PROFESSOR OWEN 
CH VI. 
1 86 
in working at his papers on the great extinct birds 
of New Zealand. There appeared In the ‘ Trans- 
actions of the Zoological Society : ’ ‘ On Dinor- 
nis, Parts XIII., XIV., XV. i^Aptornis and 
Notornis), XVI. {^Apteryx, brain), and XVII. 
I hese gigantic fossil birds had occupied Owen’s 
attentions since 1833, and collections of their 
bones were often sent to him by his corre- 
spondents. For some years It was believed that all 
the bones were from different species of the same 
genus, but it soon became apparent that many 
different genera were represented by the imperfect 
remains. Now the family of the Dinornithidae, 
as they are called, contains, according to modern 
authors, many genera and numerous species. 
Part II. of his researches on the dodo was 
also issued this year. 
To his sister Maria, writing on March 2, 1868, 
Owen says ; ‘ I lecture at Hampstead to-night. 
It may be my last, but people seem very fond of 
them. I, however, begin to feel sixty-four years. 
I have finally settled with the Government archi- 
tect on the plans for the new museum. There 
remains the “ passing of the bill,” if it be brought 
in, then the erection of the building, so that 
one may look for two years before anything to 
the purpose can be done.’ 
On April 8, 1868 : ‘ . . . I presided last 
evening at ” The Club ” — Due d’Aumale on my 
right, and Lord Clarendon on the left, and a very 
