CHAPTER IX. 
Kiwi and Moa, the wingless Birds of New Zealand. 
The Strutliionidse family. — Species now Jiving. — Aepiornis of Madagascar. — The 
Dodo of Mauritius. — Discovery of the Kiwi (Apteryx) in New Zealand. — Three, perhaps 
four, different species of Kiwi. — Discovery of Moa bones. — Dinornis , Palapteryx. — Eggs. — 
Moa stones. — New discoveries in the caves of (he Aorere Valley. — Complete skeleton of 
Palapteryx ingens. — Distribution of the Mods. — Different species upon (he North and South 
Island. — Whether still living or extinct? — Causes of (heir dying out. — The giant-birds 
ol New Zealand once the chief game of the natives. — Cannibalism the consequence of the 
extermination of the Moos. — Struggle of life. Appendix. Comparative table of the size of 
Strut liionidse. 
The family of the ostrich-like birds (Struthionidse) can boast 
not only of the most marvellous forms, wholly different from the 
common type of birds, but also of by far the largest represen- 
tatives of the “feathery tribe”. Therefore they are also called 
giant-birds ( Proceri ). They are birds with short, rudimentary 
wings, which are totally unfit for flying. The muscular power, 
which nature lias to dispose of in this case, would not have 
sufficed to keep the bulk of such birds in the air. Hence the 
bones are almost without air-cells, the breastbone is a convex 
plate without ridge, the muscles of the breast are thin; their plu- 
mage is loose and flabby; the feathers light and shaggy, resembling 
hair. Instead, however, the muscles of the upper and lower thighs 
are of unusual strength and thickness , the feet are long and most 
fully developed for running, with two or three toes having a cal- 
