132 



Transactions. — Zoology. 



Distribution. — From Motunau and Glenmark, in Canter- 

 bury, to Hamilton and Shag Point, in Otago. It was com- 

 monest at Hamilton, and rare in the sand-dunes at Shag Point. 



This species has been much misunderstood owing to Pro- 

 fessor Owen having associated a tibia of S. crassus and a 

 femur of P. jjZe^ms with the metatarsus.''' Sir J. von Haast 

 confused it with E. gravis, probably on account of the sup- 

 posed length of the tibia, and the photograph on plate cix. of 

 the "Extinct Birds of New Zealand" represents this mixture. 

 The femur is difficult to distinguish from that of D. toros7is on 

 one hand and E. clcphantoims on the other. A complete leg 

 has not yet been found. 



Syornis crassus. 



Dinornis crassus, Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc, vol. iii., p. 307 



(1846), and vol. iv., p. 159, cranium. Emeus crassus, 



Eeichenbach, Das Nat. Syst. der Vogel. Palapteryx 



crassus, Haast. 



Figures. — Metatarsus, Ext. Bh-ds of N.Z., ^\. xl., figs. 4, 5 ; 



tibia, pi. xxxix., fig. 2 (as casuarinus) ; cranium, pi. lix. and 



Ixxvi. (as elephaiitopus) . Eestoration, pi. cxii., fig. 2 (as 



casuarinus) . 



Breadth of skull at temporal fossse, 2-3in. to 2-2in. ; at 

 post-frontal processes, 3-6in, to 3-5in. Length of the lower 

 jaw, 5-8in. to 5-7in. Total length of the head, 6'5in. Post- 



* The foot figured by Professor Owen in Ext. Birds of N.Z., pi. 1., 

 also appears to be that of P. plcnus. 



