Chapter I: Part 1

Transcriber's note: A few typographical errors have been corrected: they are listed at the end of the text.

* * * * *

EXTINCT BIRDS.

An attempt to unite in one volume a short account of
those Birds which have become extinct in historical
times--that is, within the last six or seven
hundred years. To which are
added a few which still
exist, but are on
the verge of
extinction.

BY

The Hon. WALTER ROTHSCHILD,
Ph. D., F.Z.S.

With 45 Coloured Plates, embracing 63 subjects, and
other illustrations.

LONDON.
Hutchinson & Co., Paternoster Row, E.C.
1907

LONDON:
A. CHRIS. FOWLER, PRINTER,
TENTER STREET,
MOORFIELDS,
E.C.

* * * * *

PREFACE.

When I decided to read a paper before the Ornithological Congress of 1905 on Extinct and Vanishing Birds, I found it necessary to illustrate my paper by a number of drawings. These drawings roused special interest among those who listened to my lecture, and I was asked by many if I could not see my way to publish the lecture and drawings, in book form, as these plates were far too numerous for the proceedings of the Congress. After some hesitation I determined to do this, greatly owing to the persuasion of the late Dr. Paul Leverkühn. The preparation of a book required considerably more research than the lecture, and therefore my readers will find, in the following pages, a totally different account to that in the lecture, as well as corrections and numerous additions. The lecture itself has been published in the "Proceedings of the IVth International Ornithological Congress."

I wish to thank very heartily all those of my ornithological friends, who have kindly helped me with the loan of specimens or otherwise, and especially Dr. H. O. Forbes, Dr. Scharff, Professor Dr. K. Lampert, Dr. O. Finsch, Professor Dr. A. Koenig, Dr. Kerbert, Mr. Fleming, Dr. von Lorenz, and others.

WALTER ROTHSCHILD.

* * * * *

{vii}

INTRODUCTION.

The study of the forms of life no longer existing on the earth, from the scanty remains preserved to us, has provoked a very great interest almost from the commencement of historical times. The very small portion of this vast field I am treating of in the following pages has a special attraction, as it deals to a great extent with forms familiar in a living state to our immediate forefathers and even to some of ourselves. Although I have here arranged the species systematically, they fall into two distinct categories, namely those known externally as well as internally, and those of which we know bones and egg-shells only. Under the former category might be included those merely known from descriptions or figures in ancient books, as well as those of which specimens exist. In the present work several plates have been reconstructed from such descriptions in order to give some idea of their probable appearance. There is considerable difference of opinion as to the approximate date of the disappearance of many of the species known from bones dug from deposits which have been variously determined as pleistocene and post-pleistocene. It seems to me that this problem can never be entirely solved, but the significant fact remains, that while many bones of these species in one locality have been collected in the kitchen-middens of the former inhabitants, in other localities the same bones occur in what seem to be much older formations.

In view of this and kindred facts, I have mentioned many species which some ornithologists will probably consider outside the range of the present treatise, viz., birds which have become extinct in the last seven- or eight-hundred years. Taking my first category, viz., those species whose exterior is more or less known, our knowledge is very variable in scope; about some we have a very full and even redundant literature, such as the Great Auk, the Labrador Duck, and Notornis, while of others, such as most of the extinct Parrots from the West Indies, the "Giant" of Mauritius, the "Blue Bird" of Bourbon, and so forth, we have the very scantiest knowledge. Even in the times of Leguat and Labat there must have been many species, now extinct, of which no mention has ever been made, for {viii} these old writers only mentioned such species which impressed themselves on their memories either from their size, peculiar shape, beauty of plumage, or excellence and usefulness for food--in fact the culinary property of the various birds seems to have been their principal interest. One of the most interesting phenomena connected with recently extinct birds is the resemblance of the fauna of the Mascarene Islands and that of the Chatham Islands in the possession of a number of large flightless Rails, though the significance of this fact has been much exaggerated.

On the whole, this book is confined to species actually known to be extinct, but a few are included of which a small number is still known to exist, because firstly there seems no doubt that they will vanish soon, and secondly, as in the case of _Notornis_, it was necessary to clear up certain misconceptions and contradictory statements. In the case of a few species believed to be quite extinct, it is possible that some individuals may still exist in little known parts of their range, while on the other hand it is more than likely that several of the species referred to in my lecture (Proc. Orn. Congress pp. 191-207, 1907) as threatened with destruction, have already ceased to live. This may also be the case with some birds not alluded to at all.

In several instances I have treated of extinct flightless species under genera including existing species capable of flight. This may appear to be inconsistent, seeing that I maintain _Notornis_ separate from _Porphyrio_, but, while not considering flightlessness in itself a generic character, the great development of the wing-coverts and the modification of the toes appear of sufficient generic value in this case. I know that several of the most eminent ornithologists of the day, among them Dr. Sharpe, differ from me, and are convinced that the loss of the power of flight is so profound a modification, that it is imperative that we should treat it as sufficient for generic distinction.

While agreeing that many genera are founded on much less striking modifications, I cannot concur in this opinion, for, unless the loss of the power of flight is also accompanied by other changes, in some cases it is difficult to find at first sight even specific differences other than the aborted wings.

The cause of recent extinction among birds is in most cases due directly or indirectly to man, but we also have instances of birds becoming extinct for no apparent reason whatever.

Man has destroyed, and is continually destroying species directly, either for {ix} food or for sport, but also in many other ways he contributes to their destruction. Some species have been exterminated by the introduction of animals of prey, such as rats, cats, mongoose, etc., and we know that also the acclimatisation of other birds, such as the mynah, etc., has proved to be harmful to the native birds. Again we find that the introduction of domestic creatures or others kept as pets has brought diseases which may prove fatal to the indigenous fauna. Another means by which man causes immense destruction, is by destroying the natural habitat of various species. By cutting down or burning the forests, prairies, or scrub, and by bringing the land under cultivation, man indirectly kills off a species through starvation, from extermination of certain insects or plants on which it depends for food. Many species, such as the Moas, were evidently greatly reduced in numbers by cataclysms of Nature, such as volcanic outbreaks, earthquakes, floods, bush fires, etc., and then died out from what appears only explicable by the natural exhaustion of their vitality. The chief cause of the extermination of the Moas was undoubtedly their slaughter by the Maoris for food, but in several inaccessible parts of the interior large numbers of Moa remains have been found which undoubtedly had died for no apparent reason.

This cause also seems to be the only explanation of the dying out of such birds as _Aechmorhynchus_, _Chaetoptila_, _Camptolaimus_ and others.

The melancholy fact however remains that man and his satellites, cats, rats, dogs, and pigs are the worst and in fact the only important agents of destruction of the native avifaunas wherever they go.

I have not included in the body of this work the fossil species from the pleistocene of Europe, Asia, Australia and America, as I believe that these belonged to an avifauna of an epoch considerably anterior to those attributed to the pleistocene of New Zealand and the adjacent islands, as well as that of the Mascarenes and Madagascar. I, however, give here the list of the species described from the above mentioned regions which I have been able to find in our literature, to serve as a guide to those who may think I ought to have included them in the work itself.

