e are a few skeletons 

 1 and numerous collections of the bones of 



