ROOM II. APTERTX MANTELLI. 107 



feathers are long, lanceolate, and of hair-like structure, as in 

 the Emeu, but each shaft bears only a single plume. The 

 beaks are long, slender, and gently curved, with the nasal 

 apertures at the base, as in other birds with a conformation 

 of bill adapted for plunging into water, or soft earth, or mud, 

 in quest of worms or insects ; by a strange mistake the 

 nostrils are stated by authors to be at the extremity of the 

 beak. The tongue is short and simple ; the hinder limbs are 

 extremely powerful ; the tarsometatarsals or shanks are very- 

 thick and short, and covered with strong scales. There are 

 four toes ; the three anterior ones are robust and armed with 



LlGN. 25. APTERYX MANTELLI: OF NEW ZEALAND. 



(Ap. Australia, of Authors.) 



strong claws, well adapted for scratching up the ground : the 

 hind toe is a thick, sharp, horny spur, used as a weapon of 

 defence. 



The wings are quite rudimentary, and are not visible in 

 the ordinary movements of the bird. There are no vestiges 

 of a tail. 



These birds are nocturnal and burrowing in their habits, 

 feeding on worms and insects, which they readily detect, 

 their olfactory nerves being highly developed. They inhabit 

 densely wooded districts. The largest and the smallest species 

 are of excessive rarity. Of the former (Ap. Australia), two 

 examples only are known ; namely, the original, figured and 

 named by Dr. Shaw, and now in the museum of the Earl 

 of Derby; and a specimen sent to me by my son, who 

 captured it in the Middle Island. Of the second species 

 (Ap. Owenii), the skins of but two or three individuals have 

 been brought to England. 



