THE MOIIO ; OR, NOTORNIS MANTELLI. 
UNIQUE BIRD FROM NEW ZEALAND. 
In the Illustrated London News of the 18th May last, in our report of a lecture 
on the “ Extinct Birds of New Zealand,” delivered by Dr. Mantell, before the 
Royal Institution, allusion was made to the discovery, by Mr. Walter Mantell, of 
the bones of other supposed extinct species and genera of birds associated with 
those of the Moa, or Dinornis, Of these, the most remarkable were the skulls 
and other parts of the skeleton of a very large and peculiar form of the Rail 
family ( Rallidce ), which are described by Professor Owen in the “ Zoological 
Transactions,” under the name ofNoTORNis (Southern bird) Mantelli. Accord¬ 
ing to the traditions of the Maoris, or natives of New Zealand, this bird formerly 
existed contemporaneously with the Mo a, a large bird resembling the Swamp- 
Hen, or Water-Rail, which was a favourite article of food with their remote 
ancestors, but had gradually disappeared, and was believed to have been long 
since exterminated by the wild dogs and cats, which are now so formidable a 
pest to the colonists. This bird was called the Moho, or TakaM, and described 
as of a black colour, with red beak and legs, and destitute of wings. No traces 
of the traditionary Moho had, however, been seen either by the natives or 
th v. a !’ nvaI of English colonists; and the occurrence of the 
P 5^ en A. y an . sw ering the general description of the 
gigantic Rail, with those of the Dmornis, m deposits of great antiquity rendered 
it highly probable that the Moho, like the Dodo of the Mauritius had heromP 
laS -‘ few , cent " ries ' Fortunately, this proves ^ot^o bethe 
cajse, tor a living specimen has been captured ; and we have now the nlpasrirp 
po*dean colony. 0 ^ readerS the first ^Presentation of this rara avis of our antL 
bird T as gained by Mr * Walter Mantell, a few months since r of somp 
men engaged m the pursuit of seals among the coves of Dnskv H iS! 
caugIH sigh/of thTobj^ct^Vthdr'Larch^liic^'fled 1 'with 6 great rajiidhy 
Resolution IslmTandcaptarefkuve * Tlm/wlt "I », gUlIy 
few days, and thek killed and skinned it Si™ ‘L “ ^. oard t i h e schooner a 
WSSIS w-ththe r fo ma u k l? e ^ e * to*%***^ The 
metatarsals and feet perfectly agree wifh d . b ® s ’ . ab ^. reviate< i wings, and strong 
skull, sternum, “h“ S - a “ d by the *»§ 
The Notornis is about two feet high, the beaks ar^rplTtilOo Br,tlsh Museum, 
strong; the wings are short and rounded a . re f elatlve ly very short and 
tuting but very imperfect organs of flio-ht • thi> 1 leir p l 1I ? age is feeble, consti- 
forthe land than tLe Of tKdinf f^ *!^ ^ feet are more adapted 
colour on the neck, breast, and abdome^Tn the back^nf “■ ° f a . r * c . h purplb 
with green and gold; the tail is scan tv P ack a ? d wings it is dashed 
were of a bright scarlet when the bfrd was aUve^The k- the beak and legs 
the traditional account of the Moho and thTJoZ+w The discrepancy between 
rable time must have elapsed since a liviniT® blrd shows tb »t a conside- 
This discovery is of the^SKtore^KiS?^!?? 1 by tbe natives - 
legist; for this remarkable form of te or P ltbol °gist and palaeonto- 
fossil remains, and would, probably / ljL rf u 1 J 7 mi 1 ’ re 'k“ U ^ y only known b y its 
traditional. It seems probable 2’,, ’ have S00n become aU b “t 
posed r extinct birds may yetbe met wiSTta^’"^ 168 °? l°, me 0f the other sup * 
New Zealand; but we fear there is no reason y ex P lored districts of 
recent representative of the noble ostrich-liko °i/^ Pe tkat we sha11 ever see a i 
feet high, whose fossil remains have excited so mn/h ^J 316 . twelve or fourteen 
scientific world. Should, however Mr WaltoriSn?* Mto ™shment even in the 1 
rewarded by the capture of a live ^ a ^ u0us researches be 
851 we trust the Royal Commissioners will allow h the ^ °rld’s Exhibition of 
though not previously applied for for its dis P la y> 
hr M UC f C m fulIy stuffed and mounted by Mr BartllJf th | Notornis has been 
Dr. Mantell s residence. ^ Mr * Bartlett, and may now be seen at 
