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IV. Oil DiNORNis (Part V.) : containing a Description of the Skull and Beak of a large 

 species of Dinoniis, of the Cranium of an immature specimen of Dinornis giganteus (?) , 

 and of Crania of species 0/ Palapteryx. By Professor Owen, F.R.S., F.Z.S. 8fc. 



Read November 12, 1850. 



In a former memoir on the cranial organization of the wingless birds of New 

 Zealand', I pointed out four distinct generic types of that part of the skeleton: — one 

 referable to an existing genus of Parrot (Nestor), peculiar to New Zealand ; a second 

 to a bird most nearly allied to the Purple Coots, but of a distinct genus {Notornis), 

 represented by a species about the size of a goose : the other two types belonged to 

 much larger birds ; one, from its nearer approach to the Apteryx and Emeu, I referred 

 to the genus Palapteryx ; the other, which was different in the structure of the back part 

 of the cranium and in the greater extent of the ossified portion of the bill, I referred to 

 Dinornis proper. 



I have now the pleasure to submit to the notice of the Society a still larger and more 

 complete skull than any previously described, which in the greater extent of its ossified 

 and deflected upper mandible approaches the Dinornis and deviates from the Palapteryx, 

 but in the structure of the back and under part of the cranium more resembles the 

 type referred to Palapteryx. In regard to its size, as compared with that cranium 

 described and figured in vol. iii. pi. 38, and referred to the Dinornis struthio'ides, the 

 present cranium would, at least, merit reference by its size to the species called ingens, 

 the second in point of stature of those that have hitherto been found in the North Island 

 of New Zealand. 



The circumstances under which this at present unique specimen came into my hands 

 are as follows : — 



In March 1850 I was favoured by a letter from His Excellency Sir George Grey, 

 Governor-in-Chief of New Zealand, dated Auckland, November 29th, 1849, informing 

 me that he had been " able to procure a number of bones of bii'ds, which were found 

 in a cave in the district which lies between the River Waikate and Mount Tongariro : " 

 and intimating his liberal intention of transmitting them to me. They arrived soon 

 after: and in this collection, which included remains of various species oi Dinornis and 

 Palapteryx, and the cranium of a Notornis, I had the extreme pleasure to find, with 

 several smaller crania, the remarkably fine specimen, with the bone of the upper man- 

 dible, which forms the subject of PI. XXIII. of the present memoir. The following are 

 some of the dimensions of this cranium : — 



' Trans. Zool. Soc. vol. iii. p. b45. 

 VOL. IV. — PART II. L 



