Extinct Birds: An Attempt to Unite in one Volume a Short Account of those Birds which have become Extinct in Historical Times that is, with in the Last Six or Seven Hundred Years to Which are Added a few Which Still Exist, but are on the Verge of Extincti

About The Book: On the whole, this book is confined to species actually known to be extinct, but a few are included of which a small number is still known to exist, because firstly there seems no doubt that they will vanish soon, and secondly, as in the case of Notornis, it was necessary to clear up certain misconceptions and contradictory statements. In the case of a few species believed to be quite extinct, it is possible that some individuals may still exist in little known parts of their range, while on the other hand it is more than likely that several of the species referred to in my lecture as threatened with destruction, have already ceased to live. This may also be the case with some birds not alluded to at all. A bird usually stated to be extinct is Monarcha dimidiata, from Rara-Tonga, but in March, 1901, two specimens, male and female, were procured by the Earl of Ranfurly. Doubtless this is a species which will one day vanish entirely, but at present it hardly comes within the scope of this work.