BIRDS ALLIED TO THE DODO. 189 



9. The distal half of a right femur, belonging to the Zoological Society. See PL LV. 

 fig. 3. 



10. A left tibia, wanting the proximal portion, figured in 'Dodo and its Kindred,' 

 pi. XV. fig. 1. 



11. A very perfect right tibia; exactly corresponding to No. 10; belonging to the 

 Zoological Society. See PI. LV. fig. 4. 



12. An imperfect left tarso-metatarsus, figured in 'Dodo and its Kindred,' pl.xv.fig.2. 



13. Proximal portion of a right tarso-metatarsus, figured I. c. pi. .xv. fig. 4. 



B. Bones of the smaller dimensions. 



14. A perfect right femur, figured in ' Dodo and its Kindred,' pi. xiv. figs. 4, 5. 



15. A left femur corresponding to No. 14, but mutilated at the extremities, described 

 in ' Dodo and its Kindred,' p. 117, line 6. 



16. A nearly perfect right femur, belonging to the Zoological Society, agreeing in 

 size with No. 14. 



17. A perfect right tarso-metatarsus, belonging to Mr. H. E. Strickland, described 

 in Ann. and Mag. Nat. Hist. 2nd Ser. vol. iv. p. 336. See PI. LV. figs. 5, 6, 7. 



18. A nearly perfect right tarso-metatarsus, similar to No. 17, belonging to the 

 Zoological Society. 



The bones which compose the series A. present a perfect agreement in size and pro- 

 portions with each other, and also with those numbered 1 to 6, which I regard as 

 members of a single skeleton. There seems therefore no reason whatever to doubt that 

 the whole of the bones numbered from 1 to 13 belong to one and the same species 

 of bird. So likewise the bones of the smaller-sized series, Nos. 1 4 to 18, agree together 

 so completely in their size and proportions, as to leave no doubt that they hkewise 

 belong to a single species. We have next to inquire whether the larger bones Nos. 1 

 to 13 can be regarded as specifically identical with the smaller ones Nos. 14 to 18, 

 or not. 



At the time when Dr. Melville undertook his elaborate discussion of the Rodriguez 

 bones (see ' Dodo and its Kindred,' p. 117), the only bones of the smaller series access- 

 ible to him were the two femora, Nos. 14 and 15. Being unwiUing to found specific 

 distinctions on a mere difierence of size, exhibited in these two femora only, he supposed 

 them to be either females or young birds of the same species as the bones of larger 

 dimensions. As, however, we have now obtained an additional femur and two very 

 perfect tarso-metatarsals, all closely agreeing in size, and unquestionably adult, present- 

 ing no signs of transition to the large-sized series, we shall probably be justified in 

 drawing a difi"erent conclusion. 



On comparing together the corresponding bones of the two series, we find that their 

 proportions are to each other as 100 : 77, or very nearly in the ratio of 4 : 3, as the 

 following measures will show : — 



