CHAP. XVIII.-] 
BIRDS. 
369 
main-land of Australia (Plate XII. Yol. I. p. 441). Casuarivs 
(9 sp.) inhabits the islands from Ceram to New Britain, with 
one species in North Australia ; it is most abundant in the 
Papuan Islands. 
Family .128.— APTERYGIDM. (1 Genus, 4 Species.) 
(jrENETLAL DlSTKIliU'I JOX, 
KeOCROPIC.AL 
Sub-regions, 
Nearctic 
Sub-regions. 
PAL.EARCTIC 
SUB-KEGIONS, 
Ethiopian 
Sub-regions. 
Oriental i 
SUB-KEUIOXS, 
Australian 
Sub-regions. 
The species of Apteryx are entirely confined to the two larger 
islands of New Zealand. They are supposed to have some 
remote affinity with Ocydrormts , a genus of Rails peculiar to 
Australia and New Zealand ; but they undoubtedly form one of 
the most remarkable groups of living birds (Plate XIII. Yol. I. 
p. 445). 
Struthious Birds recently extinct. 
A number of sub-fossil remains of birds, mostly large and 
some of gigantic size, having affinities to the Apteryx and, less 
closely, to the Cassowaries, have been discovered in New 
Zealand. These are all classed by Professor Owen in the 
genus Dinornis and family Dinornithidm ; but Dr. Haast, from 
the study of the rich collections in the Canterbury (New 
Zealand) Museum, is convinced that they belong to two distinct 
families and several genera. His arrangement is as follows. 
(See Ibis, 1874, p. 209). 
Family 129.— DINORNITHIDM. (2 Genera, 7 Species.) 
Dinornis (5 sp.) ; Meionornis (2 sp.). 
These had no hind toe, and include the largest species. Pro- 
fessor Newton thinks that they were absolutely wingless, being 
the only birds in which the fore limbs are entirely wanting. 
VOL. II. b B 
