1356 The Zoologist — September, 1868. 



All of them fell by the hand of man, and following out the theory 

 already suggested, believing that the future is merely a continuation of 

 the past, we cannot fail to see that hundreds of species now tottering 

 over their graves will ere long cease from the earth, and their place 

 will know them no more : let me enumerate a few. 



1. The Bison or Aurochs {Bison europceus), a huge boviue formerly 

 as abundant as the Urus of Caesar in every part of the European con- 

 tinent, is now restricted to some half-dozen herds in the forests of 

 Lithuania. 



2. The Emeu (Dromaius irroraius) inhabits the interior of Aus- 

 tralia, and used formerly to be most abundant, and was always sought 

 with avidity by the native Australian, who laid in wait to strike him 

 with a spear; but since the white mau has planted his foot in that new 

 World, and has pursued the emeu with dog and gun, it has decreased 

 so rapidly that before many years it must be exterminated : it owes 

 its present existence to the difficulty and danger which attend pene- 

 trating to the interior. 



3. The Cassowary (Casuarius galeatus) is a native of the Eastern 

 Archipelago, and has been found in the islands of Banda, Ceram, 

 Sumatra and Java: it is remarkable for its large size, great strength, 

 and fierce resolute disposition, qualities which almost ensure its 

 speedy extinction : so large a bird, perhaps the largest with the 

 exception of the ostrich, cannot coexist with the enterprising 

 Caucasian. 



4. The Mouruk (Casuarius Bennettii) is another bird of the same 

 family, but scarcely so large in size. I believe it has only been 

 found in the small island of New Britain, to the north of New Guinea : 

 it seems to be readily domesticated, but to possess none of those 

 qualities which might induce the Caucasian to protect and preserve it; 

 it must therefore perish before many generations have passed. 



The three species of kiwi kiwi (Apteryx), the manumea (Didun- 

 cuius), the kakapo [Strigops habroptilus), the aratoo (Microglossum), 

 the hawk parrot (Dasyplilus Pesquetii), and the vast family of kan- 

 garoos, containing a hundred species and myriads of individuals, are 

 all exhibiting so rapid a numerical decadence, without the slightest 

 probability, I might almost say possibility, of its being arrested, that 

 I can only be surprised the fact has not more forcibly attracted the 

 attention of our philosophic naturalists. 



Nevertheless the examples I have given of large species expired, 

 expiring, or apparently doomed to expire, before many generations 



