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Show 1894.] MR. J. T. LAST ON THE BONES OP MPYORNIS. 127 in size, dotted about over these extensive flats. Often a number of small lakes may be seen in close proximity, and these, looked upon as a whole, seem to be only the remains of what was formerly a lake of considerable extent. The boggy nature of the surrounding country also seems to indicate the same thing. Some of these small lakes dry up during the dry season, others are too large and have no outlets into the sea. The water is very brackish, and always leaves a thick deposit of salt as it slowly subsides. It is in the beds of these lakes that the various fossilized forms are found. At Ambiilisatra, in about lat. 23° S., a place visited by M. Grandidier several years ago, I found a variety of fossil bones. These consisted chiefly of remains of the Hippopotamus, Crocodile, Tortoise, and a few of the iEpyornis. If any of these creatures died in the water, the skeletons must have been much washed about and the bones separated, for it was seldom that two bones of the same animal were found together. The formation of the country shows that there was formerly a very extensive lake at this place. In the part where I excavated, the ground was fairly dry above, but w e found it full of water below. The soil is a blackish clay for about two feet; next we came to a stratum of white clay or loam from one to two feet thick; after this, some greenish sand and a layer of green sand mixed with pebbles. The fossils were found lying between the band of greenish sand and the layer of green sand and pebbles. I made two visits to this place, and during m y second visit I intended to make considerable excavations in search for iEpyornis-bones, but after a few days m y work was stopped by the king sending orders for m y men to return home. The men were obliged to do as the king ordered. The king, personally, did not care what digging I did, for some time previously I had visited him, paid him the accustomed honours, told him m y business, and he, in the presence of his chiefs, gave m e leave to go where I pleased about his country and to collect what I wanted, naming one or two things which were "facli" or prohibited. It was some of the big chiefs who really stopped m y work. They thought I ought to be continually giving them presents; and as I held a different opinion, they resolved to cut m y work off. This they easily did, by telling the king some story, that it was bad for the cattle that the white man should dig holes in places where the cattle were likely to go; they would fall in and be lost. Of course the king had to comply with their wishes, and this he easily did by sending a messenger to take away m y men, in his name. This ended m y work at Ambiilisatra. From Ambiilisatra we must proceed to a place some few miles further north-Ambatumifuku, in about lat. 22° 40' S. It was in this district that I obtained the large semi-fossil Tortoises which I have sent home during the last two years \ The flat country at this place, between the sea and the hills, is very similar 1 [These have been described by Mr. Boulenger. See Trans. Zool. Soc. siii. p. 305.-ED.] |
