237 



DROMAIUS MINOR (SPENCER). 



Dromaeus minor Baldwin Spencer, Vict. Nat. XXIII, p. 140 (1906). 



S Mr. Bernard H. Woodward, of Perth, West Australia, was organising 



jfi an expedition to Kangaroo, Flinders, and King Islands (December, 

 1906), to hunt for Emu remains on these islands, I had hoped to be 

 the first to describe what I felt sure would be two new species of Dromaius. 

 I have, however, been forestalled by Professor Baldwin Spencer in the case 

 of King Island, whence a collection of 17 femurs, 19 tibio-tarsi, 28 tarso- 

 metatarsi, and portions of 8 pelves, made by Messrs. Alex. Morton and R. M. 

 Johnston, T.S.O., formed the material for the description of a new species. 



The diagnosis is as follows : " Smaller than D. ater (= D. peronii 

 mihi). Tibia not or only slightly exceeding 330 mm. in greatest length. 

 Tarso-metatarsus not exceeding 280 mm. in greatest length. Pelvis, length 

 not or only slightly exceeding 280 mm." 



D. minor was a smaller but stouter bird than D. peronii. Comparative 

 dimensions — 



Tibio-tarsus 



D. peronii. 



342 mm 



320—332 mm. 



D. minor. 



Tarso-metatarsus 



290 



277—277 



Femur 



180 



170—180 



Pelvis 



340 



274—280 



Pelvis, front width .... 75 „ 



Pelvis, width behind acetabular cavity 92 ,, 



Habitat : King Island, Bass Strait. Now extinct. 



78— 86 



64 



