Extinct Birds Part 32

OCYDROMUS INSIGNIS FORBES.

_Ocydromus insignis_ Forbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 188 (1892--insufficient description).

This bird "far exceeded in size any of the existing species of _Ocydromus_." That is all that is published about this bird.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

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APHANAPTERYX FRAUENFELD.

Bill produced, not cut short, rather curved. The nostrils are exposed and situated at the base of the bill. Halluces of the naked fowl-like legs of moderate length. Front of legs apparently scutellated. Wings abortive, no rectrices apparent.

APHANAPTERYX BONASIA SELYS.

(PLATE 29.)

_A Hen_ Sir Thomas Herbert, A relation of some years' Travaile (1626).

_Velt-hoenders_ Reyer Cornelisz, Van der Hagen's voyage (1646).

_Poules rouges au bec de Beca.s.se_ Cauche, Relations veritables et curieuses de l'Isle de Madagascar (1651).

_Apterornis bonasia_ Edm. de Selys-Longchamps, Revue Zoologique, p. 292 (1848).

_Didus herberti_ Schlegel, Vers. Med. Ak. Wetensch., II, p. 256 (1854).

_Didus broecki_ Schlegel, l.c.

_Aphanapteryx imperialis_ Frauenfeld, Neu aufgef. Abbild. Dronte, p. 6 (1868).

_Aphanapteryx broeckii_ Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sci. Nat. (5), X, pp.

325-346, pls. 15-18 (1868).

_Pezophaps broeckii_ Schlegel, Mus. Pays-Bas, Struthiones, p. 4 (1873).

I here give a translation of Frauenfeld's original diagnosis: "Of the size of a fowl, of a uniform brown red all over. Bill and legs dark. Iris yellowish. Feathers decomposed, as in the _Apteryx_, somewhat lengthened on the nape."

This description was made by Frauenfeld from a drawing by G. Hoefnagels, in the Imperial Library, Vienna, executed about the year 1610, and, together with that of the Dodo, apparently drawn from life in the Imperial Menagerie at Ebersdorf. This drawing proves Van den Broecke, Herbert, and Cauche's descriptions to have been correct, though their drawings are somewhat startlingly different in shape. Only known from these four drawings and osseous remains. 18 fragments of beaks, 5 pelves, 35 tibiae, 1 sacrum and fragments, and 1 vertebra in the Tring Museum.

Habitat: Mauritius.

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DIAPHORAPTERYX FORBES.

This genus is closely allied to _Aphanapteryx_ and _Erythromachus_, but, on the whole, is nearer to _Aphanapteryx_. It differs from both these genera and _Ocydromus_ in the large protuberances on the basi-temporal region of the skull, and the tarso-metatarsus was much shorter than in _Aphanapteryx_. For complete diagnosis of this genus see Andrews in Novitates Zoologicae, Vol. III, pp. 73-76 (1896).

DIAPHORAPTERYX HAWKINSI (FORBES).

_Aphanapteryx hawkinsi_ Forbes, Nature XLVI, p. 252.

_Diaphorapteryx hawkinsi_ Forbes, Bull. B.O.C.I. p. XXI, 1893.

The remains of this bird were first sent to Dr. H. O. Forbes in 1892 by the late W. Hawkins, from the Chatham Islands, 500 miles E.S.E. of New Zealand.

It appears to have been confined to the Island of Wharekauri. Dr. Forbes subsequently went to the Chathams himself and collected a large number of bones of various extinct birds, including those of _Diaphorapteryx_. In 1895 I received a consignment of bones through the agency of Mr.

Dannefaerd, from the Chathams, such as has never been equalled from any deposit elsewhere, for literally there were many hundreds of thousands of bones of a considerable number of species of birds. From this collection Mr. C. W. Andrews was able to draw up a most minute description of the skeleton of _Diaphorapteryx_, founded on several practically complete skeletons, some thirty or more skulls, and several thousand individual bones of various portions of the skeleton. This description, published in Novitates Zoologicae, Vol. III, pp. 73-84, is too long for reproduction here, and so I must refer my readers to it.

This bird, as well as the _Palaeolimnas_, shows an apparent relationship between the Chatham Islands and the Mascarene Islands; but I believe that {134} this is not a real relationship, as has been a.s.serted, due to a former land-connection, but merely a case of parallel development owing to similar conditions of existence.

Habitat: Wharekauri Island, Chatham Islands.

In the Tring Museum are two complete skeletons, more than a thousand bones, and about fifteen skulls.

One almost complete skeleton, and the type, skull, and bones, are in the British Museum.

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ERYTHROMACHUS MILNE-EDWARDS.

"Legs stout, made for running, and from a quarter to one-fifth shorter than in _Ocydromus_, the three anterior digits well developed and the hallux very small. Body less ma.s.sive than in _Ocydromus_, with the wings slightly more developed, but not serviceable for flight. Head small; bill red, straight, pointed, and about 60 mm. = 2.4 inches. A red naked patch round the eye; plumage pale grey."

ERYTHROMACHUS LEGUATI MILNE-EDWARDS.

_Gelinote_ Leguat, t. II p. 71 (1708).

_Erythromachus leguati_ Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sci. Nat. (5) XIX, pp. 6, 7, pls. XI, XII (1874).

_Aphanopteryx leguati_ Gunther & E. Newton, Phil. Trans. Vol. 168, pp.

431-432, pl. XLIII (1879).

Of the older writers only Leguat appears to have described the Rodriguez flightless rail. There are several references to "_Hens_," "_Veld Hoenders_," &c., but all appear to refer to the Mauritius bird _Aphanapteryx bonasia_. Leguat's description is as follows:--

"Our 'gelinotes' are fat all the year round and of a most delicate taste.

Their colour is always of a bright grey, and there is very little difference in plumage between the two s.e.xes. They hide their nests so well that we could not find them out, and consequently did not taste their eggs.

They have a red naked area round their eyes, their beaks are straight and pointed, near two and two-fifths inches long, and red also. They cannot fly, their fat makes them too heavy for it. If you offer them anything red, they are so angry they will fly at you to catch it out of your hand, and in the heat of the combat we had an opportunity to take them with ease."