Extracts from Correspondence, Announcements, fyc. 407 
superciliaris) and of a Humming-bird from Venezuela— Chloro- 
stilhon nitens . ——- 
Mr. D. G. Elliott of New York, E.Z.S., has lately published 
the first part of an illustrated Monograph of the genus Pitta, of 
which we shall give a notice in our next Number. 
The second portion of M. Le Moine's little book on the 
Ornithology of Canada * has reached us. That this work has 
attracted attention in Canada is evident from the fact that the first 
edition is out of print, and that M. Le Moine has already issued 
a second edition of part 1, of which we have also received a copy. 
XLIV.— Extracts from Correspondence, Announcements , tyc. 
Dr. E. Hochstetter informs us that he has been busy in 
arranging the series of bones of the Moas ( Dinornis , &c.) which 
he collected in New Zealand during his sojourn there with the 
Novara-expedition. Dr. Gustav Jager has completed the resto¬ 
ration of the skeleton of Palapteryx ingens, and prepared sets of 
plaster casts of all its bones, complete sets of which may be ob¬ 
tained on application to him at Vienna for about j 612. The 
bird stands about 6f feet in height. Drs. Hochstetter and 
Jager have also prepared for exhibition skeletons of Dinornis 
giganteus, D. robustus, D. elephant opus, and D. didiformis . 
“ Palapteryx ingens,” says Dr. Hochstetter, “ (which is four¬ 
toed, like Apteryx ), has certainly been exterminated but few 
generations ago. I am of opinion that when New Zealand was 
first peopled from the Tonga Islands, about 600 years ago, seve¬ 
ral species of these giant birds (among which was Palapteryx 
ingens) were still in existence; that these large birds were 
hunted by the natives and supplied them with flesh, as their 
songs and traditions abundantly testify; and that the failure of 
this supply induced them, about 100 years ago, to resort to 
the disgusting practice of cannibalism, which Cook found so 
prevalent there.” - 
The following are extracts from Mr. Blythes letters:— 
“ Calcutta, April 14th, 1861. 
“ My genus Nitidula, of which I sent a description some time 
* Ornithologie de Canada, par J. M. Le Moine. Quebec, 1861, 12mo. 
398 pp. 
