DINORNITHIDiE. 225 



species show an approximation to D. maxiimis, thus suggesting that 

 the latter has been directly derived from the present species. 



There can be little hesitation in regarding D. yvjanteus as the 

 female of the present species, the relative proportions of the tibio- 

 tarsus on Avhich it was founded being exactly similar to those in 

 the presumed male form. The so-called D. wjciis, which was 

 founded upon one of the bones previously described as D. novce- 

 zcalandicn (a name subse(juently disregarded), was originally only 

 provisionally separated from D. gifjanteus. 



Ilah. Typically the North Island, but apparently also represented 

 by a rather smaller race in the northern part of the South Island. 



Specimens from the North Island. 



The folloiviny specimens belonc/ to tJie j) resumed female 



form (D. giganteus). 



18590. Cast of the left tarso-metatarsus. The original, which is 

 one of the types of D. giganteus, was obtained from the 

 superficial deposits of Poverty Bay, Xorth Island, and is 

 preserved in the Museum of the Ivoyal College of Surgeons. 

 It is figured by Owen in the ' Trans. Zool. Soc' vol. iii. 

 pi. xxvii. fig. 1, and also in his ' Extinct Birds of 'New 

 Zealand,' pi. xxvii. fig. 1 ; both figures being reversed. 

 The extremities are somewhat abraded, and the distinct 

 Unes of division between the lateral and median meta- 

 tarsals indicate that the specimen was not fully adult. 

 The extreme length is 0,468 (18'5 inches). 



Presented by the Council of the 

 Royal College of Surgeons, 1844. 



18588. Cast of the left tibio-tarsus. The original, which is one of 

 the types of D, giganteus, was obtained from Poverty Bay, 

 and is in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons. 

 It is noticed in the ' Trans. Zool. Soc' vol. iii. pp. 245, 246 

 (as t. 1), and also in the ' Extinct Birds of A"^ew Zealand,' 

 pp. 83, 84. The extreme length is 0,887 (35 inches), and 

 the width of the distal extremity 0,101 (4 inches). The 

 specimen is only slightly shorter than the corresponding 

 bone of the skeleton of D. maximus, but its distal extre- 

 mity is considerably narrower. This extremity is indeed 

 narrower than that of the tibio-tarsus (No. 32042) referred 

 to a male of B. maxhnus, of which the total length is 

 shorter than the present specimen. 



Presented by the Council of the 

 Royal College of Surgeons. 



