374 PEOE. T. JEEFEET PAEKEE ON THE CEANIAL OSTEOLOGY, 



into several genera, the generic groups, as deduced from a study of the skulls, do not 

 agree with those of either of the authors referred to. It seems reasonable, however, to 

 claim that, if constant and definable diiferences can be shown to occur in the skulls, 

 these should outweigh mere difierences in the size and proportions of the limb-bones. 



I have derived the greatest assistance throughout the investigation from frequent 

 correspondence with Caj)tain Button, who has, with rare generosity, placed at my 

 disposal the wide knowledge of the whole Moa question gained during the course of 

 his extended, and still partly unpublished, researches. Sir James Hector has most 

 kindly lent me the entire collection of Moa skulls in the Colonial Museum, Wel- 

 lington, including the unique skull oi Mesopteryx, species (3, figured on Plate LX. figs. 20 

 & 21. Dr. H. O. Forbes has been good enough to lend me the large series of skulls 

 in the Canterbury Museum, recently collected by himself at Enfield, near Oamaru, as 

 well as the skulls from four skeletons in the Canterbury Museum, articulated under 

 the superintendence of the late Sir Julius von Haast. Mr. A. Hamilton, Registrar of 

 the University of Otago, has placed at my disposal the large collections made by 

 himself at the Te Ante swamp, near Napier, and at Castle Rocks, Oreti River, South- 

 land — the latter collection including several immature skulls which have been quite 

 invaluable for my purpose. I am also indebted to Mr. Hamilton for the drawings from 

 which figs. 59-64 are taken. Mr. R. J. Kingsley has lent me the skull of a fine 

 individual skeleton in his possession, the type of JDinornis torosus, Hutton. Mr. J. 

 Thomson, Lecturer on Applied Mechanics in this University, has devoted a great deal 

 of time and trouble to taking the photographs from which Plates LVI., LVIIL, & LX. 

 are copied. And, lastly, during my visit to England I have received the kindest help 

 from Prof. Newton, Dr. Henry Woodward, Mr. A. Smith Woodward, and Mr. H. 

 M. Platnauer. To all these gentlemen I beg to return my most sincere thanks. 



2. List op Specimens Examined. 

 As the nomenclature of many species is still doubtful, and as it is desirable to refer 

 to certain individual specimens in the various collections to which I have had access, 

 the following list is given in order to facilitate identification : — 



Genus Dinoknis, Owen. 

 1. DiNOENis MAXIMUS, Owen. 



a. The skull belonging to the large skeleton in the British Museum (Natural 



History) and numbered 46050 (Lydekker, Cat. Foss. Birds, p. 232). 



b. Portions of a skull in the same Collection, numbered 46631-3 (figured by Owen, 



Extinct Birds of N. Z. pi. Ixii.). 



The measurements of this last-named skull do not difi'er from those of 

 B. robustus ^. 



' Through the kindness of Captain Hutton, I have just examined a very fine skull of J), mcuvimus belonging- 

 to Mr. M'=Ewen, of Christchurch. There is nothing to distinguish it from D. robusUis. — June 1895. 



