ArTF.RTfilD.l';. 



215 



Family APTERYGIDJj]. 



Skull with a loug and slender curved beak ; humerus very short ; 

 a hallux ; a deep extensor groove but no bridge to the tibio-tarsus ; 

 a superior notch to the sternum. All the species comparatively 

 small. 



The tarso-metatarsus (fig. 53) is comparatively short, with the 

 anterior surface not grooved, the second trochlea shorter than the 

 fourth, the third more or less pedunculated, and usually a perfoi'ation 

 in the groove between the third and fourth. In the tibio-tarsus the 

 extensor groove is very deep, and separated only by a thin ridge 



Fig. 52. 



N 



Apteryx avsiralis. — Left side of the pelvis, ,J nat. size, il, ilimu ; is, ischium ; p' , 

 pubis ; p, pectiueal process of do. ; a, acetabulum. (^AJfer Marsh.) 



from the inner border of the bone ; and there is no distinct intercon- 

 d3dar tubercle. The femur is slender, much curved forwards ; with 

 a narrow and deep distal anterior trochlea ; the popliteal depression 

 is shallow, without pneumatic foramina ; and the summit- of the great 

 trochanter is but slightly elevated above tne bead. In the pelvis 

 (fig. 52) the preacctabular portion of the ilium is much longer than 

 the postacctabular ; and the ischium and pubis are deflected below 

 the axial line of the ilium ; the depth of the ischium greatly exceed- 

 ing that of the pubis. The coracoid has a minute foramen. The 

 sternum is wider than long, and has distinct coracoidai grooves, a 

 deep superior notch, and widely separated and non-divergent lateral 

 processes. The cervical vertebra) are short. 



