Extinct Birds Part 54

Width at distal end 120 "

Circ.u.mference of shaft 155 "

Width of shaft 65 "

Habitat: Madagascar.

AEPYORNIS MEDIUS M.-E. & GRAND.

_Aepyornis medius_ Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. V, vol. XII, p. 179 (1869).

_Aepyornis medius_ Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, Rech. Faune. Orn. Et.

Masc. & Mad. (1866-73), p. 97, note 2.

This form was founded on a femur found at Amboulitsate in W. Madagascar, and is described as follows: "It presents the same general characters, and evidently belongs to an _Aepyornis_, but to a different species, which we will call _Aepyornis medius_. The femur in question is not only distinguished by its lesser proportions but by the narrower external face of the bone; which variation results in causing the whole area between the trochanter and the base of the femoral neck to be much less depressed. The intermuscular line, which marks the insertion surface of the deep portion of the femoral triceps muscle, is hardly indicated, whereas it is very p.r.o.nounced in the larger femur. The posterior side is also more rounded, and the distance which separates the popliteal depression from the proximal extremity is larger; the shape of this large depression is, however, the same as in the larger femur, and although the articular surfaces above it do show some differences, we know that these characters are not very reliable as they are subject to individual variations.

Circ.u.mference of shaft 215 mm."

Habitat: West Madagascar. {228}

AEPYORNIS HILDEBRANDTI BURCKH.

_Aepyornis hildebrandti_ Burckhardt, Pal. Abh. (VI) II, p. 127 (1893).

I must refer my readers to Dr. Burckhardt's description, as it is too long and too technical to be reproduced here, especially as it is not comparative. I, however, give here some of his measurements:--

_Tibio-tarsus._

_A. grandidieri._ _A. hildebrandti._ Length 640 mm. 480 mm.

Breadth at proximal end 190 " 130 "

Breadth at distal end 135 " 82 "

_Tarso-metatarsus._

Length circa 375 mm. 275 mm.

Breadth at proximal end 145 " 103 "

Breadth at distal end 145 " 95 "

The locality of the type is Sirabe.

Habitat: Madagascar.

AEPYORNIS LENTUS M.-E. & GRAND.

_Aepyornis lentus_ Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, C.R. CXVIII, p. 124 (1894).

Original description as follows: "_Ae. lentus_ is remarkable from its short and ma.s.sive feet.

Length of tarso-metatarsus 360 mm.

Width of proximal end 150 "

Circ.u.mference of shaft 170 "

Width of shaft 68 " "

Habitat: Madagascar. {229}

AEPYORNIS MULLERI M.-E. & GRAND.

_Aepyornis mulleri_ Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, C.R. CXVII, pp. 124-125 (1894).

The original description commences: "The new species which we owe to the researches of M. G. Muller, and which we shall name _Ae. mulleri_, is smaller. Nevertheless, it is superior in size to _Ae. hildebrandti_, described by M. Burckhardt, which also came from Antsirabe. We possess the almost complete skeleton of this bird, the skull, mandible, vertebrae, ribs, sternum, a part of the pelvis, the leg bones, and a few phalanges of the pes; so that we can now exactly define the position and affinities of the genus _Aepyornis_." Then follows the diagnosis of the family, which I have given before.

Habitat: Central Madagascar.

AEPYORNIS MODESTUS M.-E. & GRAND.

_Aepyornis modestus_ Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, Ann. Sci. Nat. (5) XII, p. 189 (1869).

Messrs. Milne-Edwards & Grandidier state at pages 180-181 that the bone (a portion of a femur) which is the type of the above name, had a shaft-circ.u.mference of 120 mm., while in _Ae. medius_ this circ.u.mference was 215 mm., and in _Ae. grandidieri_ (= _maximus_ auct. nec. Geoffroy), it was 270 mm.

Type locality: Amboulitsate, in West Madagascar.

{231}

MULLERORNIS MILNE-EDWARDS & GRANDIDIER.

Birds of medium size, not having the heavy and ma.s.sive build of _Aepyornis_. They appear to resemble more closely the _Casuaridae_. Known only from leg bones.

Number of species: 2.

MULLERORNIS BETSILEI MILNE-EDW. & GRAND.

_Mullerornis betsilei_ Milne-Edwards and Grandidier, Compt. Rend., CXVIII, p. 125 (1894).

Original description as follows:--"The leg bones are slender, the tarso-metatarsus is not enlarged as in the preceding genus, and the section through the shaft shows almost an isosceles triangle. The bone itself having more the proportion of _Dromaius_.

"Length of tibio-tarsus 390 mm.

Circ.u.mference of tibio-tarsus 90 "