Extinct Birds of Queensland. 533 



will pause before they admit that the lower end of the tarso- 

 metatarsus of an immature bird figured on plate xxiii. fig. 8 

 of the author's fourth memoir^ under the name of Metapteryx, 

 proves that such was ever the (!ase. lu the first place, the 

 presumed Apterijx-Y^'^Q bird had no hallux ; while, when we 

 contrast the form of the cleft between the extremities of the 

 third and fourth metatarsals in Mr. De Vis's figure of the 

 fossil bone with that of the corresponding bone of a young 

 Apteryx drawn alongside for comparison, one is astonished 

 at the boldness of the author in venturing to say so unhesi- 

 tatingly that there is any alliance between the two forms. 

 A little more experience of immature birds' bones by Mr. De 

 Vis would, moreover, I think, lead him to retract the 

 statement (pp. 450-1) that the Apteryx is the only living bird 

 in which the divisions between the three metatarsals are in- 

 dicated by lines on the shaft of the tarso-metatarsus*. And, 

 as a minor matter, I cannot help expressing my astonish- 

 ment at the statement made on page 453 to the effect that 

 the fossil bird was not larger than the modern Kiwis, when 

 both the measurements and the figures of the fossil and 

 recent metatarsals indicate that the one was in reality nearly 

 double the size of the other. 



Although Mr. De Vis has undoubtedly done some good 

 Avork in regard to the Pleistocene birds of Queensland, yet 

 I am afraid that, until he produces much more conclusive 

 evidence as to the affinities of the owners of some of the 

 bones which he describes, many of his genera and species 

 are not likely to find their way into palseontological works 

 when authors have any regard for their own reputation. 



* They are distinctly visible in the tarso-metatarsus of an immature 

 Turkey in my possession. 



