124 ANIMALS OF THE PAST 



head on a neck as thick as that of a horse, arm it with a 

 beak as sharp as an ice-pick and almost as formidable, 

 and you have a fair idea of this feathered giant of the 

 ancient pampas. The head indeed was truly colossal 

 for that of a bird, measuring 23 inches in length by 7 

 in depth, while that of the racehorse Lexington, and he 



Skull of Phororhacos compared with that of the race horse Lexington. 



was a good-sized horse, measures 22 inches long by 5}i 

 inches deep. The depth of the jaw is omitted because 

 we wish to make as good a case as possible for the bird, 

 and the jaw of a horse is so deep as to give him an undue 

 advantage in that respect. 



We can only speculate on the food of these great birds, 

 and for aught we know to the contrary they may have 

 caught fish, fed upon carrion, or used their powerful 

 feet and huge beaks for grubbing roots ; but if they were 



