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Show 1894.] IN THE BRITISH MUSEUM. 121 usual, but show scarcely any curvature from above downwards. There is, moreover, a lateral fossa in the centrum separated from that in the arch by a nearly horizontal plate of bone. The specimen which agrees most closely with the first of the larger ones just described has a centrum measuring 4 cm. long, 3 cm. high, 2*5 wide in the middle. Another specimen gives the following measurements :- cm. Length of centrum 3*5 Height of centrum at hinder end 2*7 Width of centrum in middle 2*0 From the above descriptions it will be seenthat the iEpyornithidas must have included a large number of forms differing greatly in size and proportions ; indeed, in a very recent paper (4) Milne- Edwards and Grandidier have given names to no less than seven new species, three of which are referred to a new genus, Mullerornis, and it seems probable, as was shown above, that a third genus at least will have to be established. It is to be hoped that the authors just mentioned have taken some particular bone as the type specimen of each species, and that names have not been given to miscellaneous collections of conjecturally associated bones. If it should unfortunately prove that this precaution has been neglected, then it seems probable that confusion in the nomenclature of the yEpyornithidas will result. It is greatly to be desired that collectors should, whenever possible, mark in some distinctive manner such bones as occur together and appear to have belonged to one individual1. But even when this is not done, it is still possible to avoid confusion to a large extent by applying specific names to some definite bone, preferably the metatarsus, as the type specimen of the species. The Affinities of iEpyornis. Concerning the affinities of ASpyornis the most divergent views have been held. Isidore Geoffroy in his original paper (6) referred it to the Brevipennes (Batitas), an opinion now universally accepted. Valenciennes (9) considered it to be a diving bird, related to the Auks and Penguins. Bianconi (1) in a long series of papers strove to show that ASpyornis was the " Boc " of Eastern fable, and that its nearest living relative is the Condor. Milne-Edwards and Grandidier (3) confirmed Geoffroy's original opinion and considered that Casuarius and Dinornis are the nearest allies. VonHaast(7), on the other hand, opposed this view and asserted that the resemblances with Dinornis are superficial. Recently this opinion has been endorsed by Fiirbringer (5) and B. Burckhardt (2), both of whom, after an elaborate comparison of the iEpyornithidas with the other Batite families, come to the conclusion that such resemblances as exist between ASpyornis and Dinornis are merely the 1 In the present instance this appears to have been out of the question, the bones occurring scattered at random. |