April 13, 1882] 
NATURE 
569 
left ; there are seven pre-sacral thoracic vertebrze, free save for a 
union of their several spines by ossified ligaments ; the com- 
Fic. 1.—Ventral aspect of the sternum and coracoids of Nofornzs, three-fourths 
natural size (continuous outline); on the left are shown the correspond- 
ing bones of Ocydromus (dotted outline), onthe right those of Porphyria 
(broken outline), both reduced to the same absolute length of sternum 
as Wotornis. m.x., middle xiphoid process ; e.x., external xiphoid pro- 
cess; 7, rostrum of sternum (Porfhyrio); &, point of keel of sternum 
of Notornis, k', of Ocydromus, k", of Porphyrio. 
pound ‘‘ sacrum” contains one thoracic, five lumbar, four sacral, 
and six caudal vertebree. I give no detailed description of the 
Fic. 2.—The sternum of Ocydromus (A), Notornis (s), and Porphyria (c), 
viewed from the left side, and all reduced to the same absolute length of 
trunk. cv, coracoid; 7z.2x., middle, and e.x., external xiphoid process ; 
y, rostrum ; #, keel; 1-6, places of articulation of sternal ribs. 
vertebral column, as I could not have it disarticulated ; it was, 
however, quite evident that there was no difference of any im- 
portance between the vertebrze ot Votornis and those ofits nearest 
New Zealand allies, Porphyrio and Ocydromus. 
Of the eight thoracic ribs six are united to the sternum ; four 
of these—the second to the fifth—have uncinate processes, which 
have a similar position to those of Ocydromus, being situated 
nearer the sternal ends of the ribs than in Purphyrio, The 
penultimate cervical rib is short and stout, quite like that of 
Ocydromius. 
The sternum and shoulder girdle and the pelvis are best 
described by comparing them, point for point, with those of the 
two allied genera ; I am unfortunately not able to include 77- 
bonyx in the comparison, as I have not yet succeeded in ob- 
i 
1 
Zz 
a 
Fic. 3.—Transverse section of sternum of Ocydvomus (a), Notornis (B), and 
Porphyrio (c), showing transverse sternal angle and depth of keel (A) ; 
three-fourths nat. size. 
taining a skeleton of it. It is convenient to study the relative 
sizes and proportions of the bones by reducing the three skele- 
tons to the same absolute length of trunk, as measured from a 
point midway between the anterior or dorsal extremities of the 
coracoids to one midway between the posterior extremities of the 
pubes. The proportions of the individual bones, considered 
separately or without reference to the rest of the skeleton may be 
studied by reducing the corresponding bones in the three genera 
to the same absolute length, 
In all the figures the bones of WVo/ornis are drawn with a con- 
tinuous outline, those of Ocydromus with a dotted, and those of 
Porphyrio with a broken outline. In each case also the bones of 
Fic. 4.—Scapula and coracoid of Notornis (continuous outline), Ocydromus 
(dotted outline), and Porphyrio broken (outline), all drawn to same abso- 
lute length of trunk. cv, coracoid ; sc, scapula ; g/, glenoid cavity. 
Notornts are three-fourths the natural size, those of Ocydromus 
and Porphyrio being reduced either to a common length with 
those of /Votornzis (Figs. 1 and 7), or so as to correspond with a 
common length of trunk (Figs. 2, 4, 5, and 6). 
The sternum of Wotornis (Fig. 1) is broad and flat, at its 
anterior end it closely resembles that of Ocydromus, having a 
precisely similar emargination and being devoid of the rostrum 
(7) present in Porphyrio ; on the other hand, it diminishes very 
gradually in width from the anterior to the posterior end, and 
has very divergent external xiphoid processus (¢.v.); the middle 
xiphoid (7...) is blunt and unossified. Relatively to the trunk 
