118 PETRIFACTIONS AND THEIR TEACHINGS. CHAP. II. 



in Table-case 16, from Waingongoro ; and I have lately 

 received from the same locality other examples. 



Cranium of Palapteryx. The cranium (Lign. 28) bears 

 a general resemblance to that of the Emeu, but is broader in 

 proportion to its height, especially in the occipital and inter- 

 orbital regions. It is remarkably depressed, of a subquad- 

 rate form, with two lateral emarginations for the temporal 

 fossae ; and both in size and shape corresponds more with the 

 skull of the Dodo than with that of any living struthious 

 bird. It partakes of the general osteological modifications 

 observable in that of Dinornis, as previously pointed out, 

 but differs in the lesser expansion of the basi-occipitals (Lign. 

 29, a. a.), and par-occipitals (Lign. 29, b. b.), and the greater 

 development of the mastoid processes (Lign. 29, c. c.) ; and in 

 having a large oblong depression beneath the mastoid for the 

 single superior condyle of the tympanic bone. 



The foramen magnum is subcircular, its plane vertical, and 

 the single occipital condyle projects backwards on a short 

 pedicle, beyond the upper margin of the foramen. The 

 skull of no existing bird has this peculiarity, which resembles 

 the cranial character of some of the chelonians or turtles. 

 The occipital region is very wide and low, and slopes forwards 

 as it rises to join the upper surface of the skull, which is 

 almost flat. (See Lign. 29.) 



The upper mandible resembles that of the Emeu, but the 

 nasal process is shorter and broader than in that bird. The 

 anterior part (premaxillary) is more obtuse than in the 

 Emeu, and its palatal surface has a distinct perforated alveo- 

 lar border, which is grooved along its outer part. The lower 

 jaw has the symphysis concave above from side to side, 

 instead of flat as in existing struthious birds, and the outer 

 part of the alveolar border is convex and the inner furrowed, 

 thus presenting a surface adapted to the corresponding 

 palatal aspect of the upper mandible. 



The ethmoid cavities, or upper nostrils, are very large, as 

 in the Apteryx ; a peculiarity denoting a great development 

 of the organs of smell. 



The skull with these cranial characters is that described in 

 Professor Owen's second memoir, as the type of his genus 

 Dinornis, and from which the outline of the restored head of 

 the original was designed ; but on the discovery of the cranium 



