Analysis of the Moa Bones. 



291 



perfect, the quantity of animal matter was thirty per cent. — 

 the animal matter retaining the figure of the bone after the 

 inorganic matter had been extracted by muriatic acid. Se- 

 veral of the tracheal rings were found entire, and had a 

 remarkably recent-like appearance. 



For the purpose of testing the accuracy of my analysis, I 

 transmitted several specimens of Moas' bones to Theophilus 

 Heale, Esq., of the Great Barrier Copper Ore Mine, and he 

 gave me the subjoined as the composition of the cancellated 

 head of a very decayed tibia, viz. — 



Carbonic acid 



Animal matter 



Insoluble earthy matter 



Lime 



Phosphoric acid 



Magnesia 



A small amount of the peroxide of iron '00 



Loss 234 



4*80 decimal parts. 



5-50 



6-50 



45-66 



34-50 



•70 



100-00 



Mr Heale found that the more solid bones contained a much 

 greater amount of animal matter. The bone submitted to 

 the foregoing careful analysis had a pale brown colour, was 

 very light and porous, the outer shell was much destroyed, 

 and the cellular structure, although perfect, contained a 

 quantity of earthy matter. 



The composition of recent Moas' bones is unknown ; but 

 as the bones of the Moas resemble the bones of quadrupeds 

 in containing marrow, and as the bones of quadrupeds are 

 composed of about one-third of animal, and two-thirds of 

 earthy and alkaline salts, let us take them as a subject of 

 comparison. 



It therefore appears that some of the Moas' bones had 

 lost a considerable quantity of their animal matter, and 

 others very little. Now, what conclusion can be drawn 

 from this as to their probable age X 



I can find no experiments which will enable me to answer 

 this question. In the widely-scattered bone brecciae of the 



