200 Miscellanea. 
radiately ribbed; ribs about 20—24, elevated, tubercularly nodose ; 
tubercles rounded, obtuse, ventral margin strongly pectinated. 
Hab. Cape York, 6 fathoms; J. Jukes Esq. (Mus. Cuming.) 
Memoir on Gigantic WinaLEss Birps or New Zeatanp. Br 
PRoressorn OWEN. : 
[Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., February 1850.] 
ProrEssor OWEN communicated a Memoir,* in continuation of 
his previous papers published in the Transactions (vol. iii. pp. 243, 
307, 345), on the Gigantic Wingless Birds of New Zealand. 
Having in the previous Memoirs determined and referred to their 
genera and species the different bones of the leg, he made those of 
the foot the subject of the present communication, which was illus- 
trated by the exhibition of an extensive series of remains from both 
the North and South (or Middle) islands of New Zealand ; com- 
prising the entire series of phalanges of one and the same foot of 
the Palapteryx robustus, a gigantic species from Waikawaite; a 
similarly complete series of the Dinornis rheides ; and series more 
or less incomplete of the phalanges of the Dinornis giganteus, 
Palapteryx ingens, and other genera and species of the singular 
extinct wingless birds of New Zealand. The characteristics of the 
different phalanges were minutely detailed, and the different pro- 
portions of the toes characteristic of different species, especially of 
the two most gigantic, viz., the Dinornis giganteus of the North 
island, and the Palapteryx robustus of the turbary deposits of the 
Middle island. The adaptation of the claw-bones for scratching up 
the soil was obvious from their shape and strength. The generic 
distinction of Palapteryx had previously been indicated by a slight 
depression on the metatarsus, supposed by the author to be for the 
articulation of a small back-toe, as in the Apteryx ; and he had since 
received a specimen of the principal bone of that toe, which was 
exhibited and described. A nearly entire sternum, a portion of a 
minute humerus, anda cranium of one of the smaller species of 
Dinornis, were also exhibited and described. 
This magnificent series of remains of great New Zealand birds 
had been collected chiefly by the late Colonel Wakefield, and had 
been transmitted to the author through the kind interest of J. R. 
Gowen, Esq., a Director of the New Zealand Company. 
* This paper will be printed in the Transactions, vol. iv. part 1. 
