Parker. — On a Crest of Feathers in certain Moas. 3 



distinct maxillo-nasal bone, absence of an antrum or cavity in 

 the maxillo-palatine, and by the strong, coarse character of 

 the bones in general. Dinornis is in some respects even more 

 specialised than FacJu/omis, but in an opposite direction : as 

 regards the skeleton generally, it runs to height rather than 

 thickness, and its skull is remarkable for its great breadth and 

 flatness, and for the long, broad, deflected beak. 



The following phylogenetic diagram gives the views at 

 which I have arrived on this subject : — 



Bincrnis 



"V PcLichtfCTnij* 



\ \Mes opt e rijsc/ 



Art. II. — On the Presence of a Crest of Feathers in certain 



Species of Moa. 



By Professor T. Jeffery Parker, F.R.S. 



[Read before the Otago Institute, 10th Hay, 1892.] 

 Plates I.-1II. 



Any evidence as to the external characters of the moa is of 

 interest. We know the general structure of the feathers, and 

 of the thickened and scaly skin covering the feet, but hitherto 

 the only direct evidence as to the appearance of the entire 

 head is furnished by the magnificent specimen of Mesopteryx 

 casuarina (Dinornis didinus, Owen) obtained near Queens- 

 town in 1878, and forwarded to the British Museum in 1882 

 by Mr. H. L. Squires." The specimen is covered with dried 



* Sir R. Owen states that the discovery of this specimen was first 

 noticed in the " ' Tuatara Times,' published at Otago in November, 1878." 

 The real name of this paper is the Tuapeka Times. The notice is 

 quoted, as I am informed by Mr. A. Hamilton, in the Otago Daily 

 Times of the 27th November, 1878. 



