SS8 CURSORES. 



frequently swallow a large apple entire, trusting to the pebbles, 

 &c., in its stomach to bruise it.&quot; The name Emu, formerly 

 given to this bird, is now restricted to the following. 



The Emu, Dromaius, (Gr. Dromaios, running swiftly,) is a na 

 tive of New Holland, and in size and other respects closely re 

 sembles the Cassowary ; but its plumage is thicker as its feathers 

 are more barbed ; the wings are small and hardly to be distin 

 guished ; but as a runner, it outstrips the swiftest greyhound. 

 The dogs are shy of this bird on account of its powerful kicks, 

 so powerful that by means of them it can break a man s leg. 



The Kivi-Kivi, Apteryx, (Gr. a, priv. ; pterux, wing,) of New 

 Zealand, is a remarkably odd bird, appearing to hold among the 

 feathered tribes of Polynesia, a position parallel to the Ornithor 

 hyncus, or New Holland Mole, among the quadrupeds. Its bones 

 are not hollow like those of other birds, and it has no abdominal 

 air cells. It has no wings and only the most simple rudiments, 

 ending in a sharp hook, which seems to be an instrument of de 

 fence ; it is also tailless. Upon its very long and slender beak 

 it leans forward as an old man would upon a stick. It is a noc 

 turnal bird, pursuing its prey on the ground by the smell rather 

 than by the sight. The olfactory openings are near the point of 

 the beak ; and thus it scents the worms on which it feeds, far be 

 low the surface of the ground. In the Zoological gardens, Lon 

 don, (Eng.,) is the only one ever seen out of New Zealand. The 

 native name, Kivi-Kivi, is given to it on account of its peculiar 

 cry. The apteryx is becoming quite rare in its native clime, 

 and it is thought will, in a few years, become extinct. 



Dinornis. This word represents a genus of struthious or Os 

 trich like birds formerly existing in New Zealand, and known 

 there by the name of MOVIE, or MOA ; but now, However, extinct, 

 having been exterminated by human agency within a recent 

 period ; or if any of the species whose bones are found in a fos 

 sil state are still living, they are probably of the smaller forms 

 and related to the Apteryx, &quot; the only living diminutive repre 

 sentative of the stupendous Ostrich-like birds which once trod 

 the soil of New Zealand.&quot; 



Mr. W. Mantel, son of Dr. Mantel, of Eng., while on a visit 

 to New Zealand, collected between seven hundred and eight 

 hundred bones belonging to birds of various sizes, which were 

 submitted to the examination of Prof. Owen. The Professor 

 referred these to the genera Dinornis, Palapteryx, Notornis, and 

 Aptornis. A part of the bones were found on the banks of the 

 river Waingougou, on the western shore of North Island. 

 With these were mixed fragments of egg shells. The eggs to 



