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Show 1894.] MR. J. T. LAST ON THE BONES OP .EPYORN1S. 129 him, set to work to see what the bones were like, and seeing they were likely to be those I wanted, he remained working at the pans for several days. According to what the man told me, the places where he dug abounded with fossil remains, the uppermost being about four feet below the surface. Apparently the pans are from eight to ten feet deep-the first two or three feet consisting of a black peaty soil, the rest of a white or grey marl, in which the bones are found. The chief difficulty in working the pans is caused by the water contained in the soil: the soil is saturated, aud the water cannot escape below because of the hard rock, nor can it evaporate through the peaty top ; therefore, as soon as a hole of any size is made, the water drains into it. I have no doubt that many very valuable fossils lie hid in these pans, and these can be obtained only when proper means are used for removing the water. M y man told me that in the place where he found the largest bones he wras obliged to leave many ; he could feel them with his feet, but could not stoop down into the water far enough to get them out. I think the only way of obtaining them is by the use of a good pump and long hose to drain the water away. I am strongly of opinion, judging from the remarks m y man made about the place, that the iEpyornis-skull, that great desideratum, would be found here if anywhere. I visited Itampulu-be last September along with this man, and he showed m e the places where he had been workiug. The people here are friendly. The king lives two days' march inland, and has a good name among Europeans for fair treatment. Of course presents must be given to the king and chiefs before any work whatever can be done in the country. If I have the opportunity of returning to Madagascar, I should certainly like to spend a month or so working with proper appliances at these pans. I will now conclude my remarks about the iEpyornis with a few words concerning its egg. It is strange that the egg or even broken portions of it are never met with far inland. During all my explorations, though I have found the bird's bones a long way inland, I have never seen any fragments of eggs either with them or inland anywhere. I have never heard of whole eggs being obtained inland, and I believe that all, or nearly all, have been found in the sand-dunes which are piled up along the coast. Everywhere along the south and south-west coast fragments are to be found in abundance, especially on the hill-sides about St. Augustin's Bay. Bushels of broken egg-shells could be gathered in this district with but little trouble. Prom this I judge that these birds used to live generally in the more inland parts of South Central Madagascar and at certain seasons came to the coast to lay their e^gs, after which they betook themselves again to their inland homes. I do not know whether this idea is quite correct, but it seems to me very probable, from the fact that their eggs, both whole and broken, are only found on or near the sea-coast. P R O C . ZOOL. Soc-1894, No. IX. 9 |
