Zoological Socieli/. 229 



Skparatista Gravii, Adams, S. testa sjjird di-prensd, anfrac- 

 tibus carimdis quinque trcutscersis ; aperturd oblongo-trans- 

 versd ; labia refiexo, antici rotundato. 



Hab. Cape of Good Hope. (Mus. Cuming.) 



Separatista Chemnitzii, Adams. S. testd spird elevatd, aii- 

 fractibus carimdis tribus traiisversis ; aperturd subcirculari ; 

 labia subrtjlexa, unticv pruducto, anffufato. 



Hab. Island of Bureas, Philippines-, //. C. (Mus. Cumiug.) 



Turbo separatista, Chemnitz. 



Professor Owen comnuuiicated a Memoir *, in continuation of his 

 previous papers pubUshed in the Zool. Trans, (vol. iii. pp. 243, 307, 

 345), on the Gigantic Wingless Birds of New Zealand. 



Having in the previous Memoirs determined and referred to their 

 gencro and species the different bones of the leg, he made those of 

 the foot the subject of the present connnuuication, which was iUus- 

 trated by the exhibition of an extensive series of remains from both 

 the North and South (or Middle) islands of New Zealand ; com- 

 prising the entire series of phalanges of one and the same foot of the 

 Palapteryx rabustus, a gigantic species from Waikawaite ; a similarly 

 complete series of the Dinarnis rheides ; and series more or less in- 

 complete of the phalanges of the Binonds yiyanteus, Palapterijx in- 

 gens, and other genera and species of the shigular extinct wingless 

 birds of New Zealand. The characteristics of the different phalanges 

 were minutely detailed, and the different proportions of the toes cha- 

 racteiistic of different species, especially of the two most gigantic, 

 viz. the Binornis giganteus of the North i.sland, and the Palapte- 

 ryx robustns of the turbary deposits of the Middle island. The 

 adaptation of the claw-bones for scratching up the soil was obvious 

 from their shape and strength. The generic distinction oi Palapteryx 

 had previously been indicated by a slight depression on the metatar- 

 sus, supposed'^by the author to be for the articulation of a small back- 

 toe, as in the Apteryx ; and he had since received a specimen of the 

 principal bone of that toe, which was exhibited and described. A 

 nearly entire sternum, a portion of a minute humerus, and a cranium 

 of one of the smaller species of Dinarnis, were also exhibited and 

 described. 



This magnificent series of remains of great New Zealand birds had 

 been collected chiefly by the late Colonel Wakefield, and had been 

 transmitted to the author through the kind interest of J. R. Gowen, 

 Esq., a Director of the New Zealand Company. 



March 12.— W\ Spence, Esq., F.R.S., in the Chair. 

 The following paper was read : — 



First Thoughts on a Physiological Arran(;emknt of 

 Birds. By Edward Newman, F.L.S., F.Z.S. etc. 



The systematic arrangement of the Class A^es is more unsettled 

 than that of any other portion of the animal kingdom, a circumstance 

 * This paper will be printed in the Zool. Trans, vol. iv. Part 1. 



