3386 Mr. H.E. Strickland on the Dodo and its Kindred. 
previously unattainable. The three metatarsal bones of the 
Solitaire figured in the ‘ Dodo and its Kindred’ (plate 15. f. 2, 
3, 4) are all more or less defective, one being incrusted with 
stalagmite, the other two much decayed and broken. The two 
additional bones now referred to supply in great measure these 
defects. One of them indeed is incrusted with stalagmite, and 
is evidently part of the same individual as the similarly incrusted 
bones in the Paris Museum which are figured in plates 13, 14 
and 15. This is evident, not only from comparison with its fel- 
low bone (pl. 15. f. 3), but from the following label attached to 
it by Prof. Bojer, Curator of the Mauritius Museum :—“ Tarsus 
of the Dronte, being a remaining fragment of a more perfect 
skeleton sent by M. Julien Desjardins to the Baron G. Cuvier. 
The said skeleton was found in a cave at the island Bee by 
M. Roquefeuille, inhabitant of Mauritius.” 
The second metatarsal now sent is a remarkably pene bone, 
‘the only defective portion being the posterior surface of the ecto- 
calcaneal process. Being wholly free from stalagmite, and pos- 
sessing its articular extremities uninjured, it enables us to make 
many comparisons and measurements which were previously im- 
practicable. This specimen was ticketed by M. Bojer—“ Tarsus 
of a bird, presumed to be a tarsus of the Dronte, discovered by 
Col. Dawkins in the same cave as No. 1, in 1831.” ’ 
This bone, though apparently belonging to an adult imdivi- 
dual, is considerably smaller in its dimensions than any metatarsi 
of the Solitaire which have been previously examined. In fact, 
it is only half an inch longer than the same bone in the Oxford 
specimen of the Dodo. But notwithstanding the smaller size, 
it so precisely corresponds in form and proportions with the 
figured examples of the Solitaire’s metatarsus as to leave not the 
slightest doubt that they all belong to one and the same species. 
The difference of size is not greater than is often seen to arise 
from diversity of sex, age, or development, in other species of 
birds. The following are its precise measurements :— 
Right Metatarsus of Solitaire. 
Length from lower border of middle trochlea to summit of inter- im. 
in 
5 
Condwlordiitulbenclemss. \asecatdl ap ectlc abielcteals wneticielet sic vk els terme essences 57 48 
Transverse diameter of; the/shalti eres o-coe.reisceistes setae ee osilessdae 0 6 
Antero-posterior diameter of do. at the upper portion of articular 
surface for posterior metatarsal ...........s.ssceeeeeeeee shasieeen scien 0 4 
Transverse diameter of lower extremity .........csecseeeesecceceeeces | ates 
Distance from upper border of posterior metatarsal articular facet 
to internal intertrochlearnotch\..t.ccescc- tees oriccearseesssescnerit Lid 
Length from external trochlea to external condyloid fossa ......... 5 13 
» frominternal do. to internal Ong ccs sseseecoee cs Die ae 
Breadth of upper extremity ...... dhuctodgoosechongacsedalpadoducddachons Ye 2 
Antero-posterior diarheter of do. ......ccccscosccseccncsscesecs a okwart ee Lipide 
53 
Projection of.ento-calcaneal process .......0.snsvonscsoursecsssessoveces 0 
