BIllU-^. 



49 



Iwrs would be but very tliiii wi-ie every creature a candidate for 

 (he same food. 'J'hus, by supplying a variety of appetites, na- 

 ture has also multiplied life in her productions. 



In thus varying their appetites, nature has also varied the 

 form of the animal ; and while she has given some an instinc- 

 tive passion for animal food, she has also furnished ihem with 

 powers to obtain it. All land birds of the rapacious kinds are 

 furnished with a large head, and a strong crooked beak, 

 notched at the end, ior the purpose of tearing their prey. 

 They have strong short legs, and sharp crooked talons, for 

 the purpose of seizing it. Their bodies are formed for 



int together for the purpose. They only lay one egg, which is very much 

 larger than that of a goose. The male and female sit b^ turns, and it does 

 not liatih until afti>r a period of seven weeks. During the whole period of 

 incubation, or that they are rearing their young one, which is not capable 

 of providing for it.<elf tnitil after several months, they will not suffer any 

 bird of their own kind to aiiproach within 200 paces of their nest ; and what 

 is very singular is, that the male never chases away the females ; only, when 

 he perceives one, he makes, in whirling, his ordinary noise, to call his com- 

 panion, which immediately comes and gives chase to the stranger, and 

 which she docs not quit until driven without their limits. The female does 

 the same, and allows the males to be driven oflf by her mate. This is a cir- 

 cumstance that we have so often -witnessed, that I speak of it with cer- 

 tainty. These combats last sometimes for a long time, because the stranger 

 only turns off, without going in a straight line from the nest ; nevertheless, 

 the others never quit until they have chased them away."* 



We have, in this last relation of Leguat, who resided in the midst of them 

 for a considerable period, a detailed, although rude, description, and a na- 

 tural history of the dodo, probably the only one that was ever penned under 

 Buch favourable circumstances. No doubt this first colony, in so small an 

 island, considerably reduced the number of the dodo : but when they fin. 

 ally disappeared does not appear to have been any where recorded. From 

 the nature and habits of the bird, it is clear that the duration of the species 

 was wholly incompatible with the dominion of man : had it been capable of 

 domestication, or had it possessed the swiftness of foot of the ostrich, or the 

 aquatic habits of the pengfuin, to compensate its want of the power of fly- 

 ing, they might still have shared some of the possessions originally assigned 

 to the race ; or even like the turkey-cock and goose, have administered to 

 the wants of mankind, in every temperate region of the globe ; under exist- 

 ing circumstances, however, they appear to have been what may be truly 

 termed a paradisiacal bird, and predestined to disappear at their proper 

 time. As they are the only vertebrated animals which we can make cer. 

 tain of having lost since the last creation, they furnish an interestin(f sub- 

 ject of meditation to the philosophic naturalist. 



• \*oi-afie do Fiaiitois i.eguat. (jpntilhomme, Brossjn, 1706L 

 III. £ 



