THE AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST. 83 
discovered in New Zealand, and no jade has ever been dis- 
covered in China proper, although all the worked articles 
from that Empire are referred to as ‘‘Chinese jade.’’ For 
the Chinese, jade symbolised all that was high and pure. 
Kwan Chung, in the seventh century before Christ, wrote 
that its smoothness symbolised benevolence; its brilliant 
lustre, knowledge; its toughness, justice; its rarity, purity 
of soul. That the smallest crack on its surface was imme- 
diately visible typified candour, and the fact that although 
passing from hand to hand it was never soiled made it a 
symbol of a life governed by high moral principles. 
Fosstn Eaas.—An egg that is two feet eight inches long, 
and two feet two inches round, and that has a capacity of 
about two gallons, has recently come into the possession of 
the American Museum. The specimen is a fossil from Mada- 
gascar, and had been in the British Museum on loan since 
1892. It is unusually perfect, the shell unbroken, although 
finely pitted in places. Seeing that it had lain so long in the 
latter institution, it is a pity that it was not secured for it, 
more especially as the price paid by the Americans was only 
100 dollars. Fossil eggs of this description first came to the 
notice of scientists in 1850; these were discovered in the bed of 
a torrent in Madagascar. The natives were familiar with them, 
using them sometimes ag vessels for domestic purposes; and 
these natives also had a tradition of a bird large enough to 
carry off an ox. At the time of the discovery there was much 
discussion by scientific men as to whether what came out of 
these eggs in ancient times was bird or reptile, and after a 
few bones discovered somewhat later, decided in favour of 
bird, which was named “4 pyornis, there was much difference 
of opinion as to its kind and relationship. Some placed it 
wth dodos, others with auks, and still others with vultures 
or large birds of prey. Some fifteen years later, in 1867, 
various less incomplete fossil remains came to light, which 
decided definitely that the bird was not only of massive pro- 
portions, but also that it was short-winged, thus proving its 
alliance to the Dinornis of New Zealand, and to the:A pteryz. 
Its height was supposed to have been six or seven feet, al- 
though previous calculations had placed it at twelve feet. 
Burrerriy Nores.—During the end of March a fair num- 
ber of specimens of certain Pieridae have been observed flying 
from north to south. These will probably increase in num- 
bers during April. The species observed were Catopsilia 
pyranthe, CU. lactea, and Terias smilax. A larva of Junonia 
villida, Fabr., found upon Plantago pupated on March 3rd, 
and the imago emerged on the 13th of the same month. Seve- 
ral other specimens of the same species remained during the 
period quoted in the pupal stage-—G. A. WarTErHouss, 
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