93 



The third, fourth, fifth, sixth and seventh have elongated, slender, 

 superior lateral processes, \vhich bend rather downwards, and the 

 sixth and seventh rather forwards. The fourth and fifth have a very 

 short, rudimentą^y, inferior lateral process, \vhich is smaller on the 

 left side. The other vertebrae are without any process. The cervical 

 vertebrse are all free. 



The upper part of the spinous process of the second vertebra is 

 very large and convex, covering this part of the next vertebra. 



I raay here remark that Professor Eschricht informed me that he 

 could find no difference between the Megapteroii of the North Sea 

 and the Cape specimen in the Paris Museum. I may also observe 

 that Cuvier {Oss. Foss. v. 381) described the Cape specimen as 

 having the second and third cervical vertebrse united by the upper 

 part of thelr body, vvhich is not the case with our Northern specimen, 

 and that Cuvier's figures of the lateral process of the Cape speci- 

 men are very diiFerent from the Northern one here described. 



2. On a new species of Apteryx. By John Goujld, Esq., 



F.R.S. ETC. 



We have abundant evidence that at some former period New Zea- 

 land, and probably the Polynesian Islands, have been inhabited by a 

 remarkable group of Birds, of vvhich the Dinomis, so ably described 

 by Professor Owen, formed a part, and of vvhich the genus Apieryx 

 is the only form at present known to exist ; this form, so diflferent 

 from all others, has been, and will ever be, regarded with great in- 

 terest, as the sole remnant of a race of ■vvhich every other genus is 

 believed to be extinct. Hitherto a single species only of this genus 

 has been recorded ; I have therefore no ordinary degree of pleasure 

 in introducing to the notice of this Meeting a second, and if possible 

 a still more extraordinary one than that previously described, and 

 as I reported to the meeting held on the 1 3th of April, I have intel- 

 ligence of the existence of a third and much larger species than eitber 

 of them, 



The bird I am now about to describe has just arrived from New 

 Zealand by way of Sydney, but unaccompanied by any information 

 as to the locality in which it was procured, or any particulars of its 

 habits and economy. 



It appears to be fully adult, and is about the šame size as the 

 Apteryx Australis, from -vvhich it is rendered conspicuously different 

 by the irregular transverse barring of the entire plumage, which, 

 with its extreme density and hair-like appearance, more closely 

 resembles the covering of a mammal than that of a bird ; it also 

 difFers in having a shorter, more slender, and more curved bUl, and 

 in the structure of the feathers, -vvhich are much broader through- 

 out, e?pecially at the tip, and of a loose, decomposed, and hair-like 

 textui'e. I propose to characterize this nevv species under the name 

 of Apteryx Oivenii, feeling assured that it can only be considered as a 

 just compliment to Professor Owen, who has so ably investigated 

 the group to which I believe it pertains. 



