THE LARGEST BIRDS THAT FLY 



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sible explanation that between those dates a longer 

 tibia (3 in. longer) came to hand, from which the 

 increase in height of 2 feet was inferred ; but the 

 proportions in inches would be — 36 : 39 : : 120 : 130, 

 that is to say, the specimen with a tibia of 3 feet 3 in. 

 would measure only 10 feet 10 in. in height, instead 

 of 12 feet, as mentioned in the Dictionary quoted. 



But this by the way. The problem I will now 

 try to solve (and it is one of some little interest) is, 

 "Which is the largest existing bird that flies.'*" 

 The question is by no means easily answered 

 ■offhand. Ninety-nine persons out of a hundred 

 who are not naturalists would probably infer, from 

 the marvellous stories they have read of lambs, 

 kids, and even children being carried off by it, that 

 the Lammergeier, or Bearded Vultur'e {Gypaetus 

 barbatus) must be unquestionably the largest liv- 

 ing bird that flies. Those who have travelled in 

 Peru and Chili would doubtless maintain that the 

 South American Condor {Sarcorhamphus gryphus) 

 must surely exceed it in size ; while passengers who 

 have made a voyage to the Cape, or to the Falkland 

 Islands, will feel convinced that no bird at the 

 present day has a greater expanse of wing than the 

 Wandering Albatross {Diomedia exulans). It is not 

 possible to settle these rival claims without having 

 recourse to actual measurement. "Estimated" 

 •expanse of wing is for our purpose useless ; hearsay 

 evidence must be discarded. What we want are 

 facts, first hand, from those who have actually taken 

 measurements and ascertained weights, or seen 

 them taken by others in their presence. 



