84 Description of Cralopus bicolor. 



dicated an animal provided with powerful pectoral muscles, 

 and it could not be supposed that such muscles would have 

 belonged to a bird that could not fly. 



M. Cuvier replied that, without entering into a discussion on 

 the general results which may be drawn from the prominence of 

 the crest of the sternum, in the determination of the genus of a 

 bird, we may rest assured, in the present case, that the dodo 

 ■was unable to fly, and that it nevertheless possessed very thick 

 pectoral muscles. Its absolute incapacity for flight was at- 

 tested by all travellers who had visited the Mauritius, and the 

 observations of the same persons inform us how the chest of 

 this bird was covered with muscles. 



M. Geoffroy St. Hilaire observed that there was not so much 

 real difference between the two opinions as might be supposed ; 

 for the Gallina:, by their structure and some of their habits, 

 are considerably related to the vultures, and it might be ad- 

 mitted that the dodo was placed between them so as to 

 establish the connection. 



M. de Blainville, however, on the 30th August last, read to 

 the Academy of Sciences a very detailed memoir on this sub- 

 ject. He then stated his opinion to be that the dodo must be 

 placed amongst the Palmipcda, next to the penguin. He sup- 

 poses that this doubtful bird, which has only been found in the 

 Isle of France, may nevertheless exist in other countries. He 

 thinks, moreover, that the portions of structure which we pos- 

 sess, prove, by their differences, that there are many species of 

 dodo. — Bull, des Sciences Nat. xxii. 122. 



Description of Crntopus bicolor, a new species onions; the 

 Memiidoe, from Southern Africa. Bv Sir William 

 JxnDiNE, F.R.S.E. F.L.S. M.W.S. F.Z.S. &c. 



[From the Edinburgh Journal of Natural and Geographical Science.] 



Fani. Merulida, Vig. — Sub-fain. Craternpodin<e, Swains. 



Genua Ciatopus, Swains. 



Cralopus bicolor, Jard. — Black and White Cralopus. 



C. corpore albo, remigibus, secondares, cuudaque nigris. 



The genus Cratopus has been formed, by Mr. Swainson, for 

 the reception of some of the Merulidcc previously ranged in 

 other genera, and is the typical form of one of the sub-families 

 of that gentleman's arrangement of the group. In the second 

 volume of the Northern Zoology, now nearly completed, will be? 



