Part 76

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

PACHYORNIS VALGUS (HUTT.)

Euryapteryx valgus Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXV, p. 12 (1893).

This species is at once distinguishable from all others by the extraordinary internal expansion of the distal end of the tibio-tarsus. The tarso-metatarsus is 8.5 inches = 216 mm. in length and the proximal width 3.5 inches = 89 mm., and does not differ much from crassus except in the great proximal width, necessary to articulate with the distal internal expansion described above.

The type came from Enfield in New Zealand.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand. {217}

PACHYORNIS PYGMAEUS (HUTT.)

Euryapteryx pygmaeus Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 739 (1892).

As implied by its name, this is the smallest species of Pachyornis, the tarso-metatarsus only measuring 6 inches in length. The type came from Takaka.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

PACHYORNIS COMPACTA (HUTT.)

Euryapteryx compacta Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXV, p. 11 (1893).

Approaches nearest to pygmaeus in size, but can be at once distinguished by the distal extremity of the tibio-tarsus not being expanded inwards. The tarso-metatarsus has the trochleae considerably more expanded than in pygmaeus.

Type from Enfield in New Zealand.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

{219}

PALAEOCASUARIUS FORBES.

Dr. Forbes founded this genus of Dinornithidae on remains of Moas of three distinct sizes as regards femora collected by him at Manitoto. Dr. Forbes has kindly placed these bones at my disposal, and the following summarises the results of my examination. I find that Dr. Forbes' original idea as to the distinctness of Palaeocasuarius is perfectly justified, as not only are his characters of the tibio-tarsus, as opposed to those in the other genera, correct, but the proportions between femur, tibio-tarsus and tarso-metatarsus are quite different to those of other genera. I give the proportions of the three bones in Palaeocasuarius elegans, Megalapteryx tenuipes, and Pachyornis elephantopus, which are the three most nearly allied genera:

------------------------+---------------+--------------+--------------- | Pal. elegans. | M. tenuipes. | Pach. | | | elephantopus. ------------------------+---------------+--------------+--------------- Femur, length | 10-5/8 inches | 11 inches | 12 inches Width over condyles | 3½ " | 3½ " | 5 " Tibio-tarsus, length | 16 " | 15½ " | 33 " Width at distal end | 2 " | 2¼ " | 3½ " Tarso-metatarsus, length| 7 " | 6 " | 9 " Width at centre | 1½ " | 1¼ " | 2¼ " ------------------------+---------------+--------------+---------------

The original diagnosis was as follows, being founded on the tibio-tarsus: "The tibio-tarsus differs from that of all other genera in being straighter and less twisted on itself, so that the position of the ridge forming the inner wall of the groove for the tendons of the extensor muscles run along the inner side of the bone as in Casuarius. As in the latter genus it takes a marked turn inwards and backwards before joining the epicnemial crest, while a line joining the centre point between the distal condyles and the epicnemial ridge leaves a considerable space between it and the wall of the groove. There is no intercondylar eminence in the intercondylar channel, and the orifice of the extensor foramen opens more longitudinally than in the other genera, and points downwards."

Type of the genus: Palaeocasuarius haasti Forbes.

Number of species: 3.

In the following descriptions of the three species I only rely on the measurements of the femora, as not all the other leg bones of the three species are available. {220}

PALAEOCASUARIUS HAASTI FORBES.

Palaeocasuarius haasti Forbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 189 (1892).

Femur: length approximately 8.5 inches; width across head and great trochanter 2.25 inches. Tarso-metatarsus: length 7 inches; width in centre 1.15 inches, at distal end 2.75 inches.

Type from Manitoto in Liverpool Museum.

This bird exceeded considerably the cassowary in size, is all the author tells us of this bird. It is a pity that Dr. Forbes did not insist on the publication in full of his paper, as proper descriptions of all the twelve new species are wanting.