John Brimer, age 10, of Spokane, Washington, for his question:

Which is the most dangerous bird in the world?

Most experts claim that the world's most dangerous bird is the cassowary, though he would .rather run away than fight. He is a non¬ flying bird who weighs in at 120 pounds. He stands five feet tall on stubby legs with enormous feet. His bulky body wears a shaggy shawl of dark feathers and his naked neck is blotched with patches of blue and red, yellow and purple. This eye catching outfit is topped off with a big bony shield on his head.

The big, strong cassowary bird likes to hide himself in the jungles of New Guinea: But sometimes he gets cornered and has to defend himself. Then he becomes a fighting fury. He uses his mighty muscles to kick forward and sideways with lightning speed. His fiercest weapons are his dagger sharp claws and he uses them to lash great gashes in his enemies. However, the experts assure us that the cassowary becomes the most dangerous bird only when he is forced to defend himself. At other times, he is a shy and peaceable bird