Part 73

Syornis rheides Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 131 (1892).

This is a very difficult form to consider, as the type bones consisted of those of three different forms. Whether Professor Owen, were he now alive, would concur in Captain Hutton's treatment is very questionable, and I doubt if it ought not to be united to Emeus crassus, while Haast united it to P. gravis. I have kept it separate as no bones of a single individual united are known, and it might prove sufficiently distinct if a good skeleton were obtained. The type bones were sent from Waikawaite, Middle Island, by Colonel Wakefield, in 1849.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

CELA CASUARINUS (OWEN).

Dinornis casuarinus Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. III, p. 307 (1846).

Syornis casuarinus Reichenbach, Nat. Syst. der Vög, p. XXX (1850).

Meionornis casuarinus Haast, Trans. N.Z. Inst., VII, pp. 54-91 (1875).

Syornis casuarinus Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst., XXIV, p. 133 (1892).

C. casuarinus is found in both Islands, and is abundant in the Middle Island.

The type came from Waikowaiti.

Habitat: New Zealand.

Portions of one skeleton and two almost complete skeletons in Tring Museum; one of the latter from Kapua Swamps.

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EMEUS REICHENBACH.

The skull is very short and wide, with a blunt and slightly deflected rostrum, and a very small pneumatic foramen to the quadrate. The mandible is in the shape of a wide U, with a slightly inflected angle, and a large post-articular process. The symphysis is very wide and deeply excavated, with a broad and slightly prominent inferior ridge narrowing in front. The sternum resembles that of Anomalopteryx, but the pelvis is much wider and approaches that of Pachyornis. The tibio-tarsus and tarso-metatarsus are relatively shorter and thicker than in Anomalopteryx, but less stout than in Pachyornis; the distal extremity of the tibio-tarsus is not inflected. A hallux is present. The length of the tarso-metatarsus is considerably less than that of the femur, and than half that of the tibio-tarsus, its width at the middle of the shaft being rather more than one-fourth of its length.

The vertebrae are of the type of Anomalopteryx. The species are larger than most of those of Cela and Anomalopteryx. Additional cranial characters are that the skull usually has very broad and blunt paroccipital processes; there is no distinct supraoccipital prominence, and no well-marked depression upon the frontal aspect of the squamosal above the head of the quadrate. The basi-occipital tubercles are prominent, and give an arched posterior profile to this bone. The quadrate is elongated with a long anterior bar; the cavity of the squamosal for the reception of its head is inclined much more outwardly than in either of the other genera.

Type of genus: Emeus crassus (Owen).

Number of species: 6.

EMEUS CRASSUS (OWEN).

Dinornis crassus Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. III, p. 307 (1846--partim).

Emeus crassus Reichenbach, Nat. Syst. der Vög., p. XXX (1850).

Syornis crassus Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 132 (1892).

This species has led to much confusion, owing to Professor Owen having associated with the real portions of crassus in his possession bones of elephantopus, ponderosus and struthioides. The type came from Waikouaiti.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

Imperfect skeleton in Tring Museum. {210}

EMEUS BOOTHI NOM. NOV.

Emeus, Species [Alpha], Parker, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII, p. 379 (1895), pl. XVI.

Easily distinguished by the shorter and narrower beak. Type specimen--the skull found by Mr. R. S. Booth at Stag Point--now in Otago University Museum, figured as above.