COLOSSAL BIRDS. 369 



which must have been truly colossal. One of thee eggs was equal 

 to at least six ostrich eggs, and its capacity more than fifteen pints. 

 M. Isidore Geoffroy de Saint-Hilaire, who gave it the name of 

 Epiornis, reckoned that its height could not be less than ten or 

 twelve feet. 



In 1867, M. Joly, Professor of the Faculty of Sciences at Tou- 

 louse, published some very interesting observations on the structure 

 and probable habits of this gigantic bird. 



It cannot yet be asserted that this bird has altogether dis- 

 appeared. The inhabitants of Madagascar state that, although very 

 rare, some few representatives of it still remain. There is an ancient 

 tradition among this people relative to a colossal bird which could 

 knock down an ox and then make a meal of it. This tradition, 

 however, is deficient in anything like evidence of its truth, for an 

 examination of the pieces of bone found proves that the Epiornis 

 possessed neither talons to seize nor wings with which to pursue its 

 prey ; it must, therefore, have fed chiefly upon vegetable diet. 



In New Zealand also some bones have been brought to light, 

 which must have belonged to a species of bird allied to the ostrich, 

 but so superior to it in size that it attained some thirteen feet in 

 height. This bird has been designated the Dinornis. Its dis- 

 appearance is probably recent, for the bones which were discovered 

 still contained a large proportion of gelatine. Rumour states that a 

 Dinornis more than thirteen feet in height was seen by two English- 

 men in one of the marshy forests, but they did not venture to 

 approach near enough to kill it. This may be considered as a fair 

 specimen of the old-fashioned "travellers' tales." 







