194 MR. H. E. STRICKLAND ON SOME BONES OF 



In a skeleton of Goura coronata now before me, we find the 



inch. lin. 



Femur. ...... 3 4 



Tibia 4 10 



Tarso-metatarsus ... 3 7 



The proportion between the three bones is nearly the same in these two birds. Now 

 the measurements of the Goura are very nearly half those of the Pezophaps, and as the 

 Goura when living measures about 19 inches from the ground to the crown of its head, 

 we may assume the Solitaire to have been about 38 inches in height, a stature which 

 sufficiently corresponds with the descriptions of Leguat and D'Heguerty. 



Proceeding from these larger bones to the smaller series on which I have based the 

 specific name of Pezophaps minor, we have, first, the right femur, No. 16. This differs 

 from the femur No. 14, figured in ' Dodo and its Kindred,' pi. xiv. figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, only 

 in being of rather smaller dimensions (a quarter of an inch shorter), though the rugose 

 state of its surface indicates an aged individual. As it is less perfect at the extremities 

 than the femur No. 14, which has been already figured and fully described by Dr. Mel- 

 ville, I need not notice this bone further than to append its dimensions : — 



inch. lin. 

 Length from the intercondyloid notch to the upper surface 



of the neck 5 



Transverse diameter of the shaft 8 



Antero-posterior diameter of the shaft 65 



Transverse diameter of superior extremity 1 5^ 



Transverse diameter of inferior extremity 1 4f 



The right tarso-metatarsus No. 18, belonging to the Zoological Society, is an almost 

 exact duplicate of the bone No. 17, sent to me by M. Bojer, and noticed in ' Annals and 

 Magazine of Nat. Hist.' Ser. 2. vol. iv. p. 336. As the latter bone is rather the more 

 perfect of the two, I have given a figure of it (PI. LV. figs. 5, 6, 7) in preference to the 

 former. The only noticeable difference between these two bones consists in the form 

 of the concavity beneath the proximal extremity, which is rather shallower and more 

 expanded in No. 18 than in No. 17. This is especially the case in its lower part, be- 

 neath the internal interosseous foramen, at the insertion of the tibialis anticus muscle. 

 So slight a modification in form must not be regarded as indicating any specific distinc- 

 tion. It will be seen from the following Table that the bone No. 18 is slightly the 

 longer of the two. 



