1843-44 DR. BUCKLAND AND DINORNIS 211 



bones, and from three additional specimens con- 

 fided to me, evidence has been obtained of six 

 distinct species of the genus, ascending respec- 

 tively from the size of the great bustard to that 

 of the dodo, of the emu and of the ostrich, and 

 finally attaining a stature far surpassing three of 

 the once-deemed most gigantic of birds.' 



Dr. Buckland writes thus to Owen from 

 Oxford on the subject of the dinornis bones : — 



' . . . I am now going to write to Mr. 

 Williams, which I have waited to do until the 

 arrival of the second box in its full amplitude 

 of gigantic proportions, which has at length 

 happily taken place, and will, I trust, afford ma- 

 terials for a volume that shall be a fit pendant 

 to your " Mylodon robustus." The Premier and 

 his royal guest were astounded at the height 

 of dinornis. "Exactly," said Sir Robert, "the 

 height of this library," so he had a standard at 

 hand whereby to get an idea of sixteen feet. 

 Happy dinornis, whose bones and giant-strides 

 will not be unknown to posterity, carent quia vate 

 sacro. I think it right to desire you to select for 

 the College museum the most perfect and best 

 bones from the second box as from the first ; but 

 before I make over my property in the said bones 

 I reserve to myself the power to take such of 

 them as I may wish, either to Oxford to exhibit 

 at a meeting there, or to show them to Prince 



Albert at any place he may wish to have them 



p 2 



