COLUMBIA ; DODO. 477 



abundant in the Mauritius at the first discovery of that island in 

 1598, but was entirely destroyed in the course of the seventeenth 



FIG. :>7o. r>oi> >. 



century by the crews of the East India ships, who found its 

 flesh exceedingly palatable after a long course of salt diet. It 

 was a large Bird, larger than a Swan, with short, strong 

 legs, and rudimentary wings. This latter character led to its 

 being, until very recently, arranged with the Cursorial Birds 

 (Ostriches, &c.). The Dodo was also found in the Isle of Bour- 

 bon ; and from some bones in the possession of the Zoological 

 Society, it also appears to have existed in Rodriguez. This 

 little island was the home of two allied species ; one of which 

 was described by the French voyagers under the name of the 

 Solitaire. 



430. The proper Gallinaceous Birds are divided into six 

 families ; the CRACIDJE, or Cur assow- Birds ; the PHASIANID^E, 

 or Pheasants ; the TETRAONID^E, or Grouse ; the CHIONID^E, or 

 Sheath-bills; the TINAMIDA:, or Tinamous ; and the MEGAPO- 

 DTD/E, or Megapodes. 



431. The family of CRACID.E, or Curassoics, is peculiar to 

 tropical America, living in the woods, building in trees, and 



