viii 



INTRODUCTION 



these old writers only mentioned such species which impressed themselves 

 on their memories either from their size, peculiar shape, beauty of plumage, 

 or excellence and usefulness for food — in fact the culinary property of the 

 various birds seems to have been their principal interest. One of the most 

 interesting phenomena connected with recently extinct birds is the 

 resemblance of the fauna of the Mascarene Islands and that of the Chatham 

 Islands in the possession of a number of large flightless Rails, though the 

 significance of this fact has been much exaggerated. 



On the whole, this book is confined to species actually known to be 

 extinct, but a few are included of which a small number is still known to 

 exist, because firstly there seems no doubt that they will vanish soon, and 

 secondly, as in the case of Notornis, it was necessary to clear up certain 

 misconceptions and contradictory statements. In the case of a few species 

 believed to be quite extinct, it is possible that some individuals may still 

 exist in little known parts of their range, while on the other hand it is 

 more than likely that several of the species referred to in my lecture (Proc. 

 Orn. Congress pp. 191-207, 1907) as threatened with destruction, have 

 already ceased to live. This may also be the case with some birds not 

 alluded to at all. 



In several instances I have treated of extinct flightless species under 

 genera including existing species capable of flight. This may appear to be 

 inconsistent, seeing that I maintain Notornis separate from Porfthyrio, but, 

 while not considering Sightlessness in itself a generic character, the great 

 development of the wing-coverts and the modification of the toes appear of 

 sufficient generic value in this case. I know that several of the most 

 eminent ornithologists of the day, among them Dr. Sharpe, differ from me, 

 and are convinced that the loss of the power of flight is so profound a 

 modification, that it is imperative that we should treat it as sufficient 

 for generic distinction. 



While agreeing that many genera are founded on much less striking 

 modifications, I cannot concur in this opinion, for, unless the loss of the 

 power of flight is also accompanied by other changes, in some cases it is 

 difficult to find at first sight even specific differences other than the 

 aborted wings. 



The cause of recent extinction among birds is in most cases due 

 directly or indirectly to man, but we also have instances of birds becoming 

 extinct for no apparent reason whatever. 



Man has destroyed, and is continually destroying species directly, either for 



