Messrs. A. & E. Newton on the Solitaire of Rodriguez. 161 



the normal Pigeons much more than that of Didus does ; but in its 

 posterior portion it differs very remarkably from that of any known 

 bird ; for the pubis in Didus has not yet been discovered. In 

 the sternum Pezophaps generally agrees with Didus, but has some 

 distinctive features. This bone shows articular surfaces for four 

 sternal ribs only, instead of five, which seems to be the normal num- 

 ber in Didus ; and the posterior extremity, so far as can be judged 

 from the imperfect condition of the specimens, is very unlike what it 

 is in that bird ; but the characters deducible from this last portion in 

 birds generally are shown to be very inconstant. The ''scapular arch'* 

 differs from that of Didus, its constituent portions having been appa- 

 rently never anchylosed as is the normal state there, and consequently 

 resembling in this respect those of the generality of birds. The angle 

 made by the junction of the coracoid and scapula cannot be accu- 

 rately determined, but woidd appear to have been not much less 

 than what it is in Didus. The scapula is of very peculiar form, 

 unlike, so far as known to the authors, that of any bird, being in- 

 clined somewhat forward, and only pointing backward at its extre- 

 mity, where it becomes spatulate in shape. The coracoid exhibits, 

 as usual in this very significant bone, some good diagnostic charac- 

 ters. It is much stouter than it is in Didus — a fact not so surprising 

 when the exceedingly abnormal form it there assumes is taken into 

 consideration. At its sternal end it differs from that of most other 

 birds, in the extension and rounding off of the outer border. Other 

 peculiarities in it are also described, one of which appears to be sexual. 

 This is the surface to which the scapula is articulated, and which in 

 the large individuals (presumed to be males) is roughly quadrate, 

 while in the smaller ones (the supposed females) it is triangular. 

 In Pezophaps the bones of the wing are more massive and smoother 

 than in Didus, judging from such remains of the latter as exist. 

 The most remarkable thing about them, however, is the presence of 

 a bony knob on the radial side of the metacarpal, unlike what is 

 found in any other bird. It is large in some of the specimens, 

 supposed to have belonged to old males, but very little developed in 

 the presumed females. It is more or less spherical, pedunculate, 

 and consists of a callus-like mass with a roughened surface, exceed- 

 ingly like that of diseased bone, and was probably covered by a 

 horny integument. It is situated immediately beyond the proximal 

 end and the index, which last would appear to be thrust away by 

 it to some extent. It answers most accurately and most unexpectedly 

 to Leguat's description of it: — " L'os de I'aileron grossit a I'extre- 

 mite, et forme sous la plume une petite masse ronde comme une 

 balle de mousquet." A description of its structure, as ascertained 

 microscopically by Mr. J. Gedge, is added. The extremity of the 

 wing is wanting. The leg-bones of Pezophaps, when compared with 

 those of Didus, show more strongly developed ridges and muscular 

 impressions, just the converse of what is observable in those of the 

 wing ; but the leg-bones having been minutely and correctly de- 

 scribed by prior authors, it is unnecessary here to say much of them. 

 Part of the skull, too, had been already described ; but the only 

 Ann. (Sc Mag. N. Hist. Ser. 4. Vol.n. 11 



