130 THE WONDERS OF GEOLOGY. Lect. II. 



natives to a gigantic bird, which they deemed sacred, and 

 called Moa, before these relics had been examined by any 

 European, and when the New Zealanders could not have 

 known of the existence of a bird larger than their own 

 Apteryx. The native traditions assert the former abun- 

 dance of these birds, and the existence of the race at the 

 present time, within the hallowed and not to be violated 

 precincts of Tongariro. But though, from the state of the 

 bones, it is probable that the Moa (if extinct) was exter- 

 minated, like the Irish Elk, and the Dodo, by man, yet no 

 trustworthy evidence has been obtained to prove that it 

 was ever contemporary with the present inhabitants.* 



The bones hitherto sent to this country belong to nume- 

 rous individuals, and are referable to seven or more 

 species, materially differing from each other in size. A 

 considerable portion of the cranium has been obtained, and 

 this approximates very nearly to the skull of the Dodo. 



Thus we have certain evidence that the Islands of New 

 Zealand (which are situated between the 30th and 50th 

 degrees of south latitude, and are about 900 miles in length) 

 were inhabited, at no very remote period, by numerous 

 species of struthious {Ostrich-like) birds, some of much 

 greater magnitude than any now known to exist; that 

 these are extinct, and but one solitary and diminutive 

 type of this wingless race, the Apteryx, remains ; and 

 this, in all probability, is destined to be speedily exter- 

 minated. 



7. The Dodo (Diclus ineptus). — A remarkable instance 

 of the extirpation of a very peculiar type of organization is 

 afforded by the Dodo, which has been annihilated, and 

 become a denizen of the fossil kingdom, almost before our 

 eyes. The Dodo was a terrestrial bird of the struthious 



* For a full account of the Moa, see Professor Owen's Memoir in the 

 Zoological Transactions; also my Medals of Creation, vol. ii. p. 816. 



