GIANT BIRDS. 



as the Hipparion, if its three metatarsals were welded 

 together, and these again with the bones of the lower 

 half of the ankle. It will, accordingly, be evident that 

 a bird is an odd-toed 

 animal like a horse (that 

 is to say, the toe repre- 

 senting the middle one 

 of the typical five is sym- 

 metrical in itself and 

 larger than either of the 

 others), having a cannon- 

 bone, but no separate 

 ankle-bones ; the upper 

 ankle-bone or huckle- 

 bone having become 

 welded on to the leg- 

 bone, and the lower ones 

 similarly united to the 

 cannon-bone. In these respects, therefore, a bird is a 

 very specialised kind of creature, as departing widely 

 from the original type. With these necessary anato- 

 mical explanations, we shall be in a position to enter 

 on the subject of the extinct Giant Birds. 



The first of these extinct birds brought to the notice 

 of the scientific world were the Moas of New Zealand, 

 in which islands the only existing representatives of 

 the group are the diminutive Kiwis. The original 

 determination of the former existence of these giant 

 birds affords, indeed, an interesting instance of the 

 certainty of anatomical deductions, when made with 



FIG. 47. Leg-bone (A) and cannon- 

 bone (B) of Moas. Reduced. 



