THE ALDABRAN RAIL 



{dryolimnas aldabranus) 



A LTHOUGH the present species cannot yet be 

 classed as absolutely rare, its extermination 

 has already commenced, and there is no reason to 

 doubt will proceed rapidly with the spread of the 

 extirpating agents. The present species (closely 

 allied to the Dryolimnas ahbotti, of Assumption 

 Island) is apparently confined to the small island 

 of Aldabra with the surrounding reefs, and is an 

 admirable illustration of an island form before 

 becoming exposed to those altered conditions of 

 life that have already proved so disastrous else- 

 where. In this case the sad work of extirpation is 

 only just commenced, by the cats which have been 

 introduced into the island, and are now running 

 wild to prey upon the ancient avifauna. These 

 cats, it is said, will eventually spread over the 

 entire Aldabran group of islets, and the conse- 

 quences will of course be most disastrous. Such 



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