NATATORES. 39 1 



in question have been found in New Zealand, where there 

 have been obtained the bones of several species of large wing- 

 less birds, referred by Owen to the genera Dinornis, Palap- 

 teryx, and Aptornis. The Dinornis gigantens must have been 

 one of the most gigantic of the whole class of birds, the tibia 

 measuring upwards of a yard in length, and the skeleton indi- 

 cating a bird which stood at least ten feet in height. In an- 

 other species, the Dinornis elephantopus, the " framework of 

 the skeleton is the most massive of any in the whole class of 

 birds/' and " the toe-bones almost rival those of the Elephant " 

 (Owen). The feet were furnished with three anterior toes, 

 and are of interest as presenting us with an undoubted bird 

 big enough to produce the largest of the footprints of the 

 Triassic Sandstones of Connecticut. There is reason to be- 

 lieve, from the traditions of the Maories, that the Dinornis was 

 living at no very remote period, and that it has been exter- 

 minated by man. 



In Madagascar, bones have been discovered of a bird as 

 large as, or larger than, the Dinornis giganteus, which has been 

 described under the name of the dEpiornis maximus. With 

 the bones have been found eggs measuring from thirteen to 

 fourteen inches in diameter, and computed to be as big as 

 three ostrich-eggs, or one hundred and forty-eight hens' eggs. 

 Unlike New Zealand, where there is the Apteryx, Madagascar 

 itself has no living wingless birds ; but in the neighbouring 

 island of Mauritius the Dodo has been exterminated less than 

 three hundred years ago ; and the little island of Rodriguez, in 

 the same geographical province, has in a similar period lost 

 the wingless Solitaire (Pezophaps). 



In the following are given the characters of the orders of the 

 Birds, with the range of each in time, so far as known : 



ORDER I. NATATORES. The order of the Natatores, or 

 Swimmers, comprises a number of birds which are as much or 

 even more at home in the water than upon the land. In 

 accordance with their aquatic habit of life, the Natatores have 

 a boat-shaped body, usually with a long neck. The legs are 

 short, and placed behind the centre of gravity of the body, 

 this position enabling them to act admirably as paddles, at the 

 same time that it renders the gait upon dry land more or less 

 awkward and shuffling. In all cases the toes are " webbed," 

 or united by membrane to a greater or less extent. In many 

 instances the membrane or web is stretched completely from 

 toe to toe ; but in others the web is divided or split up between 

 the toes, so that the toes are fringed with membranous borders, 

 and the feet are only imperfectly webbed. 



