Laura Butler, age 8, of Monroe, La., for his question:

WAS THERE EVER AN ELEPHANT BIRD?

Thousands of years ago there lived in Madagascar some giant birds that were called elephant birds. None of the birds are still around because the species is no.w extinct.

The largest elephant bird was about 10 feet high and weighed about1,000 pounds. It could not fly, although it did move about swiftly on its large, powerful legs.

Scientists have discovered bones and eggs from this ancient bird. The huge eggs could hold two gallons. The eggs were the largest known single cells in the animal kingdom.

Some people think the legends of the giant bird called the roc were based on knowledge of elephant birds.

The roc was mythical bird of enormous size, known from the stories in the "Arabian Nights." It resembled an eagle, but was large enough to seize an elephant in its talons. In the "Arabian Nights," Sinbad the Sailor tells of seeing the roc's gigantic eggs.