THE MEGATHERIUM’S FRIEND.

New Zealand Mail, 29 January 1902, Page 16

THE MEGATHERIUM’S FRIEND.

After forty-three years of service, Dr Woodward has retired from tho British Museum. His work there began in 1858, and in 1880 lie was appointed keeper of tho Department of Geology. Dr. Woodward was an authority on tho prehistoric creatures whose Inigo dimensions interest tho public so greatly. Tho Megatherium and the Ichthyosaurus were to him as familiar friends.

One of tho most interesting additions to tho Museum during Dr. Woodward’s term of office is a skeleton of the big, ostrich-1 iko, wingless ■ bird, whose beak reaches 10ft. from the .ground, described as tho “Dinornis Elophantopus.” At one time all that was known of tho Supposed wingless bird rested on tho possession of a fragment of its al-

leged thighbone. Professor Owen insisted that this piece of bone proved the existence at one time of a gigantic bird without wings. Seven years afterwards the discovery of nearly complete skeletons in. New Zealand confirmed this contention. The missing bones were found in the ashes of feasts held by the natives. No “close time” had been observed, and the voracious appetite of the Maoris had resulted in tho gastronomic extermination of the species. The “Dinornis” had completely disappeared down the throats of the natives.