Hutton. — On a Skeleton of Emeus crassus. 67 



condyle does not project so much, and its neck is thicker. 

 The paroccipital processes descend as low as the basitemporal 

 platform. The zygomatic process is long and simple. The 

 anterior lambdoidal ridge makes an angle in the centre of 

 the skull, as in Anomalopteryx. The mammillar tuberosities 

 are small. The dimensions are : Length of the basis-cranii 

 35 mm., of roof of cranium 76 mm.; width of cranium at 

 paroccipital processes 64 mm., width at squamosal processes 

 72 mm., at temporal fossae 40 mm., at postorbital processes 

 81 mm. ; distance between temporal ridges, 36 mm. ; height 

 of cranium, 46 mm.; width of tympanic cavity, 18 mm.; 

 width of temporal fossa, 20 mm.; width of orbit, 31mm.; 

 distance between optic foramina, 10 mm. ; length of quadrate, 

 34 mm. ; greatest length of premaxilla, 78 mm. ; width of the 

 body, 36 mm.(?) 



The vertebral column commences with No. 10. All the 

 seven thoracic vertebras are present. They resemble those of 

 Emeus in every particular. 



The sternum is much broken, but sufficiently well pre- 

 served to show that it belongs to Emeus. The width across 

 the costal processes is about 173 mm. ; the width of the body 

 is 110 mm. ; and the length of the body 112mm.(?) 



The pelvis is very incomplete. The ventral surfaces of the 

 sacral vertebrae are broad and flattened, but without any longi- 

 tudinal ridge. The width at the antitrochanters is 305 mm. 



The leg-bones include both the tarsals : they resemble 

 those of E. crassus. The following are the dimensions : 

 Metatarsus: Length, 203mm.; prox. width, 88mm.; mid. 

 width, 48 mm.; dist. width, 106 mm. Tibia: Length, 

 482 mm.; prox. width, 148mm.; mid. width, 46mm.; dist. 

 width, 76mm. Femur: Length, 268mm.; prox. width, 

 99 mm.; mid. width, 46 mm.; dist. width, 117 mm. It will 

 thus be seen that the femur is shorter than in E. crassus from 

 the South Island. The right metatarsus has the anterior 

 ODenings of the interosseal canals about -|in. apart, but in the 

 left the anterior opening of the entinterosseal canal is absent, 

 while that of the ectinterosseal is enlarged and divided by a 

 bony ridge. Both posterior openings are present. This is a 

 common variation in the Dinomtthidce. 



The feet have only four phalanges in the outer toe, as is 

 usual in Emeus. The third and ungual phalanges of the right 

 outer toe are diseased, and there is an osseous growth at the 

 distal end of the right femur. 



I conclude, therefore, that the bird belongs to E. crassus, 

 although it is remarkable that no bones of this species have 

 hitherto been found in the North Island. The knowledge of the 

 sex of the bird also adds to the importance of this skeleton, which 

 has been mounted and is preserved in the Canterbury Museum. 



