226 



AEPYORNIS GRANDIDIERI ROWLEY. 



Aepyornis Maximus Auct. 



Aepyornis grandidieri Rowley, P.Z.S. 1867, p. 892. 



THIS is the form which nearly all the bones, referred erroneously to 

 Geoffroy's Ae. maximus, belong. The original description of Dawson 

 Rowley was founded on a piece of eggshell, and is as follows : — 

 " The granulation is in a marked degree different from that of the other 

 pieces. The air pores which in the other specimens appear like a comet 

 with a tail are here only small indentations without any tail ; the shell also is 

 only half the thickness, is much finer, and presents an aspect so diverse that 

 the difference is detected by the most careless observer, even when the 

 pieces are all mixed. These fragments belonged to the egg of much smaller 

 birds, the embryo of which required less strength in the shell. Yet the 

 colour, quality and locality of that shell clearly point to a bird of the same 

 family as Aepyornis maximus — in short, a smaller and more delicate Aepyornis. 

 For this species I propose the name of Aepyornis grandidieri" 



The measurements of bones of the hind limb are as follows : — 



Femur. 



Length 320 mm. 



Width at distal end 190 „ 



Tibio tarsus. 



Length 640 mm. 



There are at Tring two eggs of this species. 



No. 1, traded. 



Length 283 mm. 



Width 2150 „ 



Large circumference 777-5 „ 



Small circumference 670-0 „ 



No. 2 Ambondo, Ambovombe in the district of Fort Dauphin. 



Large circumference .... 775 mm. 



Small circumference .... 662-5 ,, 



There are recorded of these eggs, besides the two mentioned above, 

 eight further specimens, varying from 810 mm. to 771 5 mm. in large 

 circumference, and 686 mm. to 654 mm. in small circumference. 



In addition to these there are in various collections about eight or nine 

 eggs whose species is doubtful. 