_Strix melitensis_ Lydekker Malta.
_Vultur melitensis_ Lydekker Malta.
_Pelecanus proavus_ De Vis Queensland.
_Phalacrocorax sp._ Lydekker New Zealand.
_Aythya robusta_ De Vis Queensland.
_Anas elapsa_ De Vis Queensland.
_Anas benedeni_ Sharpe Belgium.
_Alopochen pugil_ Winge Brazil.
{x}
_Dendrocygna validipennis_ (De Vis) Queensland.
_Branta hypsibata_ Cope Oregon.
_Branta propinqua_ Schufeldt Oregon.
_Anser scaldii_ Van Beneden Belgium.
_Anser sp._ Lydekker England.
_Anser coudoni_ Schufeldt Oregon.
_Cygnus sp._ Lydekker Malta.
_Cygnus falconeri_ Parker Malta.
_Palaeopelargus nobilis_ De Vis Queensland.
_Prociconia lydekkeri_ Ameghino Brazil.
_Platibis subtenuis_ De Vis Queensland.
_Grus proavus_ Marsh New Jersey.
_Grus melitensis_ Lydekker Malta.
_Grus turfa_ Portis Italy.
_Grus primigenia_ Milne Edwards France.
_Fulica prior_ De Vis Queensland.
_Fulica pisana_ Portis Italy.
_Porphyrio mackintoshi_ De Vis Queensland.
_Gallinula strenuipes_ De Vis Queensland.
_Gallinula peralata_ De Vis Queensland.
_Microtribonyx effluxus_ De Vis Queensland.
_Progura gallinacea_ De Vis Queensland.
_Columba melitensis_ Lydekker Malta.
_Lithophaps ulnaris_ De Vis Queensland.
_Gallus sp._ Lydekker New Zealand.
_Gallus sp._ Lydekker Central Germany.
_Phasianus sp._ Lydekker Germany.
_Perdix sp._ Issel Italy.
_Tetrao sp._ Issel Italy.
_Metapteryx bifrons_ De Vis Queensland.
_Dromaius queenslandiae_ (De Vis) Queensland.
_Dromaius gracilipes_ (De Vis) Queensland.
_Dromaius patricius_ (De Vis) East Australia.
_Genyornis newtoni_ Sterling & Zeitz South Australia.
_Casuarius lydekkeri_ nom. nov.

"The distal extremity of the tibio-tarsus is narrow, without a semilunar pit on the lateral surface of the ectocondyle, and with a very deep extensor groove" (Lydekker, Cat. Fossil B. Brit. Mus., p. 353). {xi}

Type, a caste of the distal portion of the right tibio-tarsus, in the British Museum. The original is preserved in the Museum at Sydney and was obtained from the pleistocene cavern-deposits in the Wellington Valley in New South Wales.

A bird usually stated to be extinct is _Monarcha dimidiata_, from Rara-Tonga, but in March, 1901, two specimens, male and female, were procured by the Earl of Ranfurly. Doubtless this is a species which will one day vanish entirely, but at present it hardly comes within the scope of this work.

The birds known to be more or less on the verge of extinction which I have not thought advisable to give in the main part of this book might, for convenience of reference and to avoid possible controversy as to my having omitted any species, be given here, but it must be understood that of these species I only know the fact that their numbers have been greatly reduced and mostly almost to vanishing point. I have already mentioned before that some of them may already have disappeared, but in many cases recent investigations are wanting, and all, therefore, that can be said of them is that they are threatened and may soon become extinct, if they still exist.

_Myadestes sibilans_ St. Vincent.
_Myadestes genibarbis_ Martinique.
_Cinclocerthia gutturalis_ Martinique.
_Rhamphocinclus brachyurus_ Martinique.
_Ixocincla olivacea_ Mauritius.
_Phedina borbonica_ Mascarene Islands.
_Trochocercus borbonicus_ Mascarene Islands.
_Oxynotus typicus_ Mauritius.
_Foudia newtoni_ Bourbon.
_Drymoeca rodericana_ Rodriguez.
_Cyanorhamphus cooki_ Norfolk Island.
_Cyanorhamphus erythrotis_ Antipodes Island.
_Cyanorhamphus unicolor_ Antipodes Island.
_Turnagra tanagra_ North Island, New Zealand.
_Sceloglaux albifacies_ Middle Island, New Zealand.
_Miro albifrons_ North Island, New Zealand.
_Miro australis_ Middle Island, New Zealand.
_Clitonyx albicilla_ North Island, New Zealand.
_Pogonornis cincta_ North Island, New Zealand.
_Hypotaenidia mülleri_ Auckland Island.
_Mergus australis_ Auckland Island.
{xii}
_Nesonetta aucklandica_ Auckland Island.
_Ocydromus? sylvestris_ Lord Howe's Island.
_Puffinus newelli_ Hawaiian Islands.
_Telespiza flaviceps_ Hawaii.
_Nesochen sandvicensis_ Hawaii.
_Pareudiastes pacificus_ Samoa.
_Nesomimus trifasciatus_ Charles? and Gardener
Island, Galápagos Islands.
_Phalacrocorax harrisi_ Galápagos Islands.
_Meleagris americana_ United States.
_Conurus carolinensis_ Southern United States.
_Pseudgryphus californianus_ California.
_Amazona guildingi_ St. Vincent.
_Campephilus principalis_ Southern United States.
_Pyrrhula pyrrhula murina_ Azores.
_Stringops habroptilus_ New Zealand.
_Anthornis melanocephala_ Chatham Islands.
_Gallinago pusilla_ Chatham Islands.
_Thinornis novaezealandiae_ Chatham Islands.
_Amazona augusta_ Dominica.
_Amazona bouqueti_ St. Lucia.
_Amazona versicolor_ Dominica.
_Hemignathus lanaiensis_ Lanai, Sandwich Islands.

Many of my readers will, I fear, find fault with me for having bestowed names on a number of forms, known only from fragments of bones, single bones, or two or three bones. Especially will they, I fear, blame me for doing this when these forms have been described by other authors who have refrained from giving names. My reasons for doing so are very simple: in such cases as Dr. Parker's species which are fully described, but quoted under the formula _Pachyornis species A_ or _Anomalopteryx species B_, the danger lies in different authors using the same formula for quite other species. In the case of others, where an author fears to name a form, but gives the distinctive characters and quotes only _Casuarius species_ or _Emeus sp._, unless the author and page are quoted, confusion must arise, and so in both cases I have thought it easier for reference and also more concise to name all these forms which have been described or differentiated without a binomial or trinomial appellation. I have, however, refrained from doing so in the foregoing list of Pleistocene species in the {xiii} following eight cases as I was not able to decide anything about them with the material or literature at my disposal, viz.:--

_Phalacrocorax sp._ Lydekker New Zealand.
_Anser sp._ Lydekker England.
_Cygnus sp._ Lydekker Malta.
_Gallus sp._ Lydekker New Zealand.
_Gallus sp._ Lydekker Central Germany.
_Phasianus sp._ Lydekker Germany.
_Perdix sp._ Issel Italy.
_Tetrao sp._ Issel Italy.

* * * * *

{xv}

LITERATURE REFERRING TO EXTINCT BIRDS.

No attempt has been made to quote all books in which extinct birds have been mentioned; not only would that mean a tedious, long work, and a book in itself, but, the repetitions being so numerous, it would have been of very little use. On the other hand, I have tried to quote the most important literature referring to Extinct Birds, and I have specially been anxious to cite and verify the principal ancient literature. Well known general works on birds in which extinct species have, of course, also been mentioned, are, as a rule, not quoted; such as: The 27 volumes of the Catalogue of Birds; Brisson's Ornithology; Daubenton's, Buffon's and Montbeillard's works; Latham's Ornithological Writings; Linnaeus' Systema Naturae in all its editions; Vieillot's writings; popular natural histories and school books; Brehm's Thierleben in its various editions; Finsch's Papageien; Gray's and Sharpe's Hand-lists; Dubois' Synopsis Avium, lists of specimens in Museums, and many others, in which extinct birds are as a matter of course mentioned.

Three most complete detailed bibliographies must be named: The "Bibliography of the Didinae," forming Appendix B. of Strickland's "Dodo and its Kindred" (1848), the Bibliography of _Alca impennis_ by Wilhelm Blasius in the new Edition of Naumann, vol. XII, pp. 169-176 (1903), and the Bibliography referring to the Moas by Hamilton, in the Trans. New Zealand Institute XXVI and XXVII (1894, 1895).

Most of the books and pamphlets quoted hereafter are in my library at the Zoological Museum at Tring, in the ornithological part of which Dr. Hartert and I have been specially interested for many years. Those books that are not in my library are marked with an asterisk, but several of these I have been able to consult in other libraries.

The chronological order appeared to be best suited to the particular subject treated of. {xvi}

1580 or 90. COLLAERT, ADRIAN. Avium vivae icones, in aes incisae &
editae ab Adriano Collardo.

(On one of the plates is figured the "Avis Indica." This figure
seems to have been the original of the representations in Dubois'
and Leguat's works.)

