] 74 Zoological Society : — 



Dinornis crassus. The transverse convexity dividing the two con- 

 dyloid depressions is relatively broader in the Dinornis elej)ha?itopus ; 

 and the rough surface external to the anterior intercondyloid pro- 

 minence is more strongly marked. The two calcaneal ridges ])resent 

 an equal prominence in Dinornis elephantopus ; the ectocalcaneal 

 one is the more prominent in Dinornis crassus. The anterior surface 

 of the metatarse differs chiefly in the proportions indicated in the 

 table of admeasurements from that in the Dinornis crassus ; like 

 most of the metatarses of that species, one or more vascular foramina 

 occur above the subcircular rough surface of insertion of the flexor 

 pedis, which occupies the lower part of the shallow depression in 

 the upper and fore part of the shaft. Along the lower half of the 

 shaft, the median longitudinal, and progressively widening pro- 

 minence, due to the middle of the coalesced metatarsal bones, is 

 rather more marked than in Dinornis crassus. The inner side of 

 the shaft is marked at its upi)er half by the oblique rough tract 

 indicative of the insertion of the powerful aponeurosis of the gastro- 

 enemii muscles. At the back surface the upper part of the middle 

 metatarsal is relatively less prominent than in Dinornis crassus. 

 The two vascular foramina occupy corresponding relative positions. 

 All other notable differences are those of size and proportion. 



From the metatarse of the Dinornis robustus that of the Dinornis 

 elephantopus differs most strikingly in its proportions of length to 

 breadth, being little more than half the length, but of nearly equal 

 breadth ; the distant trochlese, however, being relatively less ex- 

 panded than in the Dinornis robustus. 



The anterior vascular perforation is less than in the Dinornis ro- 

 bustus ; the insertional roughness for the tibialis anticus below the 

 foramen is of equal size. The upper half of the fore part of the 

 metatarse of the Dinornis robustus is longitudinally channelled in the 

 Dinornis robustus, not in the Dinornis elephantopnis. The corre- 

 sponding part of the back part of the shaft is much more prominent 

 in the Dinornis robustus. The characteristics of the metatarse of 

 the Dinornis elephantopus are more strongly manifested in the 

 comparison with that of the Dinornis giganteus, of which bone 

 it has only half the length, other dimensions being equal or even 

 greater. 



Of the depression, which is very faint, in the Dinornis robustus for 

 the ligamentous attachment of the rudimental back toe there is no 

 trace in the metatarse of the D. elephantopus. 



The bones of the foot I shall compare with those of the Dinornis 

 robustus*, to which they make the nearest approach in size. Equal- 

 ling, or nearly equalling, the phalanges of that bird in breadth and 

 thickness, they differ chiefly in shortness, but in a less degree than 

 the metatarsi differ. These proportional characters of the species are 

 best and easiest given in the plates. A few minor differences, how- 

 ever, may be noticed : the outer portion of the proximal end of the 

 first phalanx of the inner toe is broader in proportion to its fore-and- 

 aft diameter in Dinornis elephantopus. The inner portion of the 

 * See Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. iv. pi. 1. 



