'Notornis' definitions:
Definition of 'notornis'
(from WordNet)
noun
Flightless New Zealand birds similar to gallinules [syn: notornis, takahe, Notornis mantelli]
Definition of 'Notornis'
From: GCIDE
- 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]