197 



MEGALAPTERYX HECTORI haast. 



Megalapteryx hectori Haast, Trans. Zool. Soc. XII, p. 161 (1886); Lydekker, Cat. Fossil 

 B. Brit. Mus., p. 252. 



THIS form was described by Sir Julius von Haast as a gigantic Apteryx. 

 This error arose from the absence of the skull. There is, however, no 

 doubt now, since the skulls of Megalapteryx are known, that although 

 sufficiently aberrant to form a distinct sub-family, the birds included in this 

 genus are Dinornithidae and not Apterygidae. 

 Habitat : Middle Island, New Zealand. 



MEGALAPTERYX HAMILTONI SPEC. NOV. 



Lydekker, Cat. Fossil Birds in Brit. Mus., p. 252, under M. tenuipes (1891). 



THE type is a left femur, No. 32145 in the British Museum. It is smaller 

 and relatively narrower than the femur, of either M. hectori or 

 M. tenuipes. This is most noticeable at the distal extremity. 

 Habitat : North Island, New Zealand. (Type locality Waingongoro.) 



Named after Mr. A. Hamilton, who did so much in discovering deposits 

 of extinct New Zealand birds. 



