U4— 10 INDIAN TERTIARY AND POST-TERTIARY VERTEBRATA. 
of a tibia and belongs to the present speciesd Tlie genus Megaloscelornis must, 
therefore, be abolished.'^ 
Metatarsus and jdialangeal. — In plate XV., tig. 3, there is given a full-sized view 
of the distal half of the right metatarsus, with the proximal half of the first 
phalangeal of the inner digit ; obtained from the Siwalik Hills. These bones are 
indistinguishable, both as regards form and size, from those of the existing ostrich. 
Tibia and fibida. — In plate XV., tigs. 2, 2a, there are two half-sized views of the 
distal half of a right tibia from the. Siwalik Hills.® The articular portion of the 
bone is somewhat damaged ; but allowing for this loss the specimen is indistinguish- 
able in all respects from the tibia of S. canielus. In figures 1, la of the same plate 
there are two similarly reduced views of the greater j)ortion of a right tibia and 
fibula'‘ from the Siwalik Hills. The specimen is imperfect superiorly, the fibula (/) 
being broken off loAver down than the tibia : a transverse section of the specimen at 
a fracture shows that the tibia and fibula are perfectly distinct, although cemented 
together by matrix. Distally the specimen has lost its articular extremity (astragalus) ; 
thus showing that it belonged to an adolescent individual. This specimen agrees 
precisely in every respect Avith the last, and Avith the corresponding bone of S. 
canieliis. 
Bones of the iving. — The metatarsus described aboA^e is associated with some of 
the wing-bones and some cervical A'ertebrm, doubtless belonging to the same individual. 
The Aving-bones comprise the distal ends of the radius and ulna, the metacarpus, and 
a phalangeal ; and the only difference than can be detected betAveen these bones and 
those of S. canielus is that the metacarpals are slightly stouter. 
Vertebrcc. — The above-mentioned cervical vertebrm are tAvelve in number, five 
of Avhich are figured in plate R., figs. 1, la of the “ F.A.S.”: they are fully described 
by Mr. Davies. The vertebrae resemble those of S. canielus in general size; but 
their larger anterior transA^erse diameter and greater vertical depth seem to indicate 
that the Siwalik ostrich had a stouter neck. 
Distinctness and affinities. — The foregoing comparisons show that the Siwalik 
ostrich was extremely close to the existing species ; and it seems doubtful Avhether 
the slight differences in their cervical vertebrae can be regarded as of more than 
individual, or varietal, value. Under these circumstances/ the name N. asiaticus must 
be regarded as provisional. 
Distribution. — All the knoAvn remains have been obtained from the typical 
SiAA^alik Hills : it is, however, to be expected that the species aaoII eA-entually be found 
1 The tihia was referred to Megaloscelornis from the circumstance that it was associated with the supposed sternum. This 
example affords a warning against relying on the association of Siwalik hones as indicating individual identity. It seems 
from the labelling of the specimens that this association deceived Falconer. The writer considered that the tibia differed from 
that of struthioids by the anchylosis of the fibula, hut a subsequently made section of the specimen has shown that the two 
hones are really distinct, 
2 A portion of a humerus from Sind noticed in the ‘ Eecords,’ vol. XVI., p. 68, which it was suggested might possibly 
belong to Mcgnlosedornis, seems to he probably crocodilian. 
3 Figured in the “ F.A.S.,” pi. E., figs. 2, '2n, 2b, 2c, 2d. 
4 This specimen is the one originally referred to Megaloscelornis. 
