notornis Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun flightless New Zealand birds similar to gallinules
    Notornis mantelli; takahe.

WordNet

No*tor"nis noun
Etymology
NL., fr. Gr. the south, or southwest + bird.
Definitions
  1. (Zoöl.) 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.

Webster 1913