( 388 ) 



Weldon, W. F. R. " On the Anatomy of Phoenicopterus." P.Z.S., 1883, p. 638. 

 Parker, W. K. " The Shoalder Girdle." Ra>/ Societi/ Publication. 

 Lindsay, B. " On the Avian Sternum." P.Z.S., 1885, p. 684. 



1. CERTAIN EXTERNAL CHARACTERS. 

 The Oil Gland. (PI. XV.) 



The impression is generally given that Apteryx has no oil gland. Gadow, for 

 example, distinctly denies its presence ; Fiirbringer, in his table of characters of 

 the groups of birds, marks it as .absent — but with a query. Garrod, in his MS. 

 notes, declared the oil gland to be absent, as also in a published reference to the 

 matter. It is carious that three such excellent observers should have fallen into an 

 error ; for not only has the Apteryx an oil gland, but it is a particularly large one 

 The oil gland is, however, in some ways rather nnlike that of other birds, which 

 may account for its having thus far escaped detection. One naturally looks for the 

 oil gland a little way from the extremity of the tail, and expects to find two closely 

 approximated pear-shaped bodies with conspicuous mamillae. The oil gland of 

 Apteryx is not at all like this. It might easily be mistaken for a mass of fat 

 snrrountling the extremity of the tail. It is a really enormous gland which lies 

 quite normally above the extremity of the vertebral column, though it appears also 

 to extend down the sides of the caudal vertebra. It is not distinctly divided into 

 two glands, though there are two not very prominent nipples — the external orifices. 

 It was the presence of these that directed my attention to the existence of the 

 gland. The two nipples form the very extremity of the body of the bird. In an 

 A. australis I found each of these nipples to have two orifices ; this was not plain 

 in an A. haasti (pi. XV.), nor in an A. mantelli. The oil gland was perfectly nude 

 in the former case ; it had two minute feathers in the latter bird. 



It will be obviously desirable to ascertain how far an oil gland is really 

 represented in the other Strnthious birds which are commonly stated to be devoid 

 of that structure. At present Apteryx seems to stand rather apart, as indeed it is 

 held to do on other grounds. It is suggestive, too, to note the less specialised 

 condition of the oil gland of Apteryx, as shown by the absence of the cordate form 

 and the slight prominence of the mamillae. 



Remiges. 



The arrangement of the feathers ujjon the wing ofl'ers several points of interest 

 for consideration, and has been variously construed. There is, for instance, con- 

 siderable difference of opinion as to the number of remiges present — a matter which 

 is discussed at some length by T. J. Parker. In an embryo of Apteryx (lustralis, 

 practically full grown and corresponding to one of Stages H— K of Parker, I 

 carefully counted the remiges and made out fourteen of them, closely set long 

 feathers. Upon the upper surface of this wing, which measured in total length in 

 its natural (somewhat flexed) condition from the point where it became free from 

 the body, about the middle of the humerus 12 mm., were numerous rathrt- closely 

 set strong feathers. These feathers did not appear to me to have a particularly 

 regular arrangement. The tendency of their distribution seemed to me to be 

 towards the production of transverse rather than longitudinal lines of feathers. 

 It is important to notice that the under surface of the wing of the young in a!.sj 



