22 MEMOIR OF 



toribus, ad ea lustranda convocatis die Januarii, 

 8vo, 1755." That the specimen was entire in 

 Tradescant's time we have proof, as it is enumera- 

 ted among his " Whole Birds," in the following 

 terms :* " Dodar, from the Island Mauritius ; it is 

 not able to fly, being so big." f And as illustrating 

 the history of another species, that is now almost 

 extirpated from this country, may be mentioned 

 his notice of the Bustard, (Otis tarda,) "as big 

 as a Turkey, usually taken by gray hounds on 

 Newmarket heath." 



To Tradescant succeeded two other celebrated 

 collectors of natural curiosities, William Courten, 

 Esq. and Mr James Petiver. The former was the 

 grandson of a wealthy merchant, whom James I. 

 created a baronet, and was born in the parish of 

 Fenchurch, in London, March 28, 1642. His 

 father having become insolvent the following year, 

 he quitted the kingdom, and died at Florence 

 in 1655. The son appears to have received a 

 good education notwithstanding, and early in life 

 was sent to complete his studies abroad ; and at 

 Montpelier is supposed to have first met with Sir 

 Hans Sloane, with whom he soon formed an 

 intimacy that ripened into a friendship, which 

 continued, without interruption, to the end of 



* A painting, now in the British Museum, was made from 

 the living bird, by George Edwards, who lived between 

 1698 and 1773. 



t Mus. Trad. p. 4. 



