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THE DODO, 



IT S body is maflive, almoft round, covered with grey feathers ; juff 

 barely fupported on two (hort thick legs like pillars, while its head 

 and neck rife from it in a manner truly grotefque. The neck, thick and 

 purfy, is joined to the head, which confifts of two great chaps, that open 

 far behind the eyes, which are large, black and prominent; fo that the 

 animal, when it gapes, feems to be all mouth. The bill is of an extraor- 

 dinary length, not flat and broad, but thick, and of a bluifh white, fliarp 

 at the end, and each chap crooked in oppofite direftions. They refemble 

 two pointed fpoons laid together by the backs. From all this refuks a 

 ftupid and voracious phyfiognomy; which is ftill more increafed by a bor- 

 dering of feathers round the root of the beak, and which gives the appear- 

 ance of an hood or cowl, and finifhes this pi6lure of ftupid deformity. 

 Bulk, which in other animals implies ftrcngth, in this only indi- 

 cates inaftivity. The dodo feems weighed down by its own heavinefs, 

 and has fcarce ftrength to urge itfelf forward. It is furnifhed with wings, 

 covered withe foft afh-coloured feathers, but they are too fhort to affift 

 it in flying. It is furniflied with a tail, with a few fmall curled 

 feathers; but this tail is difproportioned and difplaced. Its legs are too 

 ihort for running, and its body too fat to be ftrong. 



This bird is native of the ifle of France j and the Dutch, who firft dif- 

 covcred it there, called it in their language i\\^nauJeous bird, as well from 

 its difgufting figure, as from the bad tafte of its flefli : however fuc- 

 ceeding obfervers contradi6t this firft report, and aflfert that its flelh is 

 good and wholefome eating. It is a filly, fimple bird, as may be very 

 well fuppofcd from its figure, and is very eafily taken. Three or four 

 dodos are enough to dine an hundred men. 



Whether the dodo be the fame bird with that which fome travellers 

 have defcribed under the bird of the Ifle of Nazareth, remains uncertain. 

 The country is the fame j their incapacity of flying is the fame ; the form 

 of the wings and body is fimilarj the chief difi^erence is in the colour 

 of the feathers, which, in the female of the bird of Nazareth, are faid to be 

 extremely beautiful ; and in the length of their legs, which in the dodo 

 are fhort, in the other arc defcribed as long. 



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