Extinct Birds Part 53

AEPYORNIS MAXIMUS GEOFF.

_Aepyornis maximus_ I. Geoffrey St. Hilaire, Ann. Sci. Nat. ser. 3, vol. XIV, p. 209 (1851).

_Aepyornis ingens_ Milne-Edwards & Grandidier, C.R. CXVIII, pp. 122-127 (1894).

This is the stoutest and bulkiest species, though not so tall as _Ae.

t.i.tan_. All the largest eggs next to those of _Ae. t.i.tan_ must belong to this species. It will be argued that I have no right to use the name _maximus_ for this form, but the name of _maximus_ is based on one of the eggs in the Paris Museum, and as these evidently belong to this form and not to the form subsequently called _maximus_, I must apply to that the name of _grandidieri_, given by Mr. Dawson Rowley in 1867 to a portion of eggsh.e.l.l of the lesser form.

The measurements of the limbs are as follows:--

_Femur._

Total length 440 mm.

Width at proximal end 190 "

Width at distal end 200 "

Circ.u.mference at narrowest part of shaft 265 "

_Tibio-tarsus._

Total length 780 mm.

Width at proximal end 180 "

Width at distal end 160 "

Circ.u.mference at narrowest part of shaft 210 "

_Tarso-metatarsus._

Total length 420 mm.

Width at proximal end 170 "

Width at distal end 160 "

Circ.u.mference at narrowest part of shaft 200 "

The description of the foot in the diagnosis of the family is based on the pes of this species. It is true that the two mounted skeletons in the British and Tring Museums of _Aepyornis hildebrandti_ show a larger number of phalanges; but as neither is composed of the bones of a single individual it is more than likely that the articulator made a mistake.

The dimensions of the type egg are as follows:--

Large diameter 340 mm.

Small diameter 225 "

Large circ.u.mference 850 "

Small circ.u.mference 710 "

Habitat: S. W. Madagascar.

There are about 16 eggs known of this form, varying from 854 mm. to 816 mm.

in large circ.u.mference, and from 743 mm. to 715 mm. in small circ.u.mference.

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AEPYORNIS GRANDIDIERI ROWLEY.

_Aepyornis Maximus_ Auct.

_Aepyornis grandidieri_ Rowley, P.Z.S. 1867, p. 892.

This is the form which nearly all the bones, referred erroneously to Geoffroy's _Ae. maximus_, belong. The original description of Dawson Rowley was founded on a piece of eggsh.e.l.l, and is as follows:--

"The granulation is in a marked degree different from that of the other pieces. The air pores which in the other specimens appear like a comet with a tail are here only small indentations without any tail; the sh.e.l.l also is only half the thickness, is much finer, and presents an aspect so diverse that the difference is detected by the most careless observer, even when the pieces are all mixed. These fragments belonged to the egg of much smaller birds, the embryo of which required less strength in the sh.e.l.l. Yet the colour, quality and locality of that sh.e.l.l clearly point to a bird of the same family as _Aepyornis maximus_--in short, a smaller and more delicate _Aepyornis_. For this species I propose the name of _Aepyornis grandidieri_."

The measurements of bones of the hind limb are as follows:--

_Femur._

Length 320 mm.

Width at distal end 190 "

_Tibio-tarsus._

Length 640 mm.

There are at Tring two eggs of this species.

No. 1, traded.

Length 283.0 mm.

Width 215.0 "

Large circ.u.mference 777.5 "

Small circ.u.mference 670.0 "

No. 2 Ambondo, Ambovombe in the district of Fort Dauphin.

Large circ.u.mference 775 mm.

Small circ.u.mference 662.5 "

There are recorded of these eggs, besides the two mentioned above, eight further specimens, varying from 810 mm. to 771.5 mm. in large circ.u.mference, and 686 mm. to 654 mm. in small circ.u.mference.

In addition to these there are in various collections about eight or nine eggs whose species is doubtful. {227}

AEPYORNIS CURSOR M.-E. & GRAND.

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

Original description as follows: _Ae. cursor_ is almost as large as _Ae.

grandidieri_ = _maximus_ auct., nec. Geoffroy, but is more slender.

Length of tarso-metatarsus 380 mm.

Width at proximal end 140 "