31 



thorhynchus. Lest, however, it should be inferred from his silence as 

 to the other vieAvs advanced by that distinguished zoologist in the 

 two Communications rec«ntly laid before the Society, that he coin- 

 cided in them, he thought it necessary to remark that he was by no 

 means disposed to admit their general correctness. 



Extracts were read from a letter addressed to the Secretarj'- of the 

 Society, by Charles Telfair, Esq., Corr. Memb. Z. S., and dated Port 

 Louis (Mauritius), November 8th, 1832. It accompanied some skins 

 of Mammalia and Birds, and a collection of Fishes, Mollnsca, and 

 Crustacea, presented to the Society by its writer. It also announces 

 it as probable that specimens of the Tendraka and Šokina of Mada- 

 gascar, -vvill shortly be obtained for the Society. Mr. Telfair has re- 

 cently had opportunities of making some researches about the buried 

 bones of the Dronte or Dodo, found in the island of Rodriguez. The 

 result of these researches he communicates, and incloses letters ad- 

 dressed to him by Col. Da-n-kins, Mihtary Secretary to the Governor 

 of the Mauritius, and by M. Eudes, resident at Rodriguez. 



Col. Dawkins, in a recent visit to Rodriguez, conversed vnth. everv 

 person whom he met respecting the Dodo, and became convinced that 

 the bird does not exist there. The general statement was that no 

 bird is to be found there except the Guinea-foicl and Parrot. Fvom 

 one person, however, he learned the existence of another bird, which 

 ■vvas caUed Oiseau-bcevf, a name derived from its voice, which resem- 

 bles that of a cow. From the description given of it by his informant, 

 Col. Dawkins at first believed that this bird -nas really the Dodo ; but 

 on obtaining a specimen of it, it proved to be a Gannet. It is found 

 only in the most secluded parts of the island. 



Col. Dawkins visited the caverns in which bones have been dug 

 up, and dug in several places, but found only small pieces of bonet 

 A beautiful rich soil forms the ground-work of them, which is from 

 six to eight feet deep, and contains no pebbles. No animal of any 

 description inhabits these caves, not even bats. 



M. Eudes succeeded in digging up in the large cavem various bones. 

 includmg some of a large kind of bird, -B-hich no longer exists in the 

 island : these he fonvarded to Mr. Telfair, by Mhom they were pre- 

 sented to the Society. ITie only part of the cavem in which they 

 \vere found was atthe entrance, Avhere the dai'kness begins; thelittle 

 attention usually paid to this part by visitors, may be the reason why 

 they have not been previously found. Those near the surface were 

 the least injured, and they occur to the depth of three feet, but no- 

 where in considerable quantity ; -vvhence M. Eudes conjectures that 

 the bird was at all times rare, or at least uncommon. A bird of so 

 large a size as that indicated by the bones has never been seen by 

 M. Gory, who has resided forty years on the island. 



M. Eudes adds, that the Du'tch who first landed at Rodriguez 

 left cats there to destroy the rats which annoyed them : these "cats 

 have since become very numerous, and prove highly destructive to 

 poultrj' ; and he suggests it as probable that thev may have destroyed 

 tlie large kind of bird to vliich the loones belong, by devouring the 



