INTRODUCTION, 63 
chirurqus). These Birds, as just said, have a superficial resem- 
blance to Moor-hens and Coots, some forms of which need 
further mention here, as was before indicated *. For the 
Moor-hen of the island of Tristan d’Acunha and that Coot-like 
Bird the Notornis of New Zealand have (like the Penguins) no 
power of flight and have probably lost it. The Weka Rail of 
New Zealand (Ocydromus australis) is in the same case or nearly 
so, and is most easily caught. Various species of flightless 
Fig. 65. 

Mantell’s Notornis (Notornis mantelli). 
Birds have thus of late become extinct, like the Great Auk 
before noticed +. Thus Mantell’s Notornis (Notornis manteili) 
has become entirely extinct in the Northern Island of New 
Zealand, and is nearly extinct altogether. 
Numerous species of gigantic Birds called “ Moas” (Dinornis) 
have also been found in New Zealand, and were destroyed by 
the Maories. They were also flightless, and were of huge 
* See above, p. 19. t See above, p. 22. 