1601. JACOB CORNELISZ NECK. Het tweede Boek, Journael oft
Dagh-register, inhoudende een warachtig verhael, etc., etc.
Middelburch, Anno 1601.

(On picture No. 2, page 7, the Dodo is figured and described as
follows: "Desen Voghel de is soo groot als een Swaen, gaven hem de
naem Walchvoghel, want doen wy de leckere Duyfkens ende ande cleyn
ghevoghelte ghenoech vinghen, doen taelden wy niet meer naer desen
Voghel." This appears to be the first mention of the Dodo in
literature.)

1605. CLUSIUS. Caroli Clusii Atrebatis ... Exoticorum libri decem:
Quibus Animalium, Plantarum, Aromatum historiae describuntur. Ex
Officina Plantiniana Raphelengii, 1605.

(On p. 100 van Neck's Dodo is reproduced, on p. 103 the Great Auk,
sub nomine "Mergus Americanus.")

1606. DE BRY. Achter Theil der Orientalischen Indien, begreiffend
erstlich ein Histor. Beschr. d. Schiffahrt, so der Adm. Jacob von Neck
ausz Hollandt, etc., etc. Frankf. 1606.

(Figure and mention of the Dodo.)

1619. JACOB CORNELISZ NECK. Historiale Beschryvinghe, Inhoudende een
waerachtich verhael vande veyse ghedaen met acht Schepen van Amsterdam,
etc., etc. Amsterdam, 1619.

(Evidently another edition of Neck's voyage of 1601. On page 5 and
on Picture No. 2 (page 7), which is the same as in the other
editions of Neck's voyage, the Dodo is described. There is also a
French edition of 1601.)

1625. CASTLETON. Purchas his Pilgrimes. In five books.

(On p. 331, in chapter XV., first mention of the Réunion Dodo.)

1626. SIR THOMAS HERBERT. A relation of some years' Travaile.

(First mention of _Aphanapteryx bonasia_.)

1635. NIEREMBERG. Joannis Evsebii Nierembergii ... Historia Naturae,
maxime peregrinae, libris XVI distincta. In quibus rarissima Naturae
arcana, etc., etc., etc. Antverpiae MDCXXXV.

(Clusius' account and figure of the Dodo reproduced on pp. 231,
232. On p. 237 the Great Auk ("Goifugel") mentioned).

*1638 and 1651. CAUCHE. Rélations véritables et curieuses de l'isle de
Madagascar. (Two editions.)

(See _Aphanapteryx bonasia_.)

1640. PÈRE BOUTON. Relation de l'établ. des Français dep. 1635, en
l'ile Martinique, l'vne des antilles de l'Amérique.

(Describes, among other birds, the Aras and Parrots of the island
of Martinique.)

1646. BONTEKOE. Journ. of te gedenckw. beschr. van de Ost. Ind. Reyse.
Haarlem 1646.

(On p. 6 mention of the Réunion Dodo.)

1655. WORM. Museum Wormianum.

(On pp. 300, 301, lib. III, description and figure of a Great Auk
from the Faroe Islands.)

1658. HISTOIRE NATURELLE ET MORALE DES ILES ANTILLES DE L'AMÉRIQUE.
Enrichie de pleusieurs belles figures des Raretez les plus
considerables qui y sont d'écrites. Avec un vocabulaire caraïbe.
Rotterdam 1658.

(The title-page has no author's name, but according to Père du
Tertre the author is "Le Sieur de Rochefort, Ministre de
Rotterdam." Contains important notes on former bird-life on the
Antilles.)

1665. The same. Second Edition. Rotterdam 1665. {xvii}

1658. BONTIUS. Gulielmi Pisonis Medici Amstelaedamensis de Indiae
Utriusque re naturali et medica libri quatuordecim. Third Part: Jacobi
Bontii, medici civitatis Bataviae Novae in Java Ordinarii, Historiae
Natur. et Medici Indiae Orientalis libri sex.

(On p. 70 an excellent figure of the Dodo. Caput XVII. Appendix: De
Dronte, aliis Dod-aers.)

1667. DU TERTRE. Histoire générale des Antilles habitées par les
François. Tome II, contenant l'Histoire Naturelle. Paris 1667.

(On p. 246. Traite V. Des animaux de l'air. § I, Les Arras. § II,
Des Perroquets. § III, Des Perriques.)

1668. HISTORISCHE BESCHREIBUNG DER ANTILLEN INSELN IN AMERICA GELEGEN.
In sich begreiffend deroselben Gelegenheit, darinnen befindl. natürl.
Sachen, sampt deren Einwohner Sitten und Gebraüchen. Von dem Herrn de
Rochefort, zum zweiten mahl in Französischer sprach an den Tag gegeben,
nunmehr aber in die Teutsche übersetzet. Frankfurt 1668.

(Translation of the second edition of Rochefort's book.)

*1668. CARRÉ, Voyage des Indes Orientales.

(Page 12 the "Solitaire." Cf. _Didus solitarius_.)

1668. J. MARSHALL. Memorandums concerning India.

(In the article on Mauritius occurs a mention of Geese.)

1674. PÈRE DUBOIS. Les Voyages faits par le Sieur D.B. aux Isles
Dauphine ou Madagascar, et Bourbon, ou Mascarenne, és années
1669-70-71-72.

(Of this extremely rare work I possess a beautiful copy, together
with the map of Sanson belonging to it.)

(On p. 168 we find "Description de quelques Oyseaux de l'Isle de
Bourbon," with figures of the "Géant" and "Solitaire.")

1696. THEVENOT, M. MELCHISEDEC. Rélations de divers voyages curieux qui
nont point este' publié'es. Nouvelle Edition. Vol. I, II, 1696.

(A very interesting collection of ancient voyages, translated into
French. In Vol. II is a translation of Bontekoe's travels to the
"East Indies," with figures of the Dodo and other interesting
notes.)

1707. LEGUAT, FRANÇOIS. Voyages et Avantures de François Leguat, et de
ses Compagnons, en deux Isles desertes des Indes Orientales. Londres
1707.

1708. LEGUAT, FRANCIS. A New Voyage to the East Indies by Francis
Leguat and his companions. Containing their adventures in two desert
islands. London 1708.

(Valuable notes on the birds of Rodriguez and Mauritius.)

1707. SLOANE, HANS. A Voyage to the islands Madera, Barbados, Nieves,
S. Christofers and Jamaica, with the Natural History of the Herbs and
Trees, four-footed Beasts, Fishes, Insects, Birds, Reptiles, etc. Vol.
I, 1707; vol. II, 1725.

(Gives most valuable notes on the birds, including the Goatsucker,
_Aestrelata_ and Parrots.)

1722. LABAT, JEAN BAPTISTE. Nouveau Voyage aux Iles de l'Amérique
contenant l'histoire naturelle de ces pays. Paris 1722. 6 vols.

(In Vol. II, chapter VIII, the different species of Parrots are
described, and it is stated that each island had three kinds, viz.,
an "Aras," a "Perroquet" and a "Perrique," evidently meaning a
Macaw, an Amazona and a Conurus.)

1742. Nouvelle Edition. 8 vols.

{xviii} 1752. MOEHRING. Avium Genera.

(In this ominous work, which, through an article by Poche in Zool.
Anz. 1904, has recently caused so much quite unnecessary
disturbance among nomenclatorists--cf. Hartert, Zool. Anz. 1904, p.
154, and Proc. IV. Int. Orn. Congress, pp. 276-283. The Dodo is
mentioned under the name "Raphus.")

1763. L'ABBÉ DE LA CAILLE. Journal Historique du Voyage fait au Cap de
Bonne-espérance.

(Some birds from Mauritius mentioned, but no descriptions.)

1773. VOYAGE A L'ISLE DE FRANCE, à l'isle de Bourbon, au Cap de Bonne
Espérance, etc. Avec des observations nouvelles sur la nature et sur
les hommes. Par un officier du roi. Neuchatel 1773.

1775. A voyage to the island of Mauritius, etc. By a French Officer.
(Translation of the above).

(Lettre IX, page 67, treats of the "Animals natural to the isle of
France.")

