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AEPYORNITHIDAE. 



THE first notice we have from a scientific man of the existence on 

 Madagascar of large Struthious birds is the description by Isidore 

 Geoffroy-Saint-Hilaire of two eggs and a few osseous remains, in the 

 Annales des Sciences naturelles III, Zoologie, vol. XIV (1850). These 

 important objects were sent to the describer by a colonist of Reunion, 

 Monsieur de Malavois, but were obtained from the natives in Madagascar 

 by Captain M. Abadie. A third egg arrived smashed. The name given on 

 this evidence was Aepyornis maximus. 



Since then some 40 eggs at least and a large number of odd bones 

 have been collected by Monsieur Grandidier, Messrs. Last and others, and 

 Dr. Forsyth Major, but only one practically complete, and one less complete 

 skeleton of a smaller species, named Aepyornis hildebrandti by Dr. Burckhardt. 



A large number of species has been diagnosed on the evidence of 

 these bones and eggs by Professor Milne- Edwards, Mr. Dawson Rowley 

 and Mr. Andrews, and a second genus, Mullerornis, established. 

 The following is the diagnosis of the family 



AEPYORNITHIDAE. 



Head less flattened than in the Dinornithidae, much longer and 

 narrower. Brain case much greater in volume. Occipital condyle strongly 

 pedunculate. Temporal fossae deep and narrow. The basisphenoid has on 

 each side a well marked pterygoidal apophysis. The lower mandible is 

 straight and stout, recalling somewhat that of Rhea, but the maxillary 

 branches are higher and stouter. The symphysis is long, contracted, and 

 hollowed out in the shape of a ladle. The sternum presents many affinities 

 to that of Apteryx. It is a thin plastron, flattened, and much widened. 

 The coracoidal articular surfaces similar to those of Apteryx. The Coraco- 

 scapulars are feeble, and have so faint an articular surface that the humerus 

 must have been rudimentary. Hallux absent, outer digit has five, the middle 

 digit four, and the inner digit three phalanges. 



There are three genera and twelve species. 



A striking character is that in the genus Aepyornis the proximal 

 extremity of the tarso-metatarsus is larger than the distal extremity, a 

 feature not found in the majority of other birds. 



Monsieur Grandidier has expressly pointed out that Aepyornis had only 

 three toes, I cannot, therefore, understand why Messrs. Lydekker and Evans 

 both state that the hallux is present. 



