209 



EMEUS REICHENBACH. 



THE skull is very short and wide, with a blunt and slightly deflected 

 rostrum, and a very small pneumatic foramen to the quadrate. The 

 mandible is in the shape of a wide (J , with a slightly inflected angle, 

 and a large post-articular process. The symphysis is very wide and deeply 

 excavated, with a broad and slightly prominent inferior ridge narrowing in 

 front. The sternum resembles that of Anomalopteryx, but the pelvis is much 

 wider and approaches that of Pachyornis. The tibio-tarsus and tarso-metatarsus 

 are relatively shorter and thicker than in Anomalopteryx, but less stout than 

 in Pachyornis ; the distal extremity of the tibio-tarsus is not inflected. A 

 hallux is present. The length of the tarso-metatarsus is considerably less 

 than that of the femur, and than half that of the tibio-tarsus, its width at the 

 middle of the shaft being rather more than one-fourth of its length. 



The vertebrae are of the type of Anomalopteryx. The species are larger 

 than most of those of Cela and Anomalopteryx. Additional cranial characters 

 are that the skull usually has very broad and blunt paroccipital processes ; 

 there is no distinct supraoccipital prominence, and no well-marked depression 

 upon the frontal aspect of the squamosal above the head of the quadrate. The 

 basi-occipital tubercles are prominent, and give an arched posterior profile to 

 this bone. The quadrate is elongated with a long anterior bar ; the cavity 

 of the squamosal for the reception of its head is inclined much more outwardly 

 than in either of the other genera. 



Type of genus: Emeus crassus (Owen). 

 Number of species : 6. 



EMEUS CRASSUS (OWEN). 



Dinornis crassus Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. Ill, p. 307 (1846 — partim). 

 Emeus crassus Reichenbach, Nat. Syst. der Vog., p. XXX (1850). 

 Syornis crassus Hutton, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 132 (1892). 



THIS species has led to much confusion, owing to Professor Owen 

 having associated with the real portions of crassus in his possession 

 bones of elephantopus, ponderosus and struthioides. The type came 

 from Waikouaiti. 



Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand. 

 Imperfect skeleton in Tring Museum. 