1782. SONNERAT. Voyage aux iles orientales et à la Chine. Two volumes,
1782.

(In Volume II, on plate 101, opposite page 176, the extinct
_Alectroenas nitidissima_ is figured, under the name of "Pigeon
hollandais.")

*1783 (?) CALLAM. Voyage Botany Bay.

(According to Gray _Notornis alba_ is mentioned under the name of
"White Gallinule.")

1786. SPARRMANN. Museum Carlsonianum I.

(On pl. 23 _Pomarea nigra_ Sparrm.)

1789. G. DIXON. Voyage round the World.

(On p. 357 is note and figure of the extinct _Moho apicalis_, under
the name of the "Yellow-tufted Bee-eater.")

1789. BROWNE, PATRICK. The Civil and Natural History of Jamaica.

1789. THE VOYAGE OF GOVERNOR PHILLIP to Botany Bay, etc. London 1789.

(Among other interesting birds _Notornis stanleyi_ is figured on
the plate opposite p. 273.)

1790. J. WHITE. Journal of a Voyage to New South Wales with sixty-five
Plates of Nondescript Animals, Birds, Lizards, Serpents, etc. London
MDCCXC.

(I have a copy with black and white, and another with coloured
plates. _Notornis alba_.)

1804. HERMANN. Observationes Zoolog.

(On page 125 the extinct Bourbon _Palaeornis_ is described as
_Psittacus semirostris_.)

1807. M. F. PÉRON. Voyage de découvertes aux terres australes, exécuté
par ordre de Sa Majesté l'Empereur et Roi, etc., etc. 2 vols. 1807 and
1816 and Atlas.

(On p. 467 is described the Little Emu from Kangaroo Island, which
I have named _Dromaius peronii_, in honour of its discoverer,
François Péron. A memoir of this extraordinary and admirable man's
short and brilliant life will be found in Vol. VI of the
"Naturalist's Library," Edinburgh, 1843.)

1810. ANDRÉ PIERRE LEDRU. Voyage aux iles de Ténériffe, la Trinité,
Saint-Thomas, Sainte-Croix et Porto-Ricco, exécuté par ordre du
Gouvern. français, etc., etc. Two volumes, 1810.

(In Vol. II, page 39, are mentioned various birds as occurring on
the Danish West-Indian Islands, which are not found there at
present. "Un todier, nommé vulgairement perroquet de terre" and
seven species of Humming-Birds!)

*1826. BLOXAM. Voyage of the Blonde.

(See _Phaeornis oahensis_, _Loxops coccinea rufa_. Also interesting
notes on other Sandwich-Islands Birds.)

1827. PALLAS. Zoogr. Rosso-Asiat. II p. 305: _Phalacrocorax
perspicillatus_, the now extinct Cormorant from Bering Island.

{xix} 1830. QUOY ET GAIMARD. Voy. Astrolabe, Zool. I p. 242 pl. 24.

(_Coturnix novaezealandiae_ described.)

1830. KITTLITZ. Mémoires Acad. Sc. Pétersburg I.

(Kittlitz describes _Turdus terrestris_ and _Fringilla papa_.)

*1838. POLACK. New Zealand.

(First mention of Moas.)

*1838. DON DE NAVARETTE. Rel. Quat. voy. Christ.

1838. LICHTENSTEIN. Abhandl. K. Akademie d. Wissenschaften p. 448,
plate V.

(_Hemignathus ellisianus_--sub nomine _obscurus_--and _Hemignathus
lucidus_ described.)

1843. DIEFFENBACH'S Travels in New Zealand, 1843. Appendix, Birds, by
J. E. Gray. On page 197 _Rallus dieffenbachii_ described.

1843. OWEN. P.Z.S. 1843, p. 1., letter read from Rev. W. C. Cotton,
mentioning remains of gigantic birds in New Zealand, p. 8 the name
_Dinornis novaezealandiae_ given to the first Moa-bones exhibited.

1846. In the "VOYAGE OF EREBUS AND TERROR," Birds, Gray describes and
figures _Nesolimnas dieffenbachii_.

1847. GOSSE. Birds of Jamaica.

(Cf. _Ara erythrocephala_, _Siphonorhis americanus_ and other
Jamaican birds.)

1848. EDM. DE SÉLYS-LONGCHAMPS. Résumé concern, les Oiseaux brévipennes
mentionnés dans l'ouvrage de M. Strickland sur le Dodo.

In Rev. Zool. 1848, pp. 292-295.

1848. STRICKLAND AND MELVILLE. The Dodo and its kindred; or the
history, affinities, and Osteology of the Dodo, Solitaire, and other
extinct birds of the islands Mauritius, Rodriguez and Bourbon. London
1848.

(141 pages and 15 plates.)

*1848. PEALE. U.S. Expl. Exp. Birds.

(On p. 147, pl. XL, is described and figured the extinct
_Chaetoptila augustipluma_, under the name of _Entomiza
augustipluma_. This work is not available, as only 3 or 4 copies
exist of it, but see:

CASSIN. U.S. Expl. Exp. Mamm. and Orn. p. p. 148 pl. XI (1858).

1851. IS. GEOFFROY-SAINT-HILAIRE. Notice sur des ossements et des oeufs
trouvés a Madagascar dans les alluvions modernes, et provenant d'un
oiseau gigantesque.

In Annales des Scienc. Naturelles, 13 série. Zoologie, tome 40.

(This volume is dated "1850," but the above article is said to have
been read before the Academy on January 27, 1851, therefore the
date of publication must be rather 1851 than 1850.)

1854. H. SCHLEGEL. Ook een woordje over den Dodo en zijne verwanten.

In: Verslagen en Mededeelingen der Koninglijke Akademie der
Wetenschappen, Afdeel. Naturkunde, Deel II, p. 254.

1857. JAPETUS STEENSTRUP. Bidrag til Geirfuglens Naturhistorie, etc.

In: Naturh. Forening. Vidensk. Meddel. for 1855, Nos. 3-7.

(The first history and bibliography of the Great Auk.)

1858. H. SCHLEGEL. Over eenige uitgestorvene reusachtige Vogels van de
Mascarenhas-eilanden. (Een tegenhanger tot zijne geschiedenis der
Dodo's.)

In: Verslagen en Mededeelingen der Koninglijke Akademie van
Wetenschappen, Afdeel. Naturkunde, Deel VII, pp. 116-128.

(_Leguatia gigantea_, _Porphyrio (Notornis?) caerulescens_.)

{xx} 1860. A. V. PELZELN. Zur Ornithologie der Insel Norfolk.

In: Sitzungsberichte der Mathemat. Naturwiss. Cl. Akademie Wien Bd.
XLI, No. 15, pp. 319-332. (Mit 1 Tafel.)

(Lengthy account of _Nestor norfolcensis_, from Bauer's Manuscript,
_Notornis alba_, etc.)

1861. ALFRED NEWTON. Abstract of Mr. Wolley's Researches in Iceland
respecting the Gare-fowl.

In Ibis, 1861, pp. 374-399.

1862. W. J. BRODERIP. Notice of an Original Painting, including a
figure of the Dodo.

In Trans. Zool. Soc. London IV, p. 197.

1862. WILLIAM PREYER. Ueber _Plautus impennis_.

In Journ. f. Orn. 1862, pp. 110-124, 337-356.

1865. ALFRED NEWTON. The Gare-fowl and its Historians.

In Natural Hist. Review XII (1865), pp. 467-488; id. in Encylcl.
Britannica Ed. IX, Vol. III; id. Dict. Birds, p. 220-221.

1866. OWEN. _Psittacus mauritianus_ named, in Ibis p. 168; also
mentioned in Trans. Zool. Soc. VI, p. 53, 1866.

(See _Lophopsittacus_.)

1866-1873. ALPH. MILNE-EDWARDS. Recherches sur la Faune Ornithologique
Eteinte des iles Mascareignes et de Madagascar. Paris 1866-1873.

(With 37 plates. This volume consists of reprints of the author's
articles on the subject in French periodicals, though not a word of
this is mentioned. To the plates originally issued with the
articles, several new ones are added.)

