in a condition very similar to that of the inhabitants of high 
northern latitudes at the present day,—and from a consideration of 
all the chcumstances, we are led to the conclusion, that these 
Eeindeer hunters of Perigord must have lived during at least a 
portion of the glacial period. 
June 7.—Dn. Gibson read a paper “On the Moas of New 
Zealand,” with especial reference to a specimen of one of the large 
species (Dinornis rolustusj, lately received by him and presented to 
the Museum. Dr. Gibson first described the general characters of 
the wingless or short-winged birds forming the Struthious order, 
which includes the living Ostriches, Emeus, and Cassowaries, and 
then referred to the occurrence of the remains of gigantic birds of 
the same conformation in the superficial deposits of many parts of 
the world. These remains are most abundant in New Zealand, 
where they began to attract the attention of scientific men in 1839, 
in wliich year the earliest bones brought to this country were 
described by Professor Owen as belonging to species of a peculiar 
genus of birds to which he gave the name of Dinornis. Great 
quantities of the bones have since been brought to this country, 
but nearly perfect skeletons are very rare. Dr. Gibson thought 
that the weight of evidence went to prove that these birds had been 
enthely extinct for many years, although the fresh condition of 
many parts of the skeleton presented by him would seem to be 
opposed to such a notion. The low flat skull and small spinal 
canal indicate that they were stupid, indolent birds, comparatively 
slow in action. They lived on vegetable food; and Dr. Gibson 
called attention to the peculiar form of the beak and the great 
strength of the neck, as admirably adapting them for digging up 
the fern-roots, which, in all probability, constituted their chief 
nourishment. The specimen presented by Dr. Gibson was found 
in the autumn of 1863 in a sand-drift, in the settlement of Otago, 
middle Island of New Zealand. It has been forwarded to England, 
along with fragments of egg-shell and some small bones, which 
indicate that it must have been sitting upon four or five young 
birds at the time of its death. The skeleton, which wants only a 
few bones to be quite perfect, presents many points of great 
interest;—those principally indicated by Dr. Gibson were the last 
joint in the tail, the remains of skin and feathers on the back, and 
the rough sole of one foot. 
