The Zoologist — September, 1868. 1353 



there appears to have been an earlier French edition, since that 

 dated 1720 is the second. The species was probably entirely de- 

 stroyed about the year 1700. 



5. Palapteryx. Two enormous species of this genus of apterous 

 birds existed in New Zealand formerly, and probably up to the middle 

 of the last century : nothing is known of them beyond Professor 

 Owen's admirable description of their bones, which are in a state of 

 excellent preservation. 



6. The Blue Bird. The oiseau bleu of French voyagers {Porphy- 

 riopsis cyaneus), a bird as large as a goose and entirely of a blue 

 colour, was discovered on the Isle of Bourbon when visited by M. de 

 la Haye about 1658 : its beak and feet are described as having been 

 bright red. This was probably a bird of the rail tribe, and perhaps 

 allied to Notornis Mantellii. It was certainly in existence in 1735; 

 and there is presumptive evidence that it survived as lately as 1763. 



7. The Rytina or Stelleria (Rytina Stelleri) has a historical 

 existence of only about twenty-seven years. This species was dis- 

 covered in 1741 and died in 1768. There are many reasons for 

 believing this may have been the mermaid of which so many circum- 

 stantial accounts have reached us from the northern seas. We have 

 its complete history from the pen of Steller, a Russian naturalist. It 

 was an enormous marine animal having a general superficial resem- 

 blance to a seal, and inhabited in great numbers Behring's Straits and 

 the neighbouring seas. Its head was not separated from its body by 

 any distinct neck ; it had small eyes, and no external ears beyond a 

 small opening on each side of the head; it had a thick and white 

 moustache several inches long on the upper lip; its food was sea- 

 weed, which it tore from the rocks with its thick lips, which somewhat 

 resembled those of a cow ; it possessed but four teeth, all of them molar, 

 one of them on each side of each jaw and occupying its entire surface ; 

 these great teeth had a flat crown composed of enamel disposed in 

 transverse ridges as in the elephant. The females had very prominent 

 breasts shaped like those of a woman, and placed between the arm- 

 like flappers or fins, with which she clasped or hugged her young. 

 These creatures generally swam with the body half out of the water, 

 and often in an erect position. The length was twenty-five feet 

 and upwards, the girth twenty feet and upwards, and the weight 

 four tons and upwards. They were most lethargic and inoffensive 

 creatures, and being highly prized as food for men were slain without 

 mercy. Every ship that visited these seas supplied itself with their 



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