Part 15

Chapter 153,509 wordsPublic domain

Dr. von Haast (Sir Julius von Haast) took as his type of _Dinornis oweni_ the almost complete skeleton collected by Mr. Cheeseman in a cave at Patana, Whangarei, and now in the Auckland Museum. While referring my readers to the original diagnosis for the specific characters, I wish to specially draw attention to the fact that Dr. von Haast says that in the collections he examined, made by Mr. Thorne and Mr. Cheeseman, there are bones belonging to at least 20 skeletons of his _D. oweni_, and that some were even smaller than the type, and the only difference was the constant average difference due to sex. I draw special notice to this, as Captain Hutton has united this form with _curtus_, saying Haast's type is only a small individual of that species. The fact of bones of at least 20 different individuals, showing the same characters and the same differences from _curtus_, is quite sufficient evidence for me to consider Dr. von Haast's _D. oweni_ as a distinct species. I append measurements of the leg bones of the types of _Cela curtus_ and _C. oweni_:--

Locality: Whangarei.

Habitat: North Island, New Zealand.

CELA GERANOIDES (OWEN.)

_Palapteryx geranoides_ Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. III, p. 345 (1848).

_Cela geranoides_ Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 126 (1892).

This species is confined to the North Island. The type came from Waingongoro. It is most commonly found in the South of the Island.

Habitat: North Island, New Zealand. {207}

CELA RHEIDES (OWEN).

_Dinornis rheides_ Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. IV, p. 8 (1850--partim).

_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.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

EMEUS GRAVIPES LYD.

_Emeus gravipes_ Lydekker, Cat. Foss. Birds Brit. Mus., p. 298 (1891) Nos. A95, on p. 299, to 47444d, on p. 300.

_Dinornis gravis_ (portion) Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. VIII, p. 361 (1872).

_Euryapteryx gravis_ Haast, Ibis 1874, p. 213.

The present species is smaller than _E. crassus_ and has the tarso-metatarsus relatively wider. Length, 198 mm. = 7.8 inches; width at middle of shaft, 51 mm. = 2 inches.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

EMEUS HAASTI NOM. NOV.

_Emeus_ species [Beta], Parker, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII p. 379 (1895).

_Emeus gravipes_ Lydekker, Cat. Foss. Birds Brit. Mus. p. 301 Nos. 32017, 32016, a-e and c to 32044 e on p. 307 (1891).

Sir J. von Haast united this form with _Dinornis gravis_, and the skull which is the type of _E. haasti_ is put on a skeleton of _D. gravis_ in the Canterbury Museum. The measurements of this species are much smaller than those of the other species.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand. {211}

EMEUS PARKERI NOM. NOV.

_Emeus_ species [Gamma], Parker, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII, p. 380 (1895).

This species is at once distinguished from the other species of the genus by having right-angled orbits. The type is a skull from Hamilton Swamp, named _Euryapteryx gravis_, by Prof. Hutton, in the Otago Museum.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

EMEUS EXILIS (HUTT.)

_Dinornis didiformis_ Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. III, pl. 24 (1846), part.

_Euryapteryx exilis_ Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIX, p. 552, pl. XLVIII, Fig. C (1897).

Differs from _E. crassus_ in the tibia being more convex on the anterior surface. The skull, among other differences, has a very slight frontal rising to the cranial roof, as opposed to the very conspicuous one in the remaining species. The type is a nearly complete skeleton in the Wanganui Museum. For full description see Hutton, l.c.

Habitat: North Island, New Zealand.

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PACHYORNIS LYDEKKER.

The skull is either vaulted or flattened, with a sharp and narrow beak. The paroccipital processes are shorter and more rounded, and the basi-occipital tubercles more prominent than in _Anomalopteryx_, while the quadrate and mandible resemble the same bones in that genus somewhat closely. The sternum is flat and very broad and short, with no coracoidal facets, a very small xiphisternal notch, broad and short costal processes, and widely divergent lateral processes; while there are only two costal articulations. The pelvis is extremely low and wide, with the anterior wall of the acetabulum very deeply concave, the ventral surface of all the vertebrae behind the true sacrals narrow and convex, and from which the very broad sacral ribs ascend to join the ilium, of which the inferior postacetabular border is very sharp, and descends far below the level of the ribs. There is no pectineal process to the pubis. The tibio-tarsus is very short, with the shaft curved outwards, the distal extremity markedly inflected, and the fibular ridge much shorter than in the other genera. The fibular border below the smooth space at the distal extremity of the fibular ridge is extremely rough; and the distal extensor tubercle is very prominent, being situated partly on the line of the upper half of the extensor groove, instead of being altogether external to the same.

