Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1876-03-01

that is, the lower parts including the feet
This circumstance points to II case OF
brolcd fowl Of extraordinary dimensions
With these, specimens of obsidian spear
heads were found, which clearly Indicate
the method used by the moa hunters to
capture the birds.
The discovery of the skeletons of. birds
SO gigantic in size furnishes an interesting
confirmation Of the theories of Professor
Hitchcock, Of Massachusetts,, whose an
nouncement quarter Of Il century earlier
,stonished the scientific world. About the
year 1850 attention was directed to hume
rous imprirts Of Il trifid character, which
/ appeared upon the sandstone of the Con-
nccticut River Valley. They were thought
to resemble footprints of gigantic birds.
DR.. Deane. of Greenfield, communicated
the fact to Professor Hitchcock, President
of Amherst College. who Immediately set
about working ont the subject in a scien-
tific manner. The first account WAS pub
lshei in 1886. in SiUimdns Journul. The
! tracks We're observed to be tridactvlous, or
thrce-toed. but in many instances there
were 81 gn- of an imprint of II fonrlh toe
directed backwaI At this time no bird
! living or fossil. was known tina, could pro-
ducc 50 large IN impression or footprint,
the ostrich being the nearest approach
thereto. Similar footprints have since
been found in New Jersey and Pcnnsylva-
MIA, where extensive quarrying has been
done in argillaceou> sanustoneS.
! The largest and finest specimens occur
red at Turner's Falls, Massachusetts,. In
some instances several hundred footprints
We're observed IN Il small space. represent
inc several species. and the whole surface
was pitted 10y rain-drops. The largest inn
prcssions are fifteen inches in length and
ten in width, exclusive Of the hind claw
which is two inches long. In 4 consecu-
tive series which was observed on larger
slabs, where five or six prints were form
ed. the stride was found to be from four to
five feet
In the absence of any other relies, no
bones having 1T this time been found, nat
aralists .>cre shy of receiving these facts
as bearing upon the former existence OF
birds of gigantic proportions. The matter
is now made entirely clear 10y the discove-
ry of the moas, though they are ut the
other end of the world" Without at
tempting 70 explain why there should be
no relies of bones in the sandstone region
I Of Massachusetts. we NAV remark that the
great caverns. wherever they are found,
are usually the depository Of such objects,
certain conditions itvoring their pre>crvl-
ton. while in the New England states
there are no natural catacombS or caves
Ihe geological changes in our part of the
world, too, probably nave had much to
do with the complete dispersion of such
forms.
There were found. besides the footprint
of birds, of whicl, thirly-two species were
enumerated, those of twelve species OF
quadruped>, the latter being mostly OF
reptiles.
In some instances the impression showed
distinctly the marks natural to the skin OF
the under side of the foot; and further
proof of their bird character was furnished
in the droppings OF eNcrcment. called,
when fossil. copr0ltc> which was analvzed
bv Professor Dana. and found to contain
the proportion Of uric acid and other con-
stiuent> which characterize guano.
The first information concerning the dis
coverv Of the moas of New Zcaland came
10 the hands of science about the vear
1852. Mr. Mantcll. i. K. S. o England.
communicated an account OF some spccl-
mems of bones which We're Obtain ed bv his
son, who was residing i'll Wtllin- -,on. New
Zealand. The MuOris OF natives were ..c-
guaintcd with the occurrence of these
: bones lOnr before the settlement by Euro
pranS Traditions were rife among them
that the mua> had served their ancestors
with food. and stories were told of the
hun,inr,N Ur-ions TO procure them. They
also believe that living ones sill exist in
remote parts of the land. They state tha,
the birds have magnificent feathers, which
/ the chiefs used a> ornaments for then
heads.
Mr.. MantclI had great difficulty in Sc
curing his specimens. owing to 4 seeming
prejudice Of the native Maori>, who insist.
ed on ~cizing all they could lay hands on
and breaking them. lIr SAYS Mixct
with lhe bones, hut exceedingly rare, wer,
fragments of r1r->hell>. | also found siN
oyal rings. and one broad. circular rinr O
the trachra." Mr. Mantcl continues
From traditions and other circumstance,
it is supposed that ihe present natives OF
! New Zealand came to those islands n
more than six hundred Years ago. How.
ever thi, may b" that the moa WAS alive
when the first settlers came is evident from
. thc name of this bird being mixed up witt
! their songs and stories
Professor Owen observes of these birds
From the iolm and structure OF certain
characteristic paris OF TIE skull and upper
mandible it is manifest that the Dn6rni.
cannot be a>~iy iyn.u to any known family O
birds and in referring the genus TO til,
>truthionid;r Che o>trich-lkc bir,ls), little
more is implied than Il feeble development
of the wings, and large and powerful hind
CT limbs 1"r progression on dry land" III,
concludes 10y placing them in a new an,
distinct family of the order yytlIu. or still
birds.
Like the ostrich. the moas aye nearl,
winmlc>S. The body of some larre ,peci
men of moa With lis enormous pclvis an,
solid Thighs resembles that of Il ma,todo,
or some huge manual in lis great proper
tons and pon'lerous aspect.
Some of the smaller species somewha
resemble the bu>t:lrd. and others have char
nctcrs like the curious aptcryx or win~lcs
birds, ki-wi, of that region.
The American Museum is now rich il
possession of the best specimens of severa
Of the extinct birds of various portions G
the world. Besides the five specimens q
CO., the egg and bones of Er;.': ''''
madagascar. and the s'ernum. mead an
leg bones of the dolo from Mauri;iu<- =
Havper's Weekly.