Dromornithids and *Diatryma*

["Jaime A. Headden" <qilongia@yahoo.com>]

Okay, everybody,

  Latest issue of National Geographic (vol. 194, no. 4, Oct 98) has an
article on a dromornithid (*Dromornis*, no less; or properly, *D.
stirtoni*) found in the Northern Territory at Alcoota, near Alice
Springs. Aside from being touted (havn't followed this up, yet) as
bigger than *Aepyornis* (the Elephant Bird) it seems to have a
relative, called *Bullockornis planei* (no need to translate? "Plane's
Bullock or Steer bird") that bears an incredible resemblance to
*Diatryma*, not just the beak, but the jaw and cranium, though the
orbit and bones around the orbit seem to differ some.

  At first I thought there was something wrong here, that they'd
confused *Diatryma* with this dromornithid, but a second glance has me
confused. Anybody out there can help?

==
Jaime A. Headden

Qilong, the website, at:
http://members.tripod.com/~Qilong/qilong.html
---
All comments and criticisms are welcome!

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