. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology; Zoologia Geral. APTERYGIDAE 39 from all their allies by their small size, and by the long, weak, decurved bill, which tapers regularly and has the nostrils placed almost at the extremity. The head and eyes are comparatively small, as will be seen to be the case in the Dinornithidae. The legs are very stout and situated backwardly, a small elevated hallux is present, and the toes are provided with long, sharp claws. The moderate metatarsus is reticulated in the young, but is clothed with fairly large scutes in the adult, when it becomes much smoother. T
. The Cambridge natural history. Zoology; Zoologia Geral. APTERYGIDAE 39 from all their allies by their small size, and by the long, weak, decurved bill, which tapers regularly and has the nostrils placed almost at the extremity. The head and eyes are comparatively small, as will be seen to be the case in the Dinornithidae. The legs are very stout and situated backwardly, a small elevated hallux is present, and the toes are provided with long, sharp claws. The moderate metatarsus is reticulated in the young, but is clothed with fairly large scutes in the adult, when it becomes much smoother. The wings are small-boned and invisible, with functionless quills, the tail is rudimentary, the aftershaft and furcula are absent, while manv elongated hairs occur on the front of the Fig. 12.—Kiwi. Ai:>tenjx attstrah's. x I. These curious flightless birds are confined to New Zealand, whence a specimen was brought to England as early as 1813. Apteryx mantelli, of the North Island, is deep red-brown with longitudinal streaks of yellowish-brown, the head being darker and the lower parts greyer; A. ai/stralis, of the South Island, is lighter, and feels soft instead of harsh when grasped. A. owcni, of both islands, is much smaller, and is light grey-brown, trans- versely marked with Ijlackisli bars. A. haasti, also said to occur in both islands,^ is a larger and darker form of the last named; A. latvryi, of Stewart Island, hardly differs from A. australis; while A. maximns, of ^'erreaux, is a very doul)tful species. Mr. liothschild '^ has founded a sub-species {ocdclentalis) ' Rotliscliild, Bull. OriiUh. Cliih, I. , pp. Ix. Ixi. " Loc. Please note that these images are extracted from scanned page images that may have been digitally enhanced for readability - coloration and appearance of these illustrations may not perfectly resemble the original Harmer, S. F. (Sidney Frederic), Sir, 1862-; Shipley, A. E. (Arthur Everett), Sir, 1861-1927. [London, M
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