Part 79

The egg mentioned by Mr. Lydekker in Cat. Foss. Birds B.M., page 214, No. 41847 is, judging from its size, undoubtedly an egg of this species, and I quote the measurements, as they are very large:--

Largest circumference 921 mm. Smallest circumference 768 "

The egg purchased in 1854 in the Paris Museum measures:--

Large circumference 925 mm. Small circumference 753 "

In addition to these four eggs which are undoubtedly of Ae. titan, there are the following which I consider to belong to that species:--

1 Paris Museum, Mr. Armange. 1 Hamburg. 1 Messrs. Gilford, Orange, New Jersey. 1 Rowley collection.

These four eggs range from 900 mm. to 863.5 mm. in large circumference, and 770 mm. to 736 mm. in small circumference. {225}

AEPYORNIS MAXIMUS GEOFF.

Aepyornis maximus I. Geoffrey St. Hilaire, Ann. Sci. Nat. sér. 3, vol. XIV, p. 209 (1851).

Aepyornis ingens Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, C.R. CXVIII, pp. 122-127 (1894).

This is the stoutest and bulkiest species, though not so tall as Ae. titan. All the largest eggs next to those of Ae. titan must belong to this species. It will be argued that I have no right to use the name maximus for this form, but the name of maximus is based on one of the eggs in the Paris Museum, and as these evidently belong to this form and not to the form subsequently called maximus, I must apply to that the name of grandidieri, given by Mr. Dawson Rowley in 1867 to a portion of eggshell of the lesser form.

The measurements of the limbs are as follows:--

Femur.

Total length 440 mm. Width at proximal end 190 " Width at distal end 200 " Circumference at narrowest part of shaft 265 "

Tibio-tarsus.

Total length 780 mm. Width at proximal end 180 " Width at distal end 160 " Circumference at narrowest part of shaft 210 "

Tarso-metatarsus.

Total length 420 mm. Width at proximal end 170 " Width at distal end 160 " Circumference at narrowest part of shaft 200 "

The description of the foot in the diagnosis of the family is based on the pes of this species. It is true that the two mounted skeletons in the British and Tring Museums of Aepyornis hildebrandti show a larger number of phalanges; but as neither is composed of the bones of a single individual it is more than likely that the articulator made a mistake.

The dimensions of the type egg are as follows:--

Large diameter 340 mm. Small diameter 225 " Large circumference 850 " Small circumference 710 "

Habitat: S. W. Madagascar.

There are about 16 eggs known of this form, varying from 854 mm. to 816 mm. in large circumference, and from 743 mm. to 715 mm. in small circumference. {226}

AEPYORNIS GRANDIDIERI ROWLEY.

Aepyornis Maximus Auct.

Aepyornis grandidieri Rowley, P.Z.S. 1867, p. 892.

This is the form which nearly all the bones, referred erroneously to Geoffroy's Ae. maximus, belong. The original description of Dawson Rowley was founded on a piece of eggshell, and is as follows:--

"The granulation is in a marked degree different from that of the other pieces. The air pores which in the other specimens appear like a comet with a tail are here only small indentations without any tail; the shell also is only half the thickness, is much finer, and presents an aspect so diverse that the difference is detected by the most careless observer, even when the pieces are all mixed. These fragments belonged to the egg of much smaller birds, the embryo of which required less strength in the shell. Yet the colour, quality and locality of that shell clearly point to a bird of the same family as Aepyornis maximus--in short, a smaller and more delicate Aepyornis. For this species I propose the name of Aepyornis grandidieri."