Part 69

Habitat: New Zealand.

There is an imperfect skeleton in the Tring Museum, from a limestone cave at Takaka, near Motueka, Province of Nelson, New Zealand.

DINORNIS DROMIOIDES OWEN.

Dinornis dromioides Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. III. p. 235 (1843).

Palapteryx dromioides Reichenbach, Nat. Syst. der Vög. p. XXX (1850).

Palapteryx plenus Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV p. 122 (1892).

This form also inhabited both islands, but was probably one of the rarest. The type of D. dromioides came from Poverty Bay, and that of P. plenus from Glenmark.

Habitat: New Zealand.

DINORNIS NOVAEZEALANDIAE OWEN.

Dinornis novaezealandiae Owen, P.Z.S. (1843) p. 8.

D. struthioides Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. III p. 244 (1844).

D. strennus Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXV p. 8 (1893).

Professor Owen changed the name of this form, but we cannot accept this change, as it is against the laws of nomenclatorial priority, though we all appreciate the motive the Professor had in making this change. The type came from Poverty Bay, but the bird inhabits both islands.

This species had wings.

Habitat: New Zealand.

A nearly perfect skeleton in the Tring Museum from Waitomo district, Auckland, New Zealand.

{195}

MEGALAPTERYX HAAST.

Originally distinguished by Haast from the Dinornithidae as an ancient form of the Apterygidae, but afterwards united by Lydekker with the Dinornithidae. Mr. Lydekker's diagnosis of the genus is as follows:--

"Distinguished from Dinornis by the extreme slenderness and length of the femur and tibio-tarsus, and the relatively shorter tarso-metatarsus, of which latter the length is considerably shorter than that of the femur. The pelvis is much narrower than in Dinornis, with the ventral surface of the postacetabular sacrals ridged and narrower, and a more developed pectineal process to the pubis. The femur is markedly curved forwards, with the distal extremity moderately expanded, the popliteal depression larger and less defined, the linea aspera narrower and sharper, and a more distinct anterior intermuscular ridge."

The following additional diagnostic characters are taken from Mr. Charles W. Andrews' description of the complete skeleton of Megalapteryx tenuipes in the Tring Museum (Nov. Zool. IV, pp. 188-194, fig. 1-2 in text and pl. VI):--

Width of cranium at paroccipital processes less than half the length of the basis cranii. Length of premaxilla less than two-and-a-half times that of the basis cranii. Body of the premaxilla pointed and slightly decurved; its length and breadth less than the basis cranii. The occipital plane slightly declined backwards. Occipital condyle projecting slightly beyond the paroccipital processes. Anterior and posterior lambdoidal ridges separated by a very narrow interval in their middle region only. Width at squamosals slightly more than double the length of the basis cranii. Mammillary tuberosities not very prominent. Margin of tympanic cavity evenly curved. Temporal fossae very large. The distance between the temporal ridges about four-fifths the width of the cranium at the fossae. The posterior temporal ridge confluent with the lambdoidal ridge. Post-temporal fossae very large.

The inferior temporal ridge is strongly marked, and there is a pretympanic process. The zygomatic process is well developed. Rostrum dilated towards its anterior end, compressed and carinate beneath the large presphenoid fossae. Mandible very slender. Posterior angular process small. Sternum very convex, and with a very nearly straight anterior border between the tuberosities for the coracoscapular ligaments. Costal processes short but large, with distinct {196} coracoidal facets. The lateral processes are long and distally expanded. The sternum is just as wide as it is long. There are three costal articulations. The most notable character is the enormous length of the toes, the middle one being longer than the tarso-metatarsus. The ungual phalanges are peculiarly long, narrow and curved, instead of being comparatively short and broad, as in most other Moas.

Type of the genus Megalapteryx hectori, Haast.

Number of species 4. {197}

MEGALAPTERYX HECTORI HAAST.

Megalapteryx hectori Haast, Trans. Zool. Soc. XII, p. 161 (1886); Lydekker, Cat. Fossil B. Brit. Mus., p. 252.

This form was described by Sir Julius von Haast as a gigantic Apteryx. This error arose from the absence of the skull. There is, however, no doubt now, since the skulls of Megalapteryx are known, that although sufficiently aberrant to form a distinct sub-family, the birds included in this genus are Dinornithidae and not Apterygidae.