1 86 PROFESSOR OWEN ch vi. 



in working at his papers on the great extinct birds 

 of New Zealand. There appeared in the ' Trans- 

 actions of the Zoological Society : ' ' On Dinor- 

 nis,' Parts XIII., XIV., XV. (Aptomis and 

 Notornis), XVI. (Apteryx, brain), and XVII. 

 These gigantic fossil birds had occupied Owen's 

 attentions since 1833, and collections of their 

 bones were often sent to him by his corre- 

 spondents. For some years it was believed that all 

 the bones were from different species of the same 

 genus, but it soon became apparent that many 

 different genera were represented by the imperfect 

 remains. Now the family of the Dinornithidse, 

 as they are called, contains, according to modern 

 authors, many genera and numerous species. 



Part II. of his researches on the dodo was 

 also issued this year. 



To his sister Maria, writing on March 2, 1868, 

 Owen says : ' I lecture at Hampstead to-night. 

 It may be my last, but people seem very fond of 

 them. I, however, begin to feel sixty-four years. 

 I have finally settled with the Government archi- 

 tect on the plans for the new museum. There 

 remains the " passing of the bill," if it be brought 

 in, then the erection of the building, so that 

 one may look for two years before anything to 

 the purpose can be done.' 



On April 8, 1868 : ' ... I presided last 

 evening at " The Club " — Due d'Aumale on my 

 right, and Lord Clarendon on the left, and a very 