1867. ALFRED NEWTON. On a Picture supposed to represent the Didine Bird
of the Island of Bourbon (Réunion).

In Trans. Zool. Soc. London VI, pp. 373-376. Plate 62.

1867. GEORGE DAWSON ROWLEY. On the Egg of _Aepyornis_, the Colossal
Bird of Madagascar.

In Proc. Zool. Soc. London 1867, pp. 892-895.

1868. FRAUENFELD, GEORGE RITTER VON. Neu aufgefundene Abbildung des
_Dronte_ und eines zweiten kurzflügligen Vogels, wahrscheinlich des
poule rouge au bec de bécasse der Maskarenen, in der Privatbibliothek
S.M. des verstorbenen Kaisers Franz. Wien 1868. Mit 4 Tafeln.

1868. SCHLEGEL & POLLEN. Mammifères et Oiseaux, in: Pollen et von Dam,
Recherches sur la faune de Madagascar et de ses dépendances. Leyde
1868.

1868. OWEN, on Moas in Trans. Zool. Soc. London, VI.

(_Dinornis maximus_ established.)

*1868. H. C. MILLIES. Over eene nieuw ontdekte afbeelding van den Dodo.

In: Verhandelingen der Koningl. Akad. d. Wetenschappen, Deel XI,
Amsterdam 1868.

1869. OWEN. On the osteology of the Dodo.

In: Trans. Zool. Soc. London VI, 1869, p. 70.

1869. ELLIOT. New and heretofore unfig. sp. N. American Birds.

(In Vol. II, part 14, No. 3, the now extinct _Carbo perspicillatus_
from Bering Island figured.)

{xxi} 1872. F. W. HUTTON. On the Microscopical structure of the
Egg-shell of the Moa.

In Trans. & Proceed. New Zealand Inst. IV, pp. 166-167, with
illustrations.

1872. F. W. HUTTON. Notes on some Birds from the Chatham Islands,
collected by H. H. Travers, Esq.

In Ibis 1872, pp. 243-250.

(_Miro traversi_ and _Sphenoeacus rufescens_ (_Bowdleria rufescens_
of this book) only found on Mangare. First description of "_Rallus
modestus_" (_Cabalus modestus_), "_Rallus dieffenbachi_" already
extinct.)

1872. J. HECTOR. On Recent Moa Remains in New Zealand.

In Trans. and Proc. N. Zealand Inst. IV, p. 110.

1872. JULIUS HAAST. Notes on Harpagornis Moorei.

In Trans. and Proc. N. Zealand Inst. IV, p. 192.

1873. A. V. PELZELN. On the Birds in the Imperial Collection at Vienna
obtained from the Leverian Museum.

In Ibis 1873, pp. 14-54, 103-124.

(Most important notes on some of Latham's types. Cf. _Drepanis
pacifica_, _Platycercus ulietanus_, _Notornis alba_.)

1873. CHRISTMANN UND OBERLÄNDER. Ozeanien.

(On pages 138-144 a popular account and wood cuts--from Brehm's
Thierleben--of Moas and other Gigantic Birds.)

1873. BULLER. The Birds of New Zealand.

1874. A. MILNE-EDWARDS. Recherches sur la faune ancienne des iles
Mascareignes.

In Ann. Sciences naturelles sér. V, Tome XIX, article 3
(_Erythromachus_, _Strix murivora_, _Columba rodericana_, etc.)

1875. ROWLEY. _Porphyrio Stanleyi_.

In Ornith. Miscell. I, pp. 37-48, plate.

1875. HUTTON. Description of the Moa Swamp at Hamilton.

In Trans. & Proc. N. Zealand Inst. VII, p. 123, pl. V.

1875. HUTTON & COUGHTREY. Description of some Moa Remains from the
Knobby Ranges.

In Trans. & Proc. N. Zealand Inst. VII, p. 266, pl. XIX.

1875. ALFRED NEWTON. P.Z.S. 1875, p. 350: the name _Lophopsittacus_
established.

1875. HUTTON. On the Dimensions of Dinornis bones.

In Trans. & Proc. N. Zealand Inst. VII, p. 274.

1875. JULIUS VON HAAST. Researches and Excavations on, in and near the
Moa-bone Point Cave, Sumner Road, in the year 1872.

In Trans. and Proceed. New Zealand Institute VII, pp. 54-85, pls.
I, II.

*1875. VAN BENEDEN. Journ. Zool. IV, p. 267.

(Description of _Anas finschi_.)

1876. A. & E. NEWTON. On the Psittaci of the Mascarene Islands.

In Ibis 1876, pp. 281-288, plate VI.

1876. TOMMASO SALVADORI. Nota intorno al _Fregilupus varius_.

In: Atti della Reale Accademia delle Scienze di Torino, Vol. XI,
pp. 482-488.

1877. G. D. ROWLEY. On the Extinct Birds of the Mascarene Islands.

In Orn. Miscell. II, pp. 124-133, plates LII, LIII.

{xxii} 1878. G. D. ROWLEY. Remarks on the Extinct Gigantic Birds of
Madagascar and New Zealand.

In Ornith. Miscell. III, pp. 237-247, pls. CXII-CXV.

1879. DOLE. List of Birds of the Hawaiian Islands. Corrected from the
Hawaiian Almanack.
Reprint: Ibis 1881, p. 241.

(_Pennula millsi_, _Ciridops anna_.)

1879. OWEN, RICHARD. Memoirs on the Extinct Wingless Birds of New
Zealand; with an Appendix on those of England, Australia, Newfoundland,
Mauritius and Rodriguez.

(Memoirs on the _Dinornithidae_, their bones, eggs, integument and
plumage, _Notornis_, _Aptornis_, _Cnemiornis_, _Alca impennis_,
_Didus_ and _Pezophaps_. With many wood-cuts and plates.)

(See also Owen's articles in Trans. Zool. Soc. London III, IV, VI,
X, XI.)

1879. GÜNTHER AND E. NEWTON, on _Aphanapteryx leguati_ in Philosophical
Transactions. Vol. 168, pp. 431-432, pl. XLIII.

1879. W. A. FORBES. On the systemat. position and scientific name of
"Le Perroquet mascarin" of Brisson.

In Ibis 1879, p. 303.

1884. WILHELM BLASIUS. Zur Geschichte von _Alca impennis_.

In Journ. f. Orn. 1884, pp. 58-176.

(The most accurate and complete list--till 1884--of specimens of
_Alca impennis_.)

1885. A. B. MEYER. _Notornis hochstetteri_.

In: Zeitschr. ges. Orn. II, p. 45, pl. I.

1885. SYMINGTON GRIEVE. The Great Auk or Garefowl. Its History,
Archaeology, and Remains. London 1885.

1897. Id.: Supplementary note on the Great Auk; in Trans. Edinburgh
Field Nat. Soc. 1897, pp. 238-273.

1886. December. JULIUS VON HAAST. On _Megalapteryx hectori_, a new
Gigantic Species of Apterygian Bird.

In Trans. Zool. Soc. London XII, p. 161, pl. XXX.

1887. HENRY SEEBOHM. The Geographical Distribution of the family
_Charidriidae_.

(Plates of _Prosobonia leucoptera_ and _Aechmorhynchus
cancellata_.)

1888. BULLER. A History of the Birds of New Zealand.

In two volumes. Second Edition. (See 1873.)

1889. SIR EDWARD NEWTON. Presidential address.

In Trans. Norfolk and Norwich Natural. Society IV, pp. 540-547.

1889. A. DE QUATREFAGES. Nouvelle Preuve de l'Extinction récente des
Moas.

In: Le Naturaliste 1889, p. 117.

1889. F. C. NOLL. Die Veränderung in der Vogelwelt im Laufe der Zeit.

In: Bericht über die Senckenberg. Naturf. Gesellsch. in
Frankf.-a.-M. 1887-1888, pp. 77-142.

1890. STEJNEGER AND LUCAS. Contributions to the History of Pallas'
Cormorant. With plates II-IV.

In Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. XII, pp. 83-94.

1890-99. SCOTT B. WILSON & EVANS. Aves Hawaiienses: The Birds of the
Sandwich Islands. With numerous plates.

