Genus— G EOPSITTACUS. 
Geopsittacus Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.), 1861, p. 100. Type G. occidentals. 
Small Pezoporine birds with short bills, long wings, shorter tails than the 
preceding genus, and short legs with short claws. 
In coloration this genus agrees with the preceding, and in general structure 
there is close correspondence until the feet are examined, when the claws are 
seen to be short and stout. 
The tail is much shorter than in the preceding genus, being less than the 
length of the wing, while in Pezoporus the tail exceeds the wing in length, and 
the wedge is more distinct and the feathers have broader tips. 
I have already noted that I consider this an evolution product of the 
Pezoporine stock produced since the separation of Tasmania from the main- 
land and the environmental stress of living further inland than the mainland 
Pezoporus. It is regrettable that Murie did not deal with the entire details of 
the skeleton of the specimen that died at the Zoological Gardens in 1868, but 
only partially, as no specimen seems to have been secured in recent years, and 
at the present time all the investigators have been unable to trace any habitat. 
When Murie criticised the osteology he appears to have been prejudiced 
by the keelless sternum of 8 trig ops as already noted, so that it is quite 
likely that this species is related to the Neozelanic bird. Gould stated 
that the facies to him recalled Strigops more than did Pezoporus , but all 
three seem closely allied by colour pattern, habits and geographical range. 
% 
494 
