Benham. — Moa-remains on Stewart Island. 



355 



as he gives in one place the " girth " and in another the " width " of the 

 bones at the middle of their length, I have given both measurements, so 

 that a comparison is rendered more easy with his and with Hamilton's 

 account* of an individual skeleton of JE. fonderosa. In measuring the 

 length of the tibio-tarsus, the total length, including the cnemial crest, is 

 usually given ; but, since this crest is apt to be broken or worn away, 

 I mav suggest, perhaps, that it would be better to measure the length 

 from the hinder margin of the articular platform to the lower margin of 

 the internal condyle. 



The skull differs from those of E. crassa in our collection in one or two 

 features : the supra-occipital is more nearly horizontal, and when the skull 

 is viewed from above the occipital condyle is visible, whereas in a corre- 

 sponding view of our skulls it is hidden by the supra-occipital : this may, 

 however, be an individual variation, and, anyhow, the incompleteness of 

 the'^skull renders this character of less importance for identification than 

 the results obtained from the study of the leg-bones. 



The measurements were made by means of craniometrical callipers for 

 width, and between vertical uprights for length. 



Mr. Murdoch will, I hope, endeavour to obtain the bones of the smaller 

 individual ; but. as he remarks, it is very likely that this will be a difficult 

 matter, for they may be concealed again by sand, which had fortunately 

 been blown away by wind just before his previous visit, leaving the bones 

 exposed ; for he had often passed the spot before without seeing them. 

 I await with much interest the opportunity to examine them, for they may 

 belong to a young individual of the same species, as Mr. Murdoch believes — 

 which will, of course, easily be confirmed by the state of the bones. Never- 

 theless, on other occasions when similar suggestions have been made with 



* Hamilton, Trans. N.Z. Inst., xxx, 1897, p. 445. 



t These numbers are estimated ; for a portion of the cnemial crest — probably 

 about fin. (15 mm.) — was broken off : this is allowed for in the above numbers. The 

 length of tibio-tarsus from hinder edge of platform to lower end of internal condyle 

 is 18'5 in. 



12*— Trans. 



