258 
POPULAR SCIENCE REVIEW. 
tions of biological science it is beside my present purpose to 
enter. 
I therefore next proceed to notice the Extinct Animals of the 
Colony of 
New Zea*land. 
When Cook re-discovered,* or, for us, virtually discovered 
New Zealand, in 1769, he was accompanied by Solander, a 
pupil of Linnaeus, and by Joseph Banks, an ardent collector of 
facts and objects of Natural History. They made every effort, 
and tried every means of inquiry of the friendly natives, in 
pursuance of their quest. A dog, resembling that which they 
had seen in the Polynesian islands, and probably introduced 
into New Zealand by the Maories, was noticed, and a species of 
rat was obtained, which was fostered for food by the natives. 
Bats had flown thither, but no wild land-mammals were seen or 
heard of. Although Captain Cook was enjoined by the “Admi- 
ralty Instructions ” to bring home “ any extraneous fossils ” he 
might meet with, none such were obtained in New Zealand ; 
nor could any information be extracted as to any beast or bird 
notable for its large size that then existed or had existed in the 
island. In the Maori “Vocabulary” appended to the “Voyage,” 
neither the word “ Moa ” nor “ Movie ” occurs. The natives 
gave no sign that they knew anything of gigantic birds which 
had served their ancestors for food. 
Subsequent expeditions, having natural history more directly 
in view, sent out by the French Government, were equally un- 
successful. The accomplished zoologist Lesson, accompanied 
the Voyage de la Coquille in 1820. MM. Quoy and Gaimard 
were attached to the Astrolabe (1827). The Zoologie of both 
4 voyages was brought out in detail and with rich illustrations by 
the French Government, but no clue to the singular extinct 
avifauna of New Zealand was obtained. Confirmation was re- 
corded of the small wingless bird, the Kivi, of which Captain 
Barclay of the ship Providence, had brought to England a skin, 
in the year 1812 ; but no idea was suggested of the gigantic 
race of which that bird has proved to be the sole survivor. 
One afternoon in the year 1838, as I was preparing for a 
lecture, an individual was announced, who unwrapped a bone 
which he stated he had obtained in New Zealand from a native, 
who told him it was the bone of a great eagle, and for this 
specimen the man asked the sum of ten guineas. I assured 
him he had been misinformed, that no bird of flight had a bone 
* Abel Tasman reached the west coast of New Zealand in December 1642. 
lie made no observations on the animals or products of the islands, and 
departed, after the slaughter by the natives of four of his crew. 
