130 ANIMALS OF THE PAST 



the number of eggs of the great auk is a fixed quantity, while no 

 one knows how many more of JSpyornis remain to be discovered 

 in the swamps of Madagascar. No specimens of the gigantic 

 Patagonian birds are now in this country, but a fine example of 

 one of the smaller forms, Pelycornis, including the only breast- 

 bone yet found, is in the Museum of Princeton University. The 

 only skeleton of Diatryma is in the American Museum of Natural 

 History. 



The largest known tibia of a Moa, the longest bird-bone known, 

 is in the collection of the Canterbury Museum, Christchurch, 

 New Zealand; it is 3 feet 3 inches long. This, however, is ex- 

 ceptional, the measurements of the leg-bones of an ordinary 

 Dinornis maximus being as follows: Femur, 18 inches; tibia, 

 82 inches; tarsus, 19 inches, a total of 5 feet 9 inches. The egg 

 measures 10% by 6% inches. 



There is plenty of literature, and very interesting literature, 

 about the Moas, but, unfortunately, the best of it is not always 

 accessible, being contained in the u New Zealand Journal of 

 Science" and the " Transactions of the New Zealand Institute." 

 The volume of " Transactions" for 1893, being Vol. XXVI, con- 

 tains a very full list of articles relating to the Moas, compiled 

 by Mr. A. Hamilton; it will be found to commence on page 229. 

 There is a good article on Moa in Newton's "Dictionary of 

 Birds, " a book that should be in every library. 