1891. RICHARD LYDEKKER. Catalogue of the Fossil Birds in the British
Museum. London 1891.

(Pages I-XXVII, 1-368. With 75 figures in the text.)

{xxiii}

1891. FREDERIC A. LUCAS. Animals recently extinct or threatened with
extermination, as represented in the collection of the U.S. National
Museum.

In Report of the Smithson Inst. (U.S. Nat. Mus.) 1889 (1891!), pp.
609-649, pls. XCV-CV.

(An account of some of the larger animals which have become extinct
within historic times, or are threatened with extinction, with
reasons suggested for their disappearance.)

1891. HARTERT. Katalog der Vogelsammlung im Museum der Senchenberg.
Naturf. Ges. Frankfurt-a-M.

(_Alca impennis_, _Turdus terrestris_, _Chaunoproctus
ferreorostris_, _Hemiphaga spadicea_ mentioned.)

1891. WILL. DUTCHER. The Labrador Duck. A revised list of the extant
specimens in North America, with some historical notes.

In Auk 1891, pp. 301-316, pl. 2.

1894. WILL. DUTCHER. The Labrador Duck. With additional data respecting
extant specimens.

In Auk 1894, pp. 4-12.

1892. FORBES, H. O. Preliminary Notice of Additions to the Extinct
Avifauna of New Zealand (Abstract).

In Trans. and Proceed. New Zealand Inst. Vol. XXIV, pp. 185-189.

(The editors say that the paper is published in abstract, as it had
been impossible to prepare the drawings for its illustrations in
time.--It is a most pitiful and unscientific proceeding to publish
such preliminary abstracts containing insufficiently founded names
and complete "nomina nuda" without publishing a fuller account;
such, as far as I know, has never appeared.)

1892. H. O. FORBES. _Aphanapteryx_ and other remains in the Chatham
Islands.

In Nature, Vol. XLVI, p. 252.

(Short notes on avian remains which, unfortunately, were never
properly studied afterwards.)

1892. HUTTON. The Moas of New Zealand.

In Trans. and Proceed. New Zealand Institute Vol. XXIV, pp. 93-172,
pls. XV-XVII.

1892. HAMILTON. Notes on Moa Gizzard-stones, t.c. p. 172.

1892. HAMILTON. On the genus _Aptornis_, t.c. pp. 175-184.

1892. HARTLAUB. Vier seltene Rallen.

In: Abhandl. d. Naturwiss. Vereins zu Bremen XII.

1893. H. O. FORBES. A List of the Birds inhabiting the Chatham Islands.

In Ibis 1893, pp. 521-546.

(Notes on the living and extinct forms. The genus _Palaeolimnas_
established. Egg of _Cabalus modestus_ figured, etc.)

1893. W. W. SMITH. Notes on certain species of New Zealand Birds.

In Ibis 1893, pp. 509-520.

(Methods of colonization and their disastrous results to the birds
described.)

1893. MILNE-EDWARDS & OUSTALET. Notice sur quelques espèces d'oiseaux
actuellement éteintes qui se trouvent représentées dans les collections
du muséum d'histoire naturelle. In: Centenaire de la fondation du
muséum d'histoire naturelle. Volume commémoratif publié par les
professeurs du Muséum. Pp. 189-252, pls. I-V.

(Only 6 species: _Mascarinus mascarinus_, _Alectroenas
nitidissima_, _Alca impennis_, _Fregilupus varius_, _Camptolaemus
labradorius_, _Dromaius_ "_ater_," but these beautifully figured
and masterly described and discussed.)

1893. SIR E. NEWTON AND GADOW. On additional Bones of the Dodo and
other Extinct Birds of Mauritius obtained by Mr. Théodore Sauzier.

In Trans. Zool. Soc. London XIII, pp. 281-302. Pls. XXXIII-XXXVII.

(_Strix sauzieri_, _Astur alphonsi_, _Butorides mauritianus_,
_Plotus nanus_, _Sarcidiornis mauritianus_, _Anas theodori_, etc.)

{xxiv} 1893. A. DE QUATREFAGES. The Moas and Moa-hunters.

In Trans. and Proceed. New Zealand Inst. XXV, pp. 17-49.

(Translation of the French article which appeared in the Nos. for
June and July of the "Journal des Savants" by Laura Buller.)

1893. PARKER. On the classification and mutual relations of the
_Dinornithidae_. By T. J. Parker.

In Trans. and Proc. New Zealand Inst. XXV, pp. 1-6, pls. I-III.

1893. F. W. HUTTON. New Species of Moas.

In Trans. and Proc. New Zealand Inst. Vol. XXV, pp. 6-13.

(_Dinornis strenuus_, _Anomalopteryx fortis_, _Euryapteryx
compacta_, _Pachyornis inhabilis_, _P. valgus_.)

1893. F. W. HUTTON. On _Anomalopteryx antiqua_. T.c. p. 14, pl. IV.

*1893. R. BURCKHARDT, in Paläontolog. Abhandl. VI, Heft 2, pp. 127-145,
Taf. 1-4.

(_Aepyornis_.)

1893. H. O. FORBES. The Moas of New Zealand.

In Natural Science II, pp. 374-380.

1893. A. HAMILTON. On the Fissures and Caves at the Castle Rocks,
Southland; with a description of the remains of the Existing and
Extinct Birds found in them.

(In Trans. and Proceed. New Zealand Inst. XXV, pp. 88-106; with
figures.)

1893. A. NEWTON. "Extermination." In A Dictionary of Birds.

(See also in Encyclopaedia Britannica.)

1893-1900. WALTER ROTHSCHILD. The Avifauna of Laysan and the
Neighbouring Islands: with a complete history to date of the Birds of
the Hawaiian Possessions. London 1893-1900. With numerous plates.

(Account and coloured plates of the extinct birds of Oahu and
Hawaii.)

1894. MILNE-EDWARDS ET GRANDIDIER. Observations sur les _Aepyornis_ de
Madagascar.

In: Comptes Rendus hebd. des Séances de l'Acad. d. Sciences, Paris,
Vol. CXVIII, Part I, pp. 122-127.

1894. J. PARKER. Notes on Three Moa-Skulls.

In Trans. and Proc. N. Zealand Inst. XXVI, p. 223.

1894. HAMILTON. On Avian Remains in Southland.

In Trans. and Proc. N. Zealand Inst. XXVI, p. 226.

1894. HAMILTON. Materials for a Bibliography of the _Dinornithidae_.

In Trans. and Proc. N. Zealand Inst. XXVI, pp. 229-257.

(A careful list to which I refer my readers.)

1895. C. W. ANDREWS. On some remains of Aepyornis in the Hon. Walter
Rothschild's Museum at Tring.

In: Novitates Zoologicae II, pp. 23-25.

1895. HAMILTON. Further contributions towards a Bibliography of the
Moas.

In Trans. and Proc. N. Zealand Inst. XXVII, p. 228-232.

1895. JEFFERY PARKER. On the Cranial Osteology, Classification, and
Phylogeny of the Dinornithidae.

In Trans. Zool. Soc. London Vol. XIII, pp. 373-431, pls. LVI-LXII.

{xxv} 1895. HAMILTON. On the Feathers of a small Moa.

In Trans. and Proc. N. Zealand Inst. XXVII, pp. 232-238.

*1895. C. W. ANDREWS. On Aepyornis bones, etc., in Geological Magazine
1895.

1896. HUTTON. On a deposit of Moa-bones at Kapua.

In Trans. and Proc. N. Zealand Inst. XXVIII, p. 627. Id. On the
Moa-bones from Enfield, t.c. p. 645.

1896. C. W. ANDREWS. On the Extinct Birds of the Chatham Islands.

In Novit Zoolog. III, p. 73-84 and 260-271.

(_Diaphorapteryx hawkinsi_, _Palaeolimnas chathamensis_,
_Nesolimnas dieffenbachii_.)

1896. G. HARTLAUB. Ein Beitrag zur Geschichte der ausgestorbenen Vögel
der Neuzeit, sowie derjenigen, deren Fortbestehen bedroht erscheint.

