AND OTHEE, EXTINCT BIEDS OF MAUEITIUS. 283 



One specimen at least of each of the bones now first described has been kindly 

 presented by Mr. Sauzier, on behalf of the Commission of which he is President, to 

 the Museum of the University of Cambridge, as well as a series of other bones in 

 proportion to the extent of the collection. The remainder, including a magnificent 

 skeleton, which has been mounted in that Museum and is doubtless the most complete 

 in the world, of Didus ineptus, will be ultimately deposited in the Museum of 

 Mauritius at Port Louis. 



1. LOPHOPSITTACUS MAUEITIANUS. (Plate XXXIII. figs. 1-8.) 



A complete tibia obtained previously from Mauritius and having been assigned, 

 although not described, by M. Milne-Edwards to Lophopsittacus mauritianus, made it 

 easy to recognize 46 other tibiae taken from the Mare aux Songes as belonging to the 

 same species of Parrot. 



Several femora, varying from 58 to 63 mm. in length, are likewise easily referable to 

 the same species. 



There is also a left tarso-metatarsus of 35 mm. in length, typically flattened and 

 broadened out, with the outer condyle turned backwards and outwards in accordance 

 with the reversed fourth toe. The plantar tuberculum near the proximal end of the 

 bone is partly broken off, but sufficiently preserved to show the two canals lying side 

 by side, through which the tendons of the deep flexors of the hallux and other three 

 digits passed. Near the inner or tibial margin of the second metatarsal is a deep 

 impression, caused by the insertion of the tendon of the m. tibialis anticus. The 

 position of this insertion, near the inner side of the second metatarsal, instead of near 

 the middle of the third metatarsal, is typical of Parrots. Above this impression is a 

 deep oblique groove, in which lodged the tendon of the m. extensor digitorum in its 

 oblique course from under the bony tibial bridge to the inner side of the foot. This 

 peculiar groove exists also in Necropsittacus rodericanus, Calyptorliynchus funereus, 

 Cacatua galerita, Licmetis tenuirostris, and Macrocercus macao, but apparently not in 

 Stringops, Domicella, or Trichoglossus, although the tendons run in precisely the same 

 direction, passing over the tarsus without leaving any impression upon the bone. The 

 erratic occurrence of this groove, intensified by age, but absent in a fully adult Stringops, 

 detracts from its taxonomic value. 



The following measurements show that the relative lengths of the femur, tibia, and 

 metatarsus from Mauritius are so similar to those of other Old-World Parrots that the 

 bones in question can without doubt be referred to one species only. The measure- 

 ments show also that this species was considerably larger than Necropsittacus roderi- 

 canus, agreeing in the length of its hinder extremity with Cacatua galerita. 



2t2 



