Page:Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute - Volume 1 (2nd ed.).djvu/43

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Haast.—On the Measurements of Dinornis Bones.
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well together, but as they were mixed up with a great many others, I am not quite certain that they belong to*the same birds.

The specimen articulated in the Canterbury Museum is of the same size as this No. 13, and they were found together in situ.

Length of bone. Girth of proximal end. Girth of shaft, thinnest part. Girth of distal end.
Tarsus metatarsus 8·2 in. 10·1 in. 6·0 in. 13·0 in.
Tibia 19·2 „ 15·6 „ 5·2 „ 12·8 „
Femur 12·0 „ 14·0 „ 6·6 „ 15·4 „

The metatarsus is longer and in every respect larger than Professor Owen’s crassus, according to his list. The tibia has the length of Professor Owen’s crassus (in list), but it is thicker round the shaft and at both extremities. The femur is also a little longer and thicker.

No. 14. Dinornis (elephantopus?).

Of this remarkable species (or variety) we obtained only the bones of two specimens: they were lying close together, but mixed with those of No. 13:

Length of bone. Girth of proximal end. Girth of shaft, thinnest part. Girth of distal end.
Tarsus metatarsus 8·8 in. 10·3 in. 5·5 in. 13·2 in.
Tibia 21·0 „ 16·2 „ 5·7 „ 13·4 „
Femur 11·8 „ 13·8 „ 6·4 „ 15·0 „

The metatarsus is of the same length as Professor Owen’s measurements of crassus, but it is thicker in every respect. The tibia is larger and longer, whilst the femur agrees in length but is a little thicker.

No. 15. Dinornis (elephantopus?).

Of this species, or variety, which is somewhat similar to the former, we obtained bones belonging to four specimens (one incomplete). They were also mixed with bones of Nos. 12, 13, 14, and 16, so that we articulated them to the best of our knowledge:

Length of bone. Girth of proximal end. Girth of shaft, thinnest part. Girth of distal end.
Tarsus metatarsus 9·2 in. 10·0 in. 5·7 in. 12·6 in.
Tibia 19·25 „ 15·7 „ 5·2 „ 11·3 „
Femur 11·7 „ 12·6 „ 6·1 „ 14·6 „

According to this list of measurements, this metatarsus is larger and thicker than Professor Owen’s crassus. It is of the same length as elephantopus, but it is thinner; altogether it has quite a different character from the last-named species. The tibia is of the same length as crassus, but thicker. The femur is shorter than crassus, but a little thicker,