In: Abhandl. d. Naturwiss. Vereins gn. Bremen XIV Band, 1 Heft.

(Also: Second edition of the same, printed as manuscript, with a
few alterations and additions.)

(The most useful, comprehensive pamphlet on recently extinct
birds.)

1897. ANDREWS. On some fossil remains of Carinate Birds from Central
Madagascar.

In Ibis 1897, pp. 343-359, pls. VIII and IX.

1897. H. O. FORBES. On an apparently new, and supposed to be now
extinct, species of Bird from the Mascarene Islands, provisionally
referred to the genus _Necropsar_. With plate.

In Bull. Liverpool Museums, I, p. 34, pl. Sturn. I (_Necropsar
leguati_).

1897. FORBES AND ROBINSON. Note on Two Species of Pigeon, t.c. p. 35.

(_Hemiphaga spadicea_.)

(On pl. I of the same vol. is figured _Nestor norfolcensis_. See p.
5.)

1900. W. WOLTERSTORFF. Ausgestorbene Riesenvögel. Vortrag, gehalten im
Naturwissenschaftlichen Verein zu Magdeburg. Mit zwei Abbildungen.
Stuttgart. Verlag von E. Nägele.

1900. A. MERTENS. Die Moas im Naturwissenschaftl. Museum zu Magdeburg.
Mit 2 Abbildungen.

In: Jahresbericht Naturwiss. Vereins zu Magdeburg für 1898-1900.
(Pp. 1-24 in separate copy.)

1901. W. A. BRYAN. Key to the Birds of the Hawaiian group.

1902. WALTER ROTHSCHILD AND ERNST HARTERT. Further notes on the fauna
of the Galápagos Islands.

In Nov. Zool. 1902, pp. 381-418; cf. also Nov. Zool. 1899, pp. 154,
163.

(_Geospiza magnirostris_ and _dentirostris_.)

1902. H. W. HENSHAW. Birds of the Hawaiian Islands, being a complete
list of the Birds of the Hawaiian Possessions, with notes on their
habits. Honolulu 1902.

1903. GRAHAM RENSHAW. The Black Emu.

In: Zoologist 1903, pp. 81-88.

1903. WILHELM BLASIUS. Der Riesenalk, _Alca impennis_ L. In the New
Edition of Naumann called "Naumann, Naturgeschichte der Vögel
Mitteleuropas" (sic), vol. XII, pp. 169-208, pls. 17, 17A-17D, 1903.

(Among others the most complete bibliography and very detailed
descriptions.)

1903. FLEMING, J. H. On the Passenger Pigeon.

In Auk 1903, p. 66.

{xxvi}

1903. M. GUILLAUME GRANDIDIER. Contribution à l'étude de l'Epiornis de
Madagascar.

In: Comptes Rendus des Séances de l'Acad. Sc., Paris 1903 (pp. 1-3
in separate copy.)

1903. G. GRANDIDIER. Note au sujet du squelette de l'_Aepyornis
ingens_.

In Bull. Mus. Paris 1903, pp. 318-323, with figures.

1903. PAUL CARIÉ. Observations sur quelques oiseaux de l'ile Maurice.

In Ornis XII, p. 121-128.

(We are informed that neither _Palaeornis echo_--sub nomine
_eques_--nor _Nesoenas mayeri_ are extinct.)

1905. A. H. CLARK. Extirpated West Indian Birds.

In Auk 1905, pp. 259-266.

1905. A. H. CLARK. The Lesser Antillean Macaws.

In Auk 1905, pp. 266-273.

1905. A. H. CLARK. The West Indian Parrots.

In Auk 1905, pp. 337-344.

1905. A. H. CLARK. The Greater Antillean Macaws.

In Auk 1905, pp. 345-348.

1905-1906. SIR WALTER BULLER. Supplement to the "Birds of New Zealand."
Two volumes.

(Though containing very interesting notes on extinct and threatened
birds, these two volumes are rather disappointing. They contain
very little that is new, and are mainly composed of quotations from
other people's writings or letters. Buller's former great book on
the Birds of New Zealand was a most important and creditable work,
though not without shortcomings. Our knowledge of New Zealand Birds
might have been brought up to date in his supplement, but we cannot
say that this has been done properly, and errors are frequent.)

1906. BALDWIN SPENCER. The King Island Emu.

In The Victorian Naturalist XXIII (1906), pp. 139, 140.

(_Dromaius minor_ described.)

1907. WALTER ROTHSCHILD. On Extinct and Vanishing Birds. A short Essay
on the Birds which have presumably become extinct within the last 500
years, and also of those birds which are on the verge of extinction,
including a few which, though not yet so far gone, are threatened with
extinction in the near future.

In Proceed, of the IV Intern. Ornith. Congress, London 1905, pp.
191-217.

* * * * *

{xxvii}

LIST OF PLATES.

1. _Fregilupus varius_. From the plate in the "Volume Centenaire,"
Mus. Hist. Naturelle, Paris.

2. 1. _Foudia bruante_. From the figure in Daubenton's work.

2. _Necropsar rodericanus_. Made up from description.

3. _Necropsar leguati_. From the type specimen in Liverpool.

3. 1. _Geospiza magnirostris_. From the type specimen in London.

2. _Geospiza strenua_. Head. From specimen at Tring.

3. _Nesoenas mayeri_. From specimen in the British Museum.

4. _Chaunoproctus ferreorostris_ [male] [female]. From the pair in
the British Museum.

4. 1. _Hemignathus ellisianus_. After a drawing from the type in the
Berlin Museum.

2. _Heterorhynchus lucidus_. From a specimen in the Paris Museum.

3. _Psittirostra psittacea deppei_. From the type in the Tring
Museum.

4. _Ciridops anna_. From a specimen in the Tring Museum.

4A. 1. _Moho apicalis_. From specimen in the Tring Museum.

2. _Chaetoptila angustipluma_. From specimen in the Tring Museum.

5. 1. _Miro traversi_. From skin in the Tring Museum.

2. _Traversia lyalli_ [male] and [female]. From the type specimens
in the Tring Museum.

3. _Bowdleria rufescens_. From a skin in the Tring Museum.

5A. _Siphonorhis americanus_. From skin in the British Museum.

6. 1. _Nestor norfolcensis_. From the plate in the Bulletin of the
Liverpool Museum.

2. Head of _Nestor productus_. From a specimen in the Tring Museum.

7. _Lophopsittacus mauritianus_. From ancient drawing and description.

8. _Necropsittacus borbonicus_. From a description.

9. _Mascarinus mascarinus_. From the drawing in the Volume
commémoratif, Centenaire Mus. Paris.

10. _Ara tricolor_. From specimen in the Liverpool Museum. {xxviii}

11. _Ara gossei_. From Gosse's description.

12. _Ara erythrocephala_. From Gosse's description.

13. _Anadorhynchus purpurascens_. From description.

14. _Ara martinicus_. From description.

15. _Ara erythrura_. From description.

16. _Conurus labati_. From description.

17. _Amazona violaceus_. From description.

18. _Amazona martinicana_. From description.

19. _Palaeornis exsul_. From the plate in the "Ibis."

20. _Palaeornis wardi_. From the plate in the "Ibis."

21. _Hemiphaga spadicea_. From the specimen in the Tring Museum.

22. _Alectroenas nitidissima_. From the plate in the Volume
commémoratif du Centenaire, Mus. Paris.

23. _Pezophaps solitaria_. Made up from descriptions and ancient
drawings.

24. _Didus cucullatus_. From drawings.

24A. _Didus cucullatus_. See explanation, page 172.

24B. _Didus cucullatus_. See explanation, page 172.

24C. _Didus cucullatus_. See explanation, page 172.

25. _Didus solitarius_. From a picture supposed to be taken from a
living specimen in Amsterdam, but beak and wing restored.

25A. _Didus solitarius_. After Dubois' description.

25B. 1, 2, 3. _Pezophaps solitarius_. Reproduction of ancient figures,
see page 177.

4, 5, 7, 8. _Didus solitarius_. Reproduction of ancient figures,
see page 177.

{xxix} 26. 1. _Hypotaenidia pacifica_. From Forster's unpublished
drawing in the British Museum.

