136 Recently published Ornithological Works. 



a part of the organization as the head^ it is perhaps premature 

 to offer decisive opinions as to the habits of the bird or of its 

 affinities with existing members of its group, nevertheless the 

 following conclusions appear to be justified by the survey of 

 its remains so far as this has been made. 



" The great size of the femur and tibio-tarsus, no less than 

 of its sternum, indicate its massive build, though there is a 

 strange disproportion between the proportions of the upper 

 leg-bones and the relatively slender tarso-metatarsus. Its 

 legs combine a huge femur nearly as massive, in all but 

 length, as that of Dinornis maximus, and a tibia equalling 

 that of Pachyornis elephantopus with the comparatively 

 slender metatarse of Dinornis nova-hollandia [ingens) and 

 toes which are insignificant beside any of the larger Moas. 

 The absence of prominent rough surfaces or ridges for 

 muscular attachment leads one to assign to it a slow, sluggish 

 habit. In height it laay be confidently stated to have been 

 from 6 feet to 6 feet 6 inches, that is, if the neck should have 

 been of proportions similar to those of Pachyornis elephan- 

 topus. With the large size of the head, however, may be 

 correlated modifications of the neck. The small flat ungual 

 phalanges would appear to have borne flattened nails, rather 

 than sharp and powerful claws, which could have been of 

 little service for scratching purposes, and with this feature 

 is associated an evident want of strength in the phalangeal 

 joints. 



" There is reason to believe that the Diprotodon may have 

 been a swamp-loving animal which, tapir-like, may have 

 haunted the shores of the lacustrine areas of Central Australia 

 in Pliocene times, and the association of the remains of 

 Genyornis with those of Diprotodon suggests that the bird, 

 too, may have had its haunts, and found its food, by the 

 same swamps as its bulky marsupial associates. The thick- 

 ness of the lower jaw is scarcely commensurate with its 

 great length and depth, and this fact, with the weakness of 

 the toes, suggest that, like the Emeu, herbage, rather than 

 roots, may have formed its food. 



" In the course of our brief description and comparisons 



