The Zoologist — February, 1866. 99 



are very strong, and show that the spinal cord was fully double the size of that of 

 the turkey. In only one instance has the presence of a fragment of the furcula been 

 found attached to the coracoid bone, but several have the scapula united to thenn. 

 These bones present a great diversity of cohiurs. Those which were found near the 

 springs in the marsh are nearly of their original hue. Some found alongside of a 

 large bois-de-naite tree were nearly of the colour of that wood, and many others are 

 nearly as black as ebony. Mr. Clark deposited the first specimens of dodo's bunes he 

 obtained in the museum at the Royal College, as well as those of the flamingo, the 

 existence of which in Mauritius was remembered by the parents of persons now living. 

 He has also sent a complete set of dodo's bones to Professor Owen, for the British 

 Museum." 



The Great Northern Diver : Summer and Winter Plumage. — This fine species has 

 appeared on our coasts, including the Scilly Islands, in lar^'cr numbers than usual, 

 and no less than five have been captured during the last fortnight, in their full spotted 

 plumage, with slight indications of the neck-bands disappearing, and of the dorsal 

 feathers having cinereous feathers cropping out: all these birds appeared more or less 

 eniaciaied, and to all appearances the victims of some disorder which checked their 

 moulting, and thus caused their capture. I have very little doubt that there is a 

 tendency in all the Colymbidae to assume the imber plumage in the winter, but the 

 question still remains whether or not at an advanced age the adult summer plumage 

 is retained perennially.— Ethvard Hearle Rudd ; Penzance, December 15, 1865. 



Change of Plumage in Great Northern Diver. — A great northern diver {Colymbus 

 glacialis) was shot here on Saturday, the 11th of November, with the plumage changing 

 from summer to winter. The top of the head and back of the neck have lost the 

 beautiful green shade of summer, being now of a deep slate; the front of the neck is 

 a mixture of black and white; the crescent under the chin has assumed a perfect 

 white; the patch on either side of the neck is much less than in summer; the breast 

 is a pure white. On the back there are three kinds of feathers — those of summer, 

 black with white spots; some of the deep cinereous hue of winter; whilst others are in 

 a state of change, the black fading into slate, with the white spots almost obliterated. 

 On making a minute examination of the bird, 1 could not find a single feather in a 

 state showing that moult was taking place, yet, as I have described above, the winter 

 plumage was superseding the summer, as it would appear, from change of colour, not 

 by moult: there is further evidence that that is the case from the fact that on pulling 

 out one of the feathers, which is iu a stale of change, there was evidently secretion 

 going on at the base of the quill, which was filled with a slighily bloody-coloured 

 fluid for about one-third of its length: from this I conclude the old feather becomes 

 renewed as well as changed in colour. I send you feathers in the three different 

 stages, that you may judge for yourself as to their state, and I think you will still be 

 able to find traces of renewed secretion in each of the feathers, althouuh they are now 

 very much dried. This is the only specimen that I have ever had an opportunity of 

 closely exaiTiining in the autumnal change, so it would be premature for me to say, 

 without further proof, that the autumnal change is merely that of colour, yet I think 

 the evidence is such in this case that the fact will prove to be so on future investiga- 

 tion. There is not the least doubt, in my opinion, but that all the Colymbi have 

 distinct summer and winter plumage. I had an opportunity, on Sunday last, of 

 examining, through a powerful glass, at about three hundred yards distance, eight 



