The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1895-08-17

Fcnthered Monsters That inhabit HOUR
tain Regions of south America
For many years the minds Of philo-
sophical ornithologists have been much
exercised by the origin and phylogcny
OF the existing nightless ostrich-lllfe
birds and their fossil relatives. MOI
very long ago, we believe, II was not
an uncommon opinion that all these
rattle birds, as ostriches, rheas, casso-
varies and emns. are collectively
called, were the immediate descend
ants of certain group of extinct rep
tile, and that they themselves gave
origin to the flying birds. One circum-
stance is, however fatal TO this hy-
pothesis. Flying birds have the bones
of the fore limb, or wing, constructed
on a very peculiar plan, and quite un-
like those of either mammals or rep
tiles. But precisely the same type OK
structure is presented by the rudi-
mentary wings of such of the ostrich
like birds as possess these appendages
at all; and 1t Is quite clear that IL
these birds had been evolved from rep
tiles In the condition we now lind
| them-that is to say, without the
power of fiight-they would have re-
tanned the reptile type of forelimb, and
would not have an aborted birds
wing. Hence, IL is clear that we must
regard the ostriches and their allies as
the descendants of birds endowed with
the power of flight, but whose wings
have become gradually atrophied by
disuse till, as in the emus, they arc
extremely minute, or, as in the extinct
| IA NJ
pletely disappeared. So far as the ex-
isting and later tertiary representa-
tives Of these giant fightless birds are
concerned, IL docs not appear that we
have at present any means OF deciding
this question one way or the other.
The discoveries made during the last
few wears I'm the older tertiary deposits
of Patagonia have, however, gradually
brought TO light the remains OF q
group of most extraordinary gigantic
fiightless birds which formerly inhab'
tied that country, and which are SO To-
tally unlike all the modern ratitm
that there can be no reasonable doubt
, as to their having originated inde'
pendently from flying forms. When
, we have once admitted the Independent
. origin of one group Of hightless birds
a there appear at first sight no great
G reasons why the modern types should
not have had diverging ancestry, al
h though there are certain grounds fol
9 regarding them as derived from
!, single stock For knowledge OF tho
l. giant fiightless birds of Patagonia W.
I are mainly indebted to the labors O.
: Senior Florentino Ameghino, Of Bueno
s Avres. The first example OF their re
" mains brought to light was portiol
o of a lower jaw, and SO massive and un
It bird-liixe was this bone that 1t was q
, first described as belonging to q
\ rantic edentate mammal. And n
wonder either, for we have not hithel
q TO been accustomed to deal with bird
W whose lower jaw measures about twer
20 ty-one inches in total length. Indeed
!. IL is even now difficult TO convinc
o. English naturalists that the fossilize
N extremities of the beaks of the extrao
r. binary birds are avian at all. Mr.. IL
81 decks goes on at eonsidera BILE lerSt
TX TO discuss the question. and the articl
ia Is full OF useful Information. know
| IL