152 - ANIMALS OF THE PAST 
Fig. 31.—Leg of a Horse Com- 
pared with that of the Giant Moa.. 
’ justified in calling 
giants, but they — 
go we might be. 
them cursorial 
birds of prey. k 
We really know 
very little about 
these Patagonian 
are interesting not 
only from their © 
great size and as- 
tounding skulls, 
but because of the 
early age (Mio- 
cene) at which | 
they lived and be- — 
cause in spite of — 
their bulk they are 
in nowise related — 
to the _ ostriches, 
but belong near 
the heron family. 
As usual, we have 
no idea why they 
became extinct, — 
