HuTTON AND CouGHTEEY. — On some Moa Remains. 



267 





Tn. 



Lines 





. 15 









5 



8 





2 









1 



4 





. . 4 



6 



Right Metatarsus. 



LengtL. 



Breadth at distal end 

 Breadth at middle 

 Thickness at middle 

 Breadth at proximal end 



In this unique specimen the whole of the skin and muscles of the posterior 

 side are well preserved, while on nearly the whole of the anterior side they 

 have gone. The bone thus exposed is bleached quite white, and the animal 

 matter so much removed that the bone adheres to the tongue like ordinary 

 Moa bones found on the surface, while the anterior surfaces of the trochleaa 

 are considerably honeycombed and decayed. The hind-toe (hallux) is well 

 preserved, being held in its position by the skin, but the horny claw covering 

 the last joint has disappeared. Of the inner toe only the first joint remains, 

 together with the flexor muscles. Of the middle toe the first two joints are 

 left united with the skin of the sole of the foot, but in the second the bone is 

 considerably decomposed. Of the outer toe all the joints are in their places, 

 and the skin still covers the lower, outer, and part of the upper surfaces, but 

 in this case also the horny claw is wanting, and the tip of the last joint 

 (ungual phalanx) has decayed away. 



The integument on the under surface of the toes is covered with small 

 conical papillae, about one-tenth of an inch in diameter at the base, which 

 increase in size towards the sole of the foot. There is a marked protuberance 

 under the first and second joints of the outer toe. The papillae here are larger 

 and closely packed together, while on the outside of the toe they are small 

 and rounded. The surface of the integument on the upper side of the toe 

 has been removed. On the back of the metatarsus the integument is covered 

 by large irregular prominences nearly half an inch in diameter, divided by 

 grooves from a tenth to a twentieth of an inch across, which are rough to the 

 touch. These prominences are worn down quite flat, as proved by their 

 striated surfaces, showing evidently that the Moa, like the emu, spent a 

 considerable portion of its time with the lower surface of the metatarsus 

 resting on the ground. 



On the sides of the leg the prominences are flat, slightly lengthened 

 longitudinally, and with a divided wart-like surface. They are about the same 

 size as those on the lower surface, but are set closer together, and are arranged 

 in irregular longitudinal rows. On the sides of the tibio-metatarsal 

 articulation the prominences are smaller, more rounded, and higher. Judging 

 from the fragment of integument left on the anterior side of the metatarsus, 

 its surface appears to have been covered with flat, more or less rounded, 



