144 • Notes and Memoranda. 



Should this opinion be correct, there is no reason why these 

 gigantic birds (in comparison with which the ostrich itself is a 

 pigmy) should not be living at the present time ; such an event is not 

 at all impossible. The forests in the interior of ~New Zealand have 

 never been explored, even by the natives themselves, and the birds 

 of the ostrich tribe are remarkable for their shyness and wariness. 

 The ostrich itself in the open desert is only to be observed at a 

 great distance, and a shy bird capable of quick movement on 

 the surface of the earth might easily escape observation in the 

 sparsely populated and dense forest of ISTew Zealand. The bones are 

 deposited in the museum of the Yorkshire Philosophical Society. 

 In all probability they will prove on examination to be those of a 

 male, as the females of this group of birds leave the duties of incu- 

 bation to their mates. This fact has been noticed in those that 

 have hatched in the Zoological Gardens and elsewhere. Thus the 

 male Emu of Mr. Bennett at Brockham, hatched ten young birds 

 this season, after setting fifty-nine days. The male Mooruk, Cas- 

 uarius Bennettii, sits for seven weeks. The Bheas for five weeks, 

 and the male Ostrich, which hatched in the Zoological Gardens at 

 Marseilles in 1861, sat for forty- five days; the female taking no 

 part whatever in the duties of incubation. 



NOTES AND MEMORANDA. 



Sun-spots and Planetary Positions, — Mr. Dalfour Stewart continues the 

 interesting inquiry which was explained in his important paper in No. xxx. Intel- 

 lectual Oesekvee, and he has communicated to the Astronomical Society 

 {Monthly Notices, No. 8) some fresh observations on the large spot period of 

 about 56 years, traced by Professor Wolf. Mr. Stewart shows that dates so com- 

 puted — 1836 being the last— correspond approximately to the times when Jupiter 

 and Saturn come to aphelion together, which happens once in 59 years. 



New Telescopes by Steinheil. — Mr. De la Eue reports most favourably of a 

 telescope on anew construction by Dr. Steinheil, which was exhibited at his soiree, 

 and erroneously described in certain journals as accoixling to the formula of Gauss. 

 It has a 4-inch aperture, and 40 French inches focal length. Dr. Steinheil is, 

 according to Monthly Notices, engaged upon another instrument, 6-inch aperture, 

 with object-glass of 3 lenses, and only 30 inches focus. 



New Peanet.— Mr. Pogson writes to the Astronomcr-Eoyal that his last new 

 planet proves to be identical with Freia, but he has since discovered an undoubted 

 new one, to which he assigns the name of Sappho. It is 10 - -1 ma". 



Feesh Human Possies erom Moulin Quignon.— M. Quatrefages has laid 

 before the French Academy a fresh batch of human* remains, obtained from 

 Moulin Quignon under circumstances of great precaution against error or fraud. 

 Amongst them is a lower jaw and a skull. 



Comets I. and II., 1861. — M. Tempel gives the following particulars re- 

 specting the new comet observed by him on the 5th Jul}', and by M. Eespighi 

 the next day. Perihelion passage, 7"05 Sep., Marseilles mean time ; distance at 

 perihelion, 0823 ; Long, at ditto, 289° 37' ; R. A., GG° 56' ; Inclination, 1° 15' ; 

 Retrograde. The second Comet is a small one, seen by Douati in Coma 

 Berenices. 



