Mr. H. O. Forbes's Discoveries in the Chatham Islands

Abstract

IN a paper read before the Royal Geographical Society on March 12th, and again in an article on “The Chatham Islands and their Story” in the Fortnightly Review of this month, Mr. H. O. Forbes has described his very interesting discoveries in these islands, and has founded thereon certain conclusions as to the past history of the New Zealand group. The most startling new fact is the proof of the recent existence on the Chatham Islands of two birds whose nearest allies inhabited the distant group of the Mascarene Islands within the historical period. These are a flightless rail very closely allied to the Aphanapteryx of Mauritius, and a coot which is hardly different, except in its somewhat larger size, from the extinct Fulica newtoni of the same island.