FEATHERED GIANTS 125 



not more or less carnivorous, preying upon such reptiles, 

 mammals and other birds as came within reach, then 

 nature apparently made a mistake in giving them such a 

 formidable equipment of beak and claw. So far as 

 habits go we might be justified in calling them cursorial 

 birds of prey. 



We really know very little about these Patagonian 

 giants, but they are interesting not only from then- 

 great size and astounding skulls, but because of the 

 early age (Miocene) at which they lived and because 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, 

 but in this instance man is guiltless, for they lived and 

 died long before he made his appearance, and the ever- 

 convenient hypothesis "change of climate" may be 

 responsible for their disappearance. Still another extinct 

 feathered giant is an ostrich-like bird known as yet 

 only from eggs from the loess or wind-blown earth 

 deposits along the banks of the Yellow River, China. 

 About thirty of these eggs, looked upon as those of a 

 dragon, have now come to light. 



The lapse of time has brought to us knowledge or 

 rather information of another "feathered giant" whose 

 existence was hinted at in 1876 by the discovery of a few 

 toe bones to which Professor Cope applied the name 

 Diatryma. 



This proves not to be a relative of the ostriches, as 

 was supposed from its size, nor a near relative of the 

 giant birds of Patagonia as I suggested, but, though not 

 unlike Phororhacos in bulk and general appearance, to 

 stand in an order or suborder of its own. 



As pointed out by Professor Cope, mere size is not a 

 character and we may recall that the nearest relative of 

 the Sperm Whale is but six to nine feet long and weighs 