The tarso-metatarsus is still shorter and wider than in _Emeus_, the width at the middle of the shaft being usually rather more than one third of the length. The third trochlea is more prominent than in the other genera, and rises very abruptly from the shaft, the outer border of the anterior surface usually expanding suddenly at the proximal extremity, and the outer ridge of this surface being always more prominent than the inner, whereas in the other genera the opposite condition obtains. The femur, as compared with that of _Dinornis_, is very much shorter and thicker, with a longer neck, and the head rising and projecting very considerably, the linea aspera mainly forming a rough nodule near the distal end of the shaft, the outer surface of the distal extremity more suddenly expanded, and the popliteal depression larger, more open, and leading to the inner surface of the shaft by a more distinct channel. The profile of the inner condyle is wider antero-posteriorly, and more rounded, the anterior intertrochlear surface being deeply channelled.

The phalangeals of the pes are much shorter and stouter than in _Dinornis_, the proximal surface of the terminal segments generally presenting a trefoil-shaped contour. The length of the tarso-metatarsus is very much {214} less than half that of the tibio-tarsus. In the vertebral column the cervicals are short with very stout centra, the prezygopophyses in the middle region being nearly horizontal and separated from one another by a wide channel. The posterior face of the centra is tall and narrow, and the neural spines of the last two vertebrae much inclined forward. In the dorsals there is usually no anterior pneumatic foramen till the fourth (or the last with a distinct haemal carina), this foramen being situated on the line of the anterior border of the rib-facet. The third and fourth dorsals are extremely compressed. Throughout the series also the neural spines and transverse processes are comparatively long. Additional characters of the skull are that the sphenoidal rostrum is expanded in a lance-like shape at the anterior extremity, in a manner unlike that of any of the other genera.

Then the supraoccipital never has a very strongly developed median prominence, and the temporal fossae are comparatively short. The mandible may be readily distinguished from that of the other genera by the low position of the inner aperture of the dental canal, which pierces the bone obliquely to join the small lateral vacuity.

Type of the genus: _Pachyornis elephantopus_ (Owen).

Number of species: 8.

PACHYORNIS ELEPHANTOPUS (OWEN.)

_Dinornis elephantopus_ Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. IV, p. 149 (1853).

_Palapteryx elephantopus_ Haast, Ibis, Ser. 3, vol. IV, p. 212 (1874).

_Euryapteryx elephantopus_ Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 135 (1892).

Until Mr. Lydekker described _Pachyornis immanis_, and Mr. Andrews _Aepyornis titan_, this was undoubtedly the most bulky and ponderous of all known Ratitae, extinct and living.

Type: Awamoa, near Oamanu.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

Two imperfect skeletons in the Tring Museum; one from Kapua Swamps. {215}

PACHYORNIS IMMANIS LYD.

_Pachyornis immanis_ Lydekker, Cat. Foss. Birds Brit. Mus., p. 343 (1891).

This is the most bulky and largest member of the genus, and also of all _Dinornithidae_. Its living parallel to-day is _Casuarius philipi_ Rothschild, which, though by no means the tallest species of _Casuarius_, is the most bulky, and has the shortest and stoutest legs--the tarso-metatarsus is specially short and stout.

The type tarso-metatarsus measures 228 mm. = 8.9 inches, and in width (shaft) 84 mm. = 3.3 inches, while the type tarso-metatarsus of _elephantopus_ measures 239 mm. = 9.4 inches and 65 mm. = 2.55 inches.

The skull is much more depressed than in _elephantopus_ and with deeper temporal fossae and a shorter post orbital region.

Type: No. A168 British Museum.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

PACHYORNIS ROTHSCHILDI LYD.

_Pachyornis rothschildi_ Lydekker, P.Z.S. 1891, pp. 479-482, pl. XXXVIII.

The bones in the Tring Museum, which form the type of this species, unfortunately have no history and their locality is unknown. It differs from the other species of the genus by the slenderer proportions of the tibio-tarsus, which is 22 inches long by 2.9 inches distal width, as opposed to 24 inches by 4.2 in _elephantopus_ and 20 inches by 3.5 in _ponderosus_, the two nearest in size. Femur: length 10.6 as opposed to 12.5 inches in _elephantopus_. {216}

PACHYORNIS PONDEROSUS (HUTT.)

_Euryapteryx ponderosus_ Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst., p. 137 (1892).

This species is slightly smaller than _P. elephantopus_, the tarso-metatarsus varying from 8.25 to 8.0 inches, as opposed to from 9.4 to 9.25 in _elephantopus_; the tibio-tarsus varies from 18.5 to 18.6, as opposed to 24 to 24.1; femur, 10, as opposed to 13 to 11.8.

The skull can be distinguished by the processes at the hinder angles of the basi-sphenoid, which are higher and rounder in _ponderosus_, flatter and more elongated in _elephantopus_. Type: Hamilton.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

Cast of egg in Tring Museum, taken from specimen in Otago Museum, dredged up in 1901 in the Molyneux River, also incomplete skeleton from Kapua Swamps.

PACHYORNIS INHABILIS HUTT.

_Pachyornis inhabilis_ Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXV, p. 11 (1893).

