Scientific Intelligence — Geology. 395 



13. On the Fossil Remains of Birds, collected in various parts of 

 New Zealand. By W. G. Mantell, Esq. — The first relic of the 

 gigantic struthious birds, which formerly inhabited these islands, 

 that was transmitted to Europe, was a small fragment of the shaft 

 of a femur or thigh-bone, only a few inches long, and so much re- 

 sembling that of an ox, tliat it was at first mistaken for such by 

 many eminent naturalists. Its true characters were, however, re- 

 cognised by Professor Owen in 1839, who proclaimed that it be- 

 longed to a bird of the ostrich family, but of far more colossal dimen- 

 sions. This prediction was soon confirmed by moi-e numei-ous re- 

 mains, sent home by the Rev. Mr Williams and Mr Earl. On 

 hearing of this discovery, ]\Ir W. Mantell endeavoured to procure 

 some more complete specimens; and in 1846, and the beginning of 

 1847, explored every known locality where they were found. All 

 the bones previously sent to this country were found embedded in the 

 mud of rivers, and were permeated and coloured more or less deeply 

 by a solution of iron. Those now sent by Mr Mantell occurred in 

 a bed of loose volcanic sand, and are light, porous, of a delicate fawn 

 colour, and with the most fragile processes uninjured ; portions of 

 the egg-shells, of the mandibles, and even of the bony rings of the air- 

 tubes being preserved. The volcanic sand has filled all the open 

 cavities of the bones ; but, not being at all consolidated, is easily re- 

 moved by shaking or by a soft brush. The locality is not men- 

 tioned on any map of New Zealand, but seems to be near the river 

 Wanganu, which takes its rise in the volcanic mountain of Ton- 

 gariro, remarkable for its boiling springs. From seven to eight 

 hundred specimens have been sent home, belonging to birds of va- 

 rious size and age. And they indicate the existence of five genera, 

 of which four were previously unknown. In certain mounds, said by 

 the natives to contain the remains of their feasts, Mr Mantell found 

 bones of the moas or gigantic birds, of dogs and men, all mixed up 

 together, and all evidently subjected to the eflects of fire. Hence 

 these birds must have lived at the same period with men who, like 

 the present natives, were cannibals. Since the bones were embedded 

 in the alluvial beds, the land seems to have been elevated ; several 

 terraces, at different heights above the sea, being seen round the 

 coast. New Zealand has thus, from a very ancient period, been 

 inhabited by a peculiar race of birds, to the almost total exclusion 

 of mammalia and I'eptilcs ; thus forming a counterpart to certain 

 geological periods, during which n ptilcs, either alone or chiefly, pre- 

 vailed, as in the case of the Galapagos islands at the present day. 



14. On the Organic Remains found in the Skiddaw Slate; with some 

 Remarks on the Classification of the Older Rocks of Cumberland and 

 Westmoreland. By the Rev. Professor Sedgwick. — Immediately 

 above the granite of Skiddaw Forest is a group of slate-rocks, of great 

 but unknown thickness, and forming hills reaching to 3000 foot in 

 height. Above this is a vast group of green roofing slates, alternating 



