Page:Transactions and Proceedings of the New Zealand Institute - Volume 1 (2nd ed.).djvu/39

Rh Thus the metatarsus is a few lines longer; the tibia resembles the former closely, except that it is slightly thinner and one-tenth of an inch shorter; the femur is exactly like Professor Owen’s casuarinus, so that it may be said that this size fully agrees with the specific character of his species.

The articulated skeleton in the Canterbury Museum is taken from this subdivision.

The bones of this variety agree in every respect with those of the fore- going subdivisions, except that they are somewhat, smaller.

Compared with Professor Owen’s drawings, the metatarsus is more slender, as is also the case with the tibia, which is three-tenths of an inch shorter, and the same may be said of the femur. Moreover, the bones are altogether smoother, and the line of coalescence of the proximal epiphysis is still sometimes faintly indicated: they belong, therefore, without doubt, to specimens which were not yet full grown. May I therefore suggest that Nos. 1 and 2 represent, perhaps, male and female, while No. 3 consists of specimens of either sex which have not yet attained their full development.

According to my measurements, the same difference of size is also strikingly shown by the specimens of this species, of which a great quantity of bones was excavated under my direction.

When put together, these formed also three distinct sizes, like the preceding species, with no gradations between them.

We obtained from our excavations portions or complete leg bones of

No. 4, largest size, 17 specimens.

No. 5, middle size, 12 specimens.

No. 6, smallest size, 8 specimens.

The femur of this subdivision resembles very much that of dromioides, Owen, both in shape and size. It is somewhat larger than Professor Owen’s figured specimen of didiformis ("Trans. Zool. Society," Vol. III., plate 24, p. 249). The tibia is identical with Professor Owen’s figured tibia, while the metatarsus is two-tenths of an inch shorter than his, although identical in all other characteristics :