BIRDS OF NEW ZEALAND. 19 



Apteryx manteUi also, where we have 5 inches 4 hnes in length by 3 inches 

 3 lines. 



The egg of Apteryx haastii has yet to be found ; but not much will be 

 made out from this perhaps, as they apparently all follow the same law. I 

 have before me the egg of a Moa of some kind, attributed to Dinornis ingens, 

 Owen ; its length is about 9 inches, and its transverse diameter about 

 6i inches. As the exact species of this example cannot be determined to my 

 satisfaction, I do not propose to attempt to draw conclusions from it. The 

 shell is thin in proportion to the size. The history of this great egg is well 

 known. Fragments of the egg-shells of two species of TEpyornithidae 

 (which I possess through the kindness of M. Grandidier), on the contrary, 

 are of extraordinary strength and thickness. 



Captain F. W. Hutton, F.G.S., has an article on the eggs of the Moa and 

 Apteryx ('Transactions of the New-Zealand Institute,' 1871, vol. iv. p. 166). 

 He says, " the egg of the latter shows none of the prismatic structure of that 

 of Dinornis ; therefore the Moa belongs to the Struthious type, while the 

 Kiwi, in the structure of its egg-shell, belongs to the Carinatetype of birds. 



"Note. August 29, 1871. — Since reading this paper I have found the 

 following notice in the 'Zoological Record' for 1869, pt. i. p. 103: — 

 'Dinornis. — The structure of its egg-shell is essentially similar to that of 

 other Struthiones, and agrees most nearly with Rhea. W. von Nathusius, 

 Zeitschr. wissensch. Zool. xx. p. 118.' Also on p. 104 — 'Apteryx, in the 

 structure of its egg-shell, does not much agree with other Struthiones.' " 



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