246 Transactions. — Zoology. 



the Museum for several weeks, aud the notes and sketches of the skeleton 

 then made I am now enabled, by the courtesy of Mr. Connor, to publish. 

 As to the external characters, it happened, most opportunely, that Dr. 

 Buller visited Dunedin while the specimen was in my keeping, and made 

 notes of the skin.* 



It was much to be regretted that the funds of the Museum did not allow 

 of the purchase of these relics, as the desirability of a specimen of this rare 

 example of the New Zealand avifauna being retained in the colony, is 

 obvious. I have, however, through the kindness of two ladies, Miss F. M. 

 Wimperis and Miss Maud McLaren, been fortunate enough to secure for the 

 Museum the next best thing to the actual specimen, namely, two life-sized 

 oil paintings, one outlined from Mr. Gould's figure in Owen's " Extinct 

 Birds," the other from Dr. Buller's figure, and both coloured from the actual 

 specimen with a fidelity and artistic skill which leave nothing to be desired. 

 As the colouring of the Te Anau specimen differs in some details from that 

 of the British Museum examples, it is a matter of considerable interest to 

 have accurately coloured paintings of it. The latter will not lose their value 

 even if an actual specimen should at some future time be secured. 

 General Description and Measurements. 

 The skeleton consisting, as it does, of the parts saved after skinning 

 (pi. XIX., figs. 1 and 2) is minus the head and the anterior cervical vertebrae, 

 the wing-bones, the bones of the legs with the exception of the femora, and 

 the posterior caudal vertebra. It is in very good preservation with the 

 exception of the ribs and the femur on the left side, which are shattered, 

 probably by shot, and the right side of the middle xiphoid process of the 

 sternum, which is slightly cut, apparently during skinning. 

 The more important measurements are as follows : — 

 Length of trunk, measured from anterior (dorsal) ends of 



coracoids to posterior extremity of pelvis . . . . 18-5 cm. 



Length of scapula . . . . . . . . . . . . 8-0 



,, coracoid . . . . . . . . . . . . 4-2 



,, sternum . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-8 



Width of ,, (measured just posterior to coracoid 



grooves) . . . . . . . , . . . . . . 4-3 



Depth of keel of sternum . . . . . . . . . . 0-9 



Length of ilium . . . . . . . . 10-4 



Width of pelvis at posterior border of acetabula . . . . 5-6 



Length of femur . . . . . . . . 10-3 



For purposes of comparison, however, the absolute dimensions of the 

 parts are of less importance than their proportional dimensions as com- 

 pared with the corresponding parts in allied genera. I therefore give in 



* See above, Art. XSXI. 



