344 MESSES. A. AND E. NEWTON ON THE OSTEOLOGY OE THE SOLITAIEE. 
of the very smallest (female V) examples fall short of those of JDidus, so that it is likely 
that even the smallest (female V) Pezophaps stood higher on the leg than the largest 
(male 1) Didus. Comparing, however, the bones of what we imagine to have been the 
same sexes (and this is, of course, the only fair mode of comparison) it is clear that the 
body of Pezophaps was mounted upon legs at least some two or three inches longer than 
that of Didus. 
The principal bones of the leg having been already very minutely and correctly 
described by Dr. Melville (op. ait. pp. 115-119) and Strickland (Trans. Zool. Soc. iv. 
pp. 192-196), it seems unnecessary here to say much more about them. But there 
are some points to which we may perhaps advert with advantage. 
The femur, of which the collection contains one hundred and nineteen nearly perfect 
examples, has a very great general resemblance to that of Didus ; but it is of more uni- 
form thickness, not tapering so much towards the middle or upper third. There is also 
in our series a total absence of the pneumatic foramen* on the inner side of the anterior 
ridge of the great trochanter, which is nearly always present and occasionally of large size 
in Didus. On the other hand there is in most cases a single good-sized and apparently 
pneumatic orifice on the posterior aspect of the neck of the bone, below the ridge of the 
articular surface which is adapted to the trochanterian prominence of the pelvis. This 
single orifice we have not found in Didus ; but, there, the same part is often perforated 
by several smaller openings of variable position. Turning to the distal extremity of the 
femur, the popliteal fossa in Pezophaps generally presents at least one large, and often 
two or three smaller pneumatic orifices, which are perhaps more distinct than in Didus. 
The muscular ridges and impressions are usually very strongly marked. 
The tibio-tarsal (Plate XX. figs. 100, 102), of which the collection contains sixty-six 
specimens in a fair state, besides a vast number in a fragmentary condition, has been 
already minutely described by the authors above mentioned. It need therefore only be 
said that the inner anterior ridge at the proximal end (which was broken off in Strickland’s 
specimen) is generally fully as much developed as in Didus , and in many examples is 
certainly thicker, but its precise form is very variable in both birds. 
The fibula (Plate XX. figs. 100-103), of which there are fifty-nine specimens in the 
collection, is very decidedly (it might almost be said absolutely) stouter and more mas- 
sive than it is in Didus ; but owing to the extreme variability of this bone it is difficult 
to seize on any characters that may be considered to be more than those of the indivi- 
dual. Perhaps on the whole the fibula of Pezophaps has a smoother surface ; but two 
or three of the examples have their ridges and depressions as strongly marked as any of 
those of Didus which we have seen. As the tibio-tarsal is relatively longer in the former 
than in the latter, so is it (as might be expected) with the fibula. 
The tarso-metatarsus, of which the collection contains one hundred and twenty-three 
•examples in fair preservation, besides a great number of larger and smaller fragments, 
* This foramen is said by Dr. Melville to be absent in all Pigeons except Goura. The last statement we 
can confirm of our own observation. It is also wanting in Diclunculus. 