2. _Pennula sandwichensis_. From the unique specimen in the Leyden
Museum.

3. _Pennula millsi_. From skin in the Tring Museum.

27. _Nesolimnas dieffenbachi_. From the unique specimen in the British
Museum.

28. 1. _Cabalus modestus_. From skin in the Tring Museum.

2. _Coturnix novaezealandiae_. From skin in the Tring Museum.

29. _Aphanapteryx bonasia_. From ancient drawing.

30. _Erythromachus leguati_. Made up from ancient outline figure and
description.

31. _Leguatia gigantea_. Made up from ancient figures and descriptions.

32. _Apterornis coerulescens_. From description.

33. _Notornis alba_. From the plate in "Ibis," 1873.

34. _Notornis hochstetteri_. From the plate in the Zeitschr. f.d. ges.
Ornithologie.

35. 1. _Aechmorhynchus cancellatus_. From the plate in Seebohm's
"Charadriidae."

2. _Prosobonia leucoptera_. After the unpublished drawings in the
British Museum, but the artist has not shown the white patch on the
shoulder.

36. _Camptolaimus labradorius_. From the two specimens in the Tring
Museum.

37. _Aestrelata caribbaea_. From the type specimen in the Dublin
Museum.

38. _Alca impennis_. From the stuffed specimen in the Tring Museum.

39. _Carbo perspicillatus_. From a specimen in the British Museum.

40. _Dromaius peroni_. From the type of the species in the Paris
Museum.

41. _Megalapteryx huttoni_. Restored from osteological remains and
feathers.

42. _Dinornis ingens_. Restoration from skeleton and some feathers.

* * * * *

{1}

PALAEOCORAX FORBES.

This genus is founded on cranial characters: Basipterygoid processes of parasphenoid present but rudimentary. The vomer broad, flat, and three-pointed in front. Maxillaries anchylosed to the premaxillaries, the latter anchylosed to the expanded ossified base of the nasal septum. The ossified mesethmoid stretches backward and is lodged in the concavity of the upper surface of the vomer, so that it presents a form intermediate between the complete aegithognathous forms, such as _Corvus_, and the compound aegithognathous forms, such as _Gymnorhina_, in which desmognathism was superadded by "anchylosis of the inner edge of the maxillaries with a highly ossified alinasal wall and nasal septum" (Parker).

PALAEOCORAX MORIORUM (FORBES).

_Corvus moriorum_ Forbes, Nature XLVI p. 252 (1892).

_Palaeocorax moriorum_ Forbes, Bull. B.O.C. I p. XXI (1892).

Dr. Forbes says this bird is of about half the size again of a _Corvus cornix_. The principal characters are cranial, and the same as those of the genus.

Habitat: Chatham Islands, and possibly the Middle Island, New Zealand.

Many skulls and bones in the Tring Museum.

PALAEOCORAX ANTIPODUM FORBES.

_Palaeocorax antipodum_ Forbes, Ibis 1893, p. 544.

This is said to be distinguished from _P. moriorum_ by its considerably smaller size. Habitat: North Island, New Zealand.

{3}

FREGILUPUS LESSON.

Huge crest, bill long and curved. One species, extinct.

FREGILUPUS VARIA (BODD.)

(PLATE 1.)

_Huppes ou Callendres_, Voyages du Sieur D.B. (Dubois) aux Iles
Dauphine ou Madagascar, et Bourbon ou Mascarenne, etc., p. 172
(1674--Bourbon).

_Huppe du Cap de Bonne Espérance_ Daubenton, Pl. Enl. 697.

_Huppe noire et blanche du Cap de Bonne Espérance_ Montbeillard, Hist.
Nat. Ois. VI, p. 463 (1779).

_Madagascar Hoopoe_ Latham, Gen. Syn. B. II pt. I, p. 690 (1783).

_Upupa varia_ Boddaert, Tabl. Pl. Enl. p. 43 (1783--ex Daubenton).

_Upupa capensis_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, p. 466 (1788--ex Montbeillard).

_La Huppe grise_ Audebert et Vieillot, Ois. Dor., "Promerops" p. 15 pl.
III (1802).

_Le Mérops huppé_ Levaillant, Hist. Nat. Promérops, etc., p. 43, pl. 18
(1806).

_Upupa madagascariensis_ Shaw, Gen. Zool. VIII, pt. I, p. 140 (1812).

_Coracia cristata_ Vieillot, Nouv. Dict. d'Hist. Nat. VIII, p. 3
(1817).

_Pastor upupa_ Wagler, Syst. Avium, Pastor, sp. 13 (1827).

_Fregilupus borbonicus_ Vinson, Bull. Soc. d'Acclimat 1868, p. 627.

_Fregilupus varius_ Hartlaub, Vög. Madagasc. p. 203 (1877); Sharpe,
Cat. B. Brit. Mus. XIII p. 194 (1890); Milne-Edwards & Oustalet,
Centenaire Mus. Hist. Nat., p. 205, pl. II (1893).

As long ago as 1674 a note about the "Huppe" exists, by "Le Sieur D.B.," _i.e._, Dubois. He says, when describing the birds of Réunion (translated): "Hoopoes or 'Callendres,' having a white tuft on the head, the rest of the plumage white and grey, the bill and the feet like a bird of prey; they are a little larger than the young pigeons; this is another good game (_i.e._, to eat) when it is fat."

This description has generally been accepted as referring to the _Fregilupus_, though that of the bill and feet is then due to an error of the author, for _Fregilupus_ has the bill and feet of a member of the _Sturnidae_ or family of Starlings.

Good descriptions and representations of the "Huppe" have been given in many places (see literature), but whether they were taken from males or females is generally not known. The sexes seem to be alike in colour, but the female is smaller, and has a shorter and straighter bill than the male. At least, this is the conclusion of Dr. Hartert, who saw the four examples in the museum at Troyes. As far as he could see through the glass all four {4} seemed to be adult birds, but two were larger with longer and more curved bills, two smaller and with shorter and straighter beaks, so that they are evidently two pairs.

This bird seems to have become extirpated about the middle of the last century. The late Monsieur Pollen wrote in 1868 (translated): "This species has become so rare that one did not hear them mentioned for a dozen years. It has been destroyed in all the littoral districts, and even in the mountains near the coast. Trustworthy persons, however, have assured us that they must still exist in the forests of the interior, near St. Joseph. The old creoles told me that, in their youth, these birds were still common, and that they were so stupid that one could kill them with sticks. They call this bird the "Hoopoe." It is, therefore, not wrong what a distinguished inhabitant of Réunion, Mr. A. Legras, wrote about this bird with the following words: "The Hoopoe has become so rare that we have hardly seen a dozen in our wanderings to discover birds; we were even grieved to search for it in vain in our museum."

We are certain that _Fregilupus_ existed still on Réunion in 1835, as Monsieur Desjardins, living on Mauritius, wrote in a manuscript formerly belonging to the late Professor Milne-Edwards: "My friend, Marcelin Sauzier, has sent me four alive from Bourbon in May, 1835. They eat everything. Two have escaped some months afterwards, and it might well happen that they will stock our forests."

It seems, indeed, that specimens were killed in 1837 on Mauritius, where they did not originally exist. Verreaux shot an example in Réunion in 1832.

The names "La Huppe du Cap" and "_Upupa madagascariensis_" arose out of the mistaken notions that this bird lived in South Africa or Madagascar, but we know now that its real home was Réunion or Bourbon.

WE ARE AWARE OF THE FOLLOWING SPECIMENS PRESERVED IN COLLECTIONS.

2 stuffed ones, one in good, one in bad condition, and two in spirits,
in the Paris Museum.

4 stuffed in Troyes.

1 stuffed, from the Riocour collection, in the British Museum.

1 in the Florence Museum.

1 in Turin.

1 in Pisa.

1, rather poor and old, in Leyden.

1 in Stockholm.

1 in the Museum at Port Louis, on the island of Mauritius.

1 in the collection of the late Baron de Selys Longchamps.

1 in Genoa.

{5}

NECROPSAR GÜNTHER & NEWTON.