Differs from _ponderosus_ by having the great inward expansion at the distal end of the tibio-tarsus. This expansion has induced some ornithologists to separate the species of _Pachyornis_ into two genera--_Euryapteryx_ and _Pachyornis_--but I do not think this expansion of sufficient importance to warrant generic separation.

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.

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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.

Habitat: New Zealand.

PALAEOCASUARIUS VELOX FORBES.

_Palaeocasuarius velox_ Forbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 189 (1892).

Femur: length 9.5 inches; width across head and trochanter 2.75 inches, across distal end 2.5 inches. Tarso-metatarsus: length 7 inches; width in centre 1.5 inches, across distal end 3 inches.

Type specimen from Manitoto in Liverpool Museum.

Habitat: New Zealand.

PALAEOCASUARIUS ELEGANS FORBES.

_Palaeocasuarius elegans_ Forbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 189 (1892).

Femur: length 10.75 inches; width across head and trochanter 3.25 inches, across distal end 3.4 inches. Tarso-metatarsus: length 7.8 inches, width over centre 1.75, over distal end about 3.3 inches.

Type specimen from Manitoto in the Liverpool Museum.

Habitat: New Zealand.

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AEPYORNITHIDAE.

The first notice we have from a scientific man of the existence on Madagascar of large Struthious birds is the description by Isidore Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire of two eggs and a few osseous remains, in the Annales des Sciences naturelles III, Zoologie, vol. XIV (1850). These important objects were sent to the describer by a colonist of Réunion, Monsieur de Malavois, but were obtained from the natives in Madagascar by Captain M. Abadie. A third egg arrived smashed. The name given on this evidence was _Aepyornis maximus_.

Since then some 40 eggs at least and a large number of odd bones have been collected by Monsieur Grandidier, Messrs. Last and others, and Dr. Forsyth Major, but only one practically complete, and one less complete skeleton of a smaller species, named _Aepyornis hildebrandti_ by Dr. Burckhardt.

A large number of species has been diagnosed on the evidence of these bones and eggs by Professor Milne-Edwards, Mr. Dawson Rowley and Mr. Andrews, and a second genus, _Mullerornis_, established.

The following is the diagnosis of the family

AEPYORNITHIDAE.

Head less flattened than in the _Dinornithidae_, much longer and narrower. Brain case much greater in volume. Occipital condyle strongly pedunculate. Temporal fossae deep and narrow. The basisphenoid has on each side a well marked pterygoidal apophysis. The lower mandible is straight and stout, recalling somewhat that of _Rhea_, but the maxillary branches are higher and stouter. The symphysis is long, contracted, and hollowed out in the shape of a ladle. The sternum presents many affinities to that of _Apteryx_. It is a thin plastron, flattened, and much widened. The coracoidal articular surfaces similar to those of _Apteryx_. The Coraco-scapulars are feeble, and have so faint an articular surface that the humerus must have been rudimentary. Hallux absent, outer digit has five, the middle digit four, and the inner digit three phalanges.

There are three genera and twelve species.

A striking character is that in the genus _Aepyornis_ the proximal extremity of the tarso-metatarsus is larger than the distal extremity, a feature not found in the majority of other birds.

Monsieur Grandidier has expressly pointed out that _Aepyornis_ had only three toes, I cannot, therefore, understand why Messrs. Lydekker and Evans both state that the hallux is present. {222}

In spite of the researches of Messrs. Grandidier, Last, and Forsyth Major and the large collections sent home by them, the number of _Aepyornis_ bones is infinitesimal compared with the vast masses of bones of the _Dinornithidae_ contained in the museums. This paucity of material quite prohibits us from making a critical study of the described species, so that we are at present unable to say if too many or too few species have been diagnosed. I am inclined, however, to think that if we ever get complete skeletons of the larger forms, _Ae. grandidieri_ and _Ae. cursor_ will prove to be sexes of one species, and also _Ae. titan_ and _Ae. maximus_. For the present, however, the measurements are too different to allow of their being united without further investigation.

The three genera are as follows:--

AEPYORNIS T. GEOFF.

_Aepyornis_ Geoffroy Saint Hilaire.

_Epiornis_ Geoffroy Saint Hilaire.

_Epyornis_ Auct.

MULLERORNIS MILNE-EDWARDS & GRANDIDIER.

_Mullerornis_ Milne-Edwards and Grandidier.

FLACOURTIA ANDREWS.

_Flacourtia_ Andrews.

_Mullerornis_ Milne-Edwards and Grandidier (part).

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AEPYORNIS GEOFF.

Characters same as those of the family; but in opposition to _Mullerornis_ the species are very heavy, ponderous, and clumsy, the bones being both actually and comparatively much stouter. Differs from _Flacourtia_ in not having an ossified boney bridge over lower end of groove for adductor of outer digit.

Type: _Aepyornis maximus_ Geoff.

Number of species: 9.

AEPYORNIS TITAN ANDR.

_Aepyornis titan_ Andrews, Geol. Mag. 1895, p. 303.