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Show CHAPTER XXI. ANOMALOUS ISLANDS: NEW ZBALAND. Position and Physical Features of New Zealand-Zoological character of New Zealand-Mammalia-Wingless Birds living and extinct--Recent Existence of the Moa-Past Changes of New Zealand deduced from its Wingless Birds-Birds and Reptiles of New Zealand--Conclusions from the Peculiarities of the New Zealand Fauna. THE fauna of New Zealand has been so recently described, and its bearing on the past history of the islands so fully discussed in my large work already referred to, that it would not be necessary to introduce the subject again, were it not that we now approach it from a somewhat different point of view, and with some important fresh material, which will enable us to arrive at more definite conclusions as to the nature and origin of this remarkable fauna and flora. The present work is, besides, addressed to a wider class of readers than my former volumes, and it would be manifestly incomplete if all reference to one of the most remarkable and interesting of insular faunas was omitted. The two great islands which mainly constitute New Zealand are together about as large as the kingdom of Italy. They stretch over thirteen degrees of latitude in the warmer portion of the south-temperate zone, their extreme points corresponding to the latitudes of Vienna and Cyprus. Their climate throughout is mild and equable, their vegetation is luxuriant, and deserts or uninhabitable regions are as completely unknown as in our own islands. OHAr. XXI.] NEW ZEALAND. 443 T~e geological structure of these islands has a decidedly contmeutal character. Ancient sedimentary rocks, granite, a:nd .modern volcanic formations abound; gold, silver, copper, tm, Iron, and coal are plentiful; and there are also some considerable deposits of early or late Tertiary age. The Secondary rocks alone are very scantily developed, and such fragments as exist are chiefly of Cretaceous age, often not clearly separated from the succeeding Eocene beds. MAP SIIOWJNG DEPTHS OF SEA AROUND AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND. ~he light t.int indien1es a depth of less than 1,000 fathoms. '!he dark tmt , , more than 1,000 fathoms. The position of New Zealand, in the great Southern Ocean, ~bout 1,200 miles distant from the Australian continent, is very Isolated. It is surrounded by a moderately deep ocean; but the f?rm of the sea-bottom is peculiar, and may help us in the solut.wn of some ~f the anomalies presented by its living productiOns. The lme of 200 fathoms encloses the two islands and extends their area considerably; but the 1,000-fathom line, which indicates the land-area that would be produced if |