194 Walter Rothschild: 



probable that individuals lingered on up to 1650 or 1700. 

 It is evident from all traditions that the Maoris only 

 became cannibals after the extinction of the unfortunate 

 Moas. 



I exhibit a skeleton of Dinornis robustus, one of Anomalo- 

 pteryx parvus, cast of egg, and some feathers of Mesopteryx 

 casuarinus, and an egg and drawing of M. didinus, as well as 

 a restored drawing of Dinornis giganteus, a skeleton of 

 Anomalopteryx didiformis, and a skeleton of Pachyornis 

 elephantopus. 



We now pass to the Madagascar Aepyornithidae, which 

 are only known from bones and eggs ; there are 13 

 species described, divided into two genera, Aepyornis and 

 Midler omis, of which A. titan is much the largest ; Aepyornis 

 with 10 species, maximus, médius, modestus, ingens, lentus, 

 mutter i, titan, cursor, hildebrandti, and grandidieri, of these 

 the most perfectly known is A. hildebrandti, of which several 

 nearly complete skeletons are in museums. Of maximus, 

 titan, and médius, besides various bones, complete eggs are 

 in collections. The three species of Mullerornis, e.g., M. 

 betsilei, agilis, and rudis, are small slender forms, as yet very 

 incompletely known. The Aepyornithidae were enormously 

 bulky birds and had a hind toe, though even A. titan was 

 not so tall as Dinornis maximus. 



I exhibit a skeleton of Aepyornis hildebrandti, some bones, 

 a restored leg, and two eggs of A. titan, and an egg of A. 

 maximus. 



In the deposits in Madagascar in which are found the 

 remains of Aepyornis there also occur numerous bird bones. 

 In addition to a number of odd bones of Ducks, etc., Mr. 

 Andrews has described four species — two Geese, a Darter 

 and a Rail — Gentrornis majori, Ghenalopex sirabensis, Plotus 

 nanus, and Tribonyx roberti from the collections of Dr. 

 Forsyth Major and his assistant, Monsieur Robert. 



We now come to a very large number of most interesting 

 species, known only from osseous remains, which were con- 

 temporaneous with the Moas in New Zealand. I will first 

 deal with the Pallidas, as they have excited immense interest 

 owing to the discovery of a living species of Notomis. The 

 first of these are the large Ostrich Coots Aptorn is, comprising 



