428 Reports and Proceedings — 



In Eodriguez nearly the same form, M-ythromachus, was also once 

 common. In Australia we have the Emeu and Cassowary living, 

 and the extinct Dromornis and Genyornis. In New Zealand about 

 twenty species of Dinornis, or ' Moa,' the largest attaining a height 

 of at least twelve feet, were once most abundant, and peopled both 

 islands (as the presence of their bones everywhere testifies), but have 

 now been entirely exterminated by the Maoris, as the similar large 

 bird, the ^pyornis, was destroyed by the natives in Madagascar, 

 The surviving form is the 'Kiwi' or Apteryx, which is also found 

 fossil (Diaphorapteryx) in the Chatham Islands 500 miles to the east 

 of Port Lyttelton, New Zealand. Cabalus, a flightless Crake, akin 

 to the Woodhens, also survives in the Chatham Islands. This 

 Cabalus occurs also on Lord Howe Island, 300 miles off the coast of 

 Eastern Australia to the far north-west of Chatham Island. 



Of other flightless birds, we have the Aptornis defossor, a large 

 extinct Eail, and Mantell's Notornis, recently killed off in New 

 Zealand, a Porphyria also in New Zealand and Norfolk Island. 



The Penguins, of which many species are known, occur on the 

 islands and continents of all the Southern lands, just as the Great 

 Auk was at one time distributed around all the circumpolar lands in 

 the Northern Hemisphere, but the Great Auk was not found within 

 the Arctic circle. 



AusTKALiA possesses a peculiar existing fauna belonging to the 

 Monotremata and Marsupialia. The former : OrnithorhyncJius and 

 Echidna represent the sole surviving forms of the lowest division of 

 the Mammalia, viz. the Pkototheeia, and to the order Monotremata 

 (egg-laying Mammals), which are confined to Australasia (New 

 Guinea, Australia, and Tasmania). The latter comprising the 

 pouched Mammals, known as the Kangaroos, "Wombats, Dasyure, 

 Thylacine, Eat-Kangaroo ; Macropus, Eock- Wallabies (Petrogale), 

 Hare- Wallaby (Lagorchestes) , Dorcopsis, Dendrologiis (Tree-Kan- 

 garoo) ; Bettongia, etc. 



Fossil forms are numerous, some like Diprotodon and Nototherium 

 far exceeding the living forms in size. There are also many other 

 fossil genera, described by Owen, such as Sihenurus, Frocoptodon, 

 Palorchestes. In Diprotodon the fore and hind limbs are not 

 difi"erentiated, but are of nearly equal length and not adapted 

 for rapid movement. Added to these are the Phalangers, Cuscus, 

 Flying Phalangers ; the Koala ; and the extinct Thylacoleo carnifex, 

 most probably related to the Wombats (Phascolomys). Added to 

 these are the Bandicoots (Perameles) ; the Tasmanian Wolf 

 (Thylacinus) ; the Tasmanian Devil (Dasyurus) ; the Pouched Mole 

 (Notoryctes) ; and the Opossums (Didelphys), these last being common 

 to America and Australia. 



The curious and now almost extinct ' Tuatara ' Lizard (^Sphenodon 

 or Hatteria), now confined to an islet off the North Island of 

 New Zealand, formerly existed also in Chatham Islands 500 miles 

 distant by sea. 



The most remarkable discovery of late years bearing upon the 

 wide distribution of similar animals over the Southern continents 



