Sternum, and Shoulder-Girdle o/iEpyornis. 381 



flat outer surface. The zygomatic process (zyg.) is very long, 

 and is directed downward and forward^ and^ at its lower 

 endj somewhat outward. 



Unfortunately, the whole of the interorbital region in 

 front of the optic foramen is much broken, but, so far as 

 can be seen, it resembles that of Dinornis, the olfactory 

 chambers having extended far back. The arrangement of 

 the optic and other foramina in its neighbourhood is shown in 

 fig. 8 of Plate VIII. It will be seen that the oculomotor 

 (hi.) and orbito-nasal (v.') apertures lie in a line immediately 

 behind the optic foramen (n.). Immediately below the 

 oculomotor foramen is the opening, in one case divided into 

 two by a bar of bone, which transmits the internal ophthalmic 

 artery and sixth nerve (vi. & a) : the foramen for the fourth 

 nerve (iv.) is dorsal to the optic. Except that there is no 

 distinct lacerate fossa, this arrangement is similar to that 

 seen in some Moa skulls. 



The whole of the rest of the skull is wanting, with the 

 exception of the premaxillary region (fig. 4), and of this the 

 anterior extremity is lost, so that the exact form of the beak 

 cannot be determined. The maxillary and palatine processes 

 together form on either side a thin plate of bone, with a 

 slightly grooved alveolar border. The anchylosed facial 

 processes, constituting a stout bar, rise rapidly from the 

 body of the bo»e, which is hollowed out posteriorly by a very 

 deep fossa, bounded by the bases of the facial and maxillary 

 processes. 



In the mandible (Plate VIII. figs. 5 & 6) the articular 

 surface for the quadrate is very deep, but is proportionately 

 smaller thau in the other Ratites ; large internal {i.a.p.) 

 and posterior angular {p.a.p.) processes are present, the 

 upper surface of the former bearing a pneumatic foramen ; 

 there is also a prominent inferior angular process (fig. 6, 

 inf.a.p.). Looked at from above, the articular region 

 closely resembles that of the mandible of Casuarius. The 

 mandibular rami are very massive and straight ; the dorsal 

 edge bears a prominent coronoid process, in front of which 

 it widens out, so that its anterior half forms a grooved 



.2i: 2 



