400 
Miscellanea. 
DISCOVERY OF THE EGGS OF THE MOA, OR DINORNIS, OF NEW 
ZEALAND. 
An interesting discovery lias lately been made by Mr. Walter 
Mantell, of Wellington, New Zealand. In an exploring tour i n 
search of the remains of the colossal ostrich-like birds, which once 
inhabited New Zealand, and whose bones occur in the alluvial 
sand and silt of the rivers. Mr. Mantell discovered imbedded 
with the bones fragments of their eggs. The specimens which he 
has transmitted to his father, Dr. Mantell, are portions of very 
large eggs, which in their general aspect resemble those of the 
ostrich, but differ in their markings, and relative thickness and 
size. The edges of these fragments are, for the most part, water- 
worn ; the external surface is marked by short, interrupted, irre¬ 
gular linear grooves variously disposed in different specimens._ 
probably indicative of specific distinctions. They are altogether 
unlike the small circular pits on the shell of the ostrich. From 
the small degree of convexity, even of the largest fragments, it j s 
obvious that they belonged to eggs of considerable magnitude. 
Among the bones collected by Mr. Walter Mantell (amounting 
to 700 or 800), and now on their way to England, are portions of 
several skulls and mandibles. The latter will be an important 
addition to our knowledge of the nature and affinities of the 
original; for no vestiges of that part of the skeleton have previously 
been obtained. Although the state of preservation of the bones 
and the egg-shells proves that they are not, geologically speaking, 
of great antiquity, and renders it probable that the last of their 
race may have existed contemporaneously with the human race 
yet Mr. Mantell could obtain no trustworthy evidence to warrant 
the conclusion that any living Moa had been seen by the present 
inhabitants or their immediate progenitors. The circumstance of 
the natives knowing the bones to belong to birds, and distin¬ 
guishing them by the name of Moa, or sacred bird, long ere they 
had been examined by Europeans, and when they would not 
have been aware of the existence of any birds larger than their 
own small apteryx, is, however, considered by Mr. Walter Mantell 
as confirmatory of the native traditions, that they abounded in 
former times, and were hunted by the natives for food.— Athe¬ 
naeum, for September, 1847. 
