Demolished "chicken" egg

In the hands of a peasant elephant bird egg, which was delayed about in the 17th century in Madagascar. This lot will be sold at an antique fair (Chelsea Antiques Fair) in London for $ 7, 340. And there are also willing to exhibit such a relic.
3 photos via durakdurakom & crazy-zoologist





Ivory birds elephant bird called the members of the family (Aepyornithidae), detachment ratite (Struthioniformes). Looking at these feathered giants becomes clear why these birds are called elephant.
Aepyornis inhabited fabulous island of Madagascar, since the Pleistocene. These amazing creatures have survived, but were wiped out with you our views in the 16th century.
Today, science knows eight kinds of elephant bird, belonging to two genera - Aepyornis and Mulleornis. Rhode actually Aepyornis (Aepyornis) included the following: Aepyornis hildebrandti, Aepyornis gracilis, Aepyornis medius and Aepyornis maximus (however, it is believed that the genus Aepyornis consisted of only one species - Aepyornis maximus.
Aepyornis maximus - one of the largest birds in the history of the Earth. This giant reached 3 meters in height and weight of 450-500 kg. As body weight with giant elephant birds rivaled only thunderbird kind Dromornis, inhabited Australia in much earlier times (Late Miocene).
However, it should be noted that audio Aepyornis, audio Dromornis were highest birds. The title of the tallest bird that ever lived on our planet, belongs to the giant moa (Dinornis giganteus, or robustus), which reaches a height of about 3, 5 meters.
In Aepyornis was a massive body and a very thick legs. Run fast, like the ostriches, these birds can not, but they were not as sluggish as it might seem. I think that they can run faster than us obviously with you. But they were not running from anyone, as in Madagascar, either now or there was no large predators, able to cope with such strong birds. The only enemy of these animals was a man, but from the people, as you know, does not escape will be saved. Man is actively pursuing these beautiful birds, and in the end, as I mentioned above, they were completely exterminated them.



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