ORNITHOLOGY IN 1850. 
the Government as native interpreter, stated to me, that in the latter 
end of 1813, he saw the flesh of the Moa in Molyneaux Harbour. 
Since that period he has seen feathers of the same kind in the 
natives’ hair. They were of a black or dark colour, with a purple 
edge, having quills like those of the albatross in size, but much 
coarser. He saw a Moa bone which reached four inches above his 
hip from the ground, and as thick as his knee, with flesh and sinews 
upon it. The flesh looked like bull beef. The slaves, who were 
from the interior, said that it was still to be found inland. The 
natives told him, that the one whose flesh he had seen was a dead 
one, which they had found accidentally. That they had often en- 
deavoured to snare them, but without success. A man named 
George Pauley, now living in Foveaux Straits, told him he had seet 
the Moa, which he described as being an immense monster, standing 
about twenty feet high. He saw it near a lake in the interior. It 
ran from him, and he also ran from it. He saw its footmarks 
before he came to the river Fairi and the mountains, Thomas 
Chapeland, the man who interpreted for Meurant, was well ac- 
quainted with the Maori language. He also saw the flesh, and at 
first they thought it was human,’ ”’ 
‘As our acquaintance with the birds of the southern hemisphere 
and with the less known islands increases, we shall in all probability 
gain more information respecting the “ wingless birds” as they have 
been termed, and be able better to trace the modifications of that 
remarkable ornithic deviation, where the important and charac 
teristic organ is either abortive or rendered incapable of its fun¢ 
tions by a peculiarity of structure. The attention of the Linnza? 
Society was lately called by Mr. Westwood to the existence of 4 
_* wingless bird” on Lord Howe’s Island, situate between New 
Holland and Norfolk Island. Here Captain Poole, of the East 
India Company's service, discovered the bird in question. It 8 
about the size of a rail, and was considered good eating by the 
settlers, A note from Mr. Westwood, since received, states, that 
specimens had reached Sydney, and might soon be expected in this 
country. 
If we except the Notornis already mentioned, and the singular 
bird from Africa lately described by Mr. Gould, under the name ° 
Baleniceps, there has been no great additions made to our ornitho- 
logical knowledge or collections during the past year. Some very 
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