Philosophical Institute of Canterbury. 427 



reraai-kal)]y broad and divergent, tibia with both extremities largely develoi)ed 

 and standing inward, so as to give the skeleton a bow-legged ajipearance ; 

 pelvis very broad and like the bones of the leg, and the rest of a truly 

 pachydermal character ; bill very obtuse and rounded at the tip ; sternum 

 flattened, broader than long, with a strong costal process, lateral processes 

 standing at a higher angle than in any of the DinornithidjE ; no coracoid 

 depressions in aged specimens ; no bony scapulo-coracoid, two intercostals 

 only. 



1. Palapteryx elephantopus, 



2. Palapteryx crassus. 



b. Genus Eurya2)teryx.* 

 Metatarsus short and broad, but not so pachydermal as the former, with a 

 hallux and hind toe ; tibia straighter, and without the extremities so enlarged 

 as in Palafteryx ; sterniim longer than broad, more concave than the former 

 genus, without coracoid depressions, but with strong and long costal processes, 

 mesial portion anl process Comparatively longer than in all the former 

 subdivisions, no bony scapulo-coracoid, beak not so obtuse as in the former. 



1. Euryapteryx gravis. 



2. Euryapteryx rheides. 



In the preceding list I have only entered those well-defined species of 

 which we possess ample material for comj)arison and generalisation, leaving 

 several others, of which we obtained only portions, for a future notice ; but 

 amongst them I may at least allude to one species which appears to approach 

 the Emu of Australia in its general characteristics. I had also the intention 

 to add some notes on the crania of the different genera, but fear that it would 

 make this address too long were I to give them here. 



However, before proceeding there is one point to which I wish to draw 

 your attention, namely, to the existence or absence of a bony scapulo-coracoid. 



In the genus Dinornis we find deep and well-defined coracoid depressions 

 in the anterior border of the sternum of each species ; and the excavations 

 have furnished tis with a series of scapulo-coracoids which fit exactly into 

 those depressions. Moreover, these small and peculiar bones, by their form 

 and size, agree also in other respects well with the different species enumerated. 

 Howevei', when we examine the sternums of the genus Palapteryx, and 

 principally that of Palap)teryx elephanto2ms, we find some with well-marked 

 depressions, others with only faint ones ; whilst there are others, belonging 

 apparently to aged birds, where there is not the least appearance of them. 



Again, we possess a few sternums in which a depression exists on the 

 one side, whilst it is missing on the other ; so that we are compelled to 

 conclude that no bony scapulo-coracoid could articulate with them. Moreover, 

 * From curijs, broad ; and G'ptenjx, without wings. 



