notornis

2 definitions found

notornis - Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 :

  Notornis \No*tor"nis\, prop. n. [NL., fr. Gr. no`tos the south,
     or southwest + ? bird.] (Zool.)
     A genus of birds allied to the gallinules, but having
     rudimentary wings and incapable of flight. Notornis Mantelli
      was first known as a fossil bird of New Zealand,
     but subsequently a few individuals were found living on the
     southern island. It is supposed to be now nearly or quite
     extinct.
     [1913 Webster]

notornis - WordNet (r) 2.1 (2005) :

  notornis
      n 1: flightless New Zealand birds similar to gallinules [syn:
           notornis, takahe, Notornis mantelli]