THE DODOS. 121 



Speaking of the Narrow-billed Plant-cutter (Phytototna anyustirostris), the same author observes : 

 " It was seen in several localities in the Andes of Bolivia, always in the temperate zone, in dry 

 and arid situations on the coteaux and the plains, without ever descending into the hot valleys, which 

 are wooded and moist. One might say that the temperature which it prefers is that where wheat can 

 be grown, and it was never observed by us either above or below this limit. It is always met with in 

 the neighbourhood of habitations and cultivation, and is very common ; it is seen throughout the year 

 either singly, in pairs, or in small troops. When mingled with the Saltatores it traverses the bushes, 

 the gardens of the towns, devastating the plantations, where it cuts off the buds, and spoiling 

 the fruits, doing this without any danger, as up to the present time the people are content with 

 complaining of this inconvenient parasite without seeking any means to stop its ravages. Its flight 

 is short and low, and never long sustained; its habits resemble those of the Saltatores, but we have 

 nevertheless observed it on the ground. Its cry, which is often repeated, could not be much more 

 disagreeable, as it resembles the noise made by the grating of the teeth of one saw against those of 

 another. At certain seasons the Plant-cutter is very fond of the fruit of a species of Solanum, which 

 imparts to the beak a violet colour." 



THE FOURTH ORDER OF BIRDS. THE DOVES (Columbos). 



In many respects the order Columbce resembles the Gallinaceous birds, or Gallince; but there is 

 a fundamental difference between these two orders in the way in which the young are hatched, 

 the nestlings of the Game-birds being very active and able to shift for themselves on their escape 

 from the egg, while the young of the Pigeons are born naked and helpless. It is probably owing 

 to a certain superficial resemblance in the form of the bill, and possibly to the resemblance be- 

 tween the Crowned Pigeons and some Game-birds, that these two orders have been so generally allied 

 together in modern classifications. In the Pigeons the bill is formed not unlike that of the Plovers, 

 the basal part being bare and covered with a thick soft skin ; the apical part of the bill, however, 

 is horny and hard in texture, convex in shape, and higher than the soft part. The nostrils are 

 placed rather low in the soft part, near the base of the bill, and are longitudinal in shape. 



The Columbce may be divided into three families, as detailed below : 



THE FIRST FAMILY OF THE PIGEONS. THE DODOS (Didida). 



As everybody knows, the curious Pigeon called the Dodo is now extinct. As far as we are 

 aware its range was always very restricted, being confined to the southern portion of the island 

 of Mauritius. In size the Dodo was a little larger than a Turkey, and was incapable of flight, 

 although it is said to have progressed rapidly over the ground. Mr. Strickland * gives the following 

 account: "In 1644 the Dutch first colonised the island of Mauritius, and it is probable that these 

 gigantic fowls, deprived of flight, slow of foot, and useful for food, were speedily diminished in num- 

 ber, and finally exterminated, by the thoughtless rapacity of the early colonists. Their destruction 

 would be further hastened, or might be mainly caused, by the dogs, cats, and swine which accompany 

 man in his migrations^ and are speedily naturalised in the forests. To such animals the eggs and 

 young of the Dodo and other birds would be a dainty treat ; and that this is no mere conjecture 



is proved by Leguat, who tells us : ' Here (in Mauritius) are hogs of the China kind These 



beasts do a great deal of damage to the inhabitants by devouring all the young animals they can 

 catch.' That the destruction of the Doclos was completed by 1693 may be inferred from the narrative 

 of Leguat, who in that year remained several months in Mauritius, and enumerates its animal pro- 

 ductions at some length, but makes no mention whatever of Dodos. He further says : ' L'isle etait 

 autrefois toute remplie d'Oyes et de Canards sauvages ; de Poules d'Eau, de Gelinottes, de Tortues de 

 mer et de terre ; inais tout cela est devenu fort rare!' This passage proves that even in 1693 

 civilisation had made great inroads on the fauna of Mauritius. 



"In 1712 the Dutch evacuated Mauritius, and the French colonised the island under the new 

 name of Isle de France. This change in the population will account for the absence of any traditionary 

 knowledge of so remarkable a bird among the later inhabitants. All subsequent evidence is equally 



* Strickland and Melville : "The Dodo and its Kindred," p. 27. 



