6 INTRODUCTION.
descriptions of unscientific voyagers, three or four oil paintings, and a few scattered osseous
fragments, which have survived the neglect of two hundred years. The paleontologist has,
in many cases, far better data for determining the zoological characters of a species which
perished myriads of years ago, than those presented by a group of birds, several species of
which were living in the reign of Charles the First.
We shall find it convenient to treat of each island4 and of its ornithic productions,
separately. And, ’first, of the best Known and most celebrated of these creatures, the
brevipeunate bird of Mauritius', the Dodo. ' ■ r
THE
NATURAL HISTORY
THE
DODO, S O L I T A I R E , &c.
PART I.
CHA PT ER I.
The Brevipennate Bird of Mauritius, the D odo, (Didus ineptus of Linnaeus.)
Section 1.—Division o f tlie subject—Historical evidences—Discovery of the Islands—'Voyage of Van Neck ;
o f Heemskerk a/nd Willem—Dodo*s leg at Leyden— Voyage of MateUef; o f Van der Hagen; of Ver-
hujfen ; of Van den Broecke ; o f Herbert; of Cauche—Dodo exhibited in London—Account given by
Tradesccmt; by Piso; by Hubert; by Olea/rius—Ha/rrfs Voyage—Extinction o f the Dodo—Negative
cha/racter of modern evidence.
Most persons are acquainted with the general facts connected with that extraordinary
production of Nature, known by the name of the Dodo,—that strange abnormal Bird, whose
grotesque appearance, and the failure of every effort made for the last century, and a half to
discover living specimens, long caused its very existence to be doubted by scientific naturalists.
We possess, however, unquestionable evidence that such a bird formerly existed in the small
Island of Mauritius, and it is ascertained with no less certainty that the species has been
utterly exterminated for a period of nearly two centuries.
The evidences which we possess respecting the Dodo, may be conveniently arranged on
the plan adopted by Mr. Broderip, in his valuable essay on the subject,1 by dividing them
into historical, pictorial, and real.
1 Penny Cyclopaedia vol. ix. p. 47.
D