238 PROFESSOR OWEN ON THE GENUS DINORNIS. 



land the instructive series of rare specimens with which the active spirit and enlightened 

 liberality of their collector have enriched the scientific collections of his native land. 



It will be seen from that letter that Mr. WiUiams had confirmed, by comparison with 

 the bones of the common fowl, the traditional statement of the natives of New Zealand 

 relative to the huge bones which they at different times brought to him, in regard to the 

 class of animals to which they belonged ; he has, therefore, a just claim to share in the 

 honour of the discovery of the Dinornis, since, whilst collecting and comparing its os- 

 seous remains, he was wholly unaware that its more immediate afiinities had already 

 heen determined in England. 



By means of the specimens first transmitted by Mr. Williams to Dr. Buckland, and 

 generously confided to me by that distinguished Geologist, I was enabled to define the 

 generic characters of the Dinornis, as afforded by the bones of the hind extremity' : by 

 the favour of a like disposition of Mr. Williams's second and richer collection of bones, 

 and from three additional specimens confided to me, in the same liberal spirit, by Dr. 

 Richardson of Haslar Hospital, evidence has been obtained of five distinct species of the 

 genus, ascending respectively from the size of the Great Bustard to that of the Dodo, 

 of the Emeu, of the Ostrich, and finally attaining a stature far surpassing that of the 

 once-deemed most gigantic of birds. 



I shall first enumerate the specimens of the bones which I have examined and com- 

 pared, then proceed to point out their common generic characters, and finally their 

 specific differences. 



List of Bones of the Dinornis collected by the Rev. Wm. Williams in Poverty Bay, New 



Zealand, and transmitted to England. 

 Nos. 



V 1. Middle cervical vertebra. 



V 2. Posterior cervical vertebra. 



V 3. Posterior cervical vertebra. 



V 4. Anterior dorsal vertebra. 



V 5. Middle dorsal vertebra. 

 p 1. Anterior part of pelvis. 

 p 2. Right OS innominatum. 



p 3. Fragment of os innominatum. 



fied with looking at him, when in a little time he took the alarm and strode away up the side of the mountain. 

 This incident might not have been worth mentioning, had it not been for the extraordinary agreement in point 

 of size of the bird. Here are the bones, which will satisfy you that such a bird has been, and there is said to be 

 the living bird, the supposed size of which, given by an independent witness, precisely agrees. Should I 

 obtain anything more perfect you will not fail to hear from me, and in the meantime may I request the favour 

 of your opinion on these bones, and also the information whether any others of similar character have been 

 found elsewhere ? 



" I beg to remain, dear Sir, your obedient servant, 



'■ To Dr. Buckland, Sfc. &c." " William Williams." 



' Proceedings of the Zoological Society, January 10th, 1843. 



