ROOM II. FOOT OF DINORNIS. 117 



inhabited New Zealand contemporaneously with the tridactyle 

 Dinornis, and tetradactyle Palapteryx, Aptornis, and Apteryx. 



Foot of Dinornis. The structure of the locomotive organs 

 of one of the largest of the extinct ostrich-like birds is de- 

 monstrated by the entire series of bones of both feet of the 

 same individual discovered at Waikouaiti : the dimensions of 

 the several elements are given in the Appendix. 1 Allowing 

 the usual proportion of the soft parts and integuments, the 

 length of the foot in the living bird may be estimated at 

 about sixteen inches, and its breadth at eighteen inches. 



According to the relative proportions of the bones com- 

 posing the hinder extremities of the gigantic species of 

 Dinornis, the height of the bird to which these feet belonged 

 was probably nine and a half or ten feet. 



From the great width and solidity of the metatarsals, and 

 the form and corresponding size and strength of the phalan- 

 geals and ungueals, it is certain that the feet of the Dinornis 

 must have constituted powerful instruments for scratching, 

 digging, and uprooting subterrestrial vegetable substances, 

 which, from the structure of the crania and beaks, have 

 with much probability been supposed to have constituted the 

 principal sustenance of the original. 



Bones of the thigh, leg, and feet, of larger proportions than 

 those above described, are in the Wall-case C } and in my 

 own collection. Some of these indicate birds of eleven or 

 even twelve feet high ; dimensions exceeding by one-third the 

 stature of the tallest Ostrich : while in other species, as Dinor- 

 nis struthioides, D. dromioides, D. curtus, and D. didiformis, 

 the stature is respectively seven, five, and four feet. 



Palapteryx. Wall-Case <?.; Table-Case 16. Lign. 28, 29. 

 The other generic type, which comprises some of the 

 largest species of the extinct birds, has been named Palap- 

 teryx; but it is not, as the term would seem to imply, so 

 nearly related to the existing wingless bird of New Zealand, 

 the Apteryx, as to the Dromaius or Emeu, 



Of this genus there is a nearly entire cranium, with the upper 

 and lower mandibles, and several imperfect skulls and beaks, 



1 Appendix D. Dimensions of the bones of the foot of Dinornis 

 robustus. See also " Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society," vol. vi. 

 p. 338. 



