GIANT BIRDS. 155 



wings visible externally, they retain rudimentary wing- 

 bones, which have totally disappeared in the Moas. 

 The plumage of the Moas appears to have been of the 

 hair-like nature of that of the Kiwis. Since the latter 

 differ from the Ostriches in that the females are larger 

 than the males, we may assume that the same con- 

 dition obtained among the Moas. The Kiwis are 

 further remarkable for the enormous proportionate 

 size of their eggs; and if anything like the same 

 relative proportions held good with those of the Moas, 

 the egg of the Giant Moa must have been of stupendous 

 dimensions. It is, however, probable that the eggs of 

 the larger Moas were relatively smaller than those of 

 the Kiwis. 



Passing to Australia, we find in the superficial 

 deposits remains of a bird as large as some of the 

 medium-sized species of Moa, but at once distinguished 

 by the absence of a bridge of bone at the lower end of 

 the leg-bone. This bird, known as Dromornis, is, how- 

 ever, as yet but very imperfectly known, so that we 

 are to a great extent in the dark as to its affinities, 

 though it was probably a distant giant relation of the 

 Cassowaries. 



Before we again meet with fossil giant birds we have 

 to cross the whole extent of the Indian Ocean to 

 Madagascar. Here there occurs the enormous bird 

 known as the dSpyomis, the existence of which was 

 first revealed by its eggs, found sunk in the swamps, 

 but of which bones mostly imperfect were subse- 

 quently discovered. One of these enormous eggs 



