XIII. On a Picture supposed to represent the Didine Bird of the Island of Bourbon 
(Réunion). By Aurrep Newton, M.A., F_LS., F.ZS., &e. 
Read February 14th, 1867. 
[Puate LXII.] 
PICTORIAL evidence contributes so largely to what we know of the Dodo and its 
allies, that in calling the attention of the Society to the old water-colour drawing now 
exhibited I should not deem any apology requisite, were it not that this drawing has 
been already displayed at a meeting only a few months ago. But as on that occasion 
the exhibitor, Mr. Tegetmeier, did not place on record the remarks he made (P. Z. S. 
1866, p. 201), and as I have reason to believe these remarks did not touch the points to 
which I am about to advert, I trust I may be excused for again submitting the drawing 
to the inspection of the Society. I must first of all express my thanks to Mr. Tegetmeier 
for the opportunity he has given me of examining the drawing, and also to the owner of 
it, Mr. C. Dare, of Clatterford, in the Isle of Wight, for his kindness in permitting it to 
be copied for our ‘ Transactions.’ 
It will be remembered that in the late Mr. H. E. Strickland’s work, ‘'The Dodo and 
its kindred,’ the former existence of at least three distinct species of Didine birds was 
very clearly demonstrated. Of these the true Dodo (Didus ineptus) was presumed to 
have been peculiar to the Island of Mauritius, the Solitaire (Pezophaps solitarius) to 
that of Rodriguez, and the third (which Mr. Strickland left unnamed) to that of 
Bourbon, or, