GIANT LAND REPTILES OR DINOSAURS. 125 



part of the skeleton which includes the haunch-bones, 

 and is technically known as the pelvis (from the Latin 

 word for a basin, in allusion to the basin-like shape of 

 the human pelvis). Now since it is to a great extent 

 from the structure of the pelvis that the affinity 

 between Giant Eeptiles and Birds has been proved to 

 exist, it is worth while to pay some attention to this 

 point; although the reader must make up his mind 

 not to be frightened by the unavoidable use of a cer- 



FlG. 36 Left side of the pelvis of the Kiwi, il, haunch-bone or ilium ; p, p', 

 pubis ; is, ischium ; a, cup forlieadjof thigh-bone. (After Marsh.) 



tain number of technical terms for bones which have 

 no vernacular name. If, then, the reader will direct 

 his attention to Fig. 36, which represents one side of 

 the pelvis of the New Zealand wingless bird known as 

 the Kiwi or Apteryx, he will observe that the haunch- 

 bone extends as a deep vertical plate a long distance 

 in advance of the cup for the reception of the head of 

 the thigh-bone. He will also see that the inferior 

 portion of the pelvis is composed of two bars of bone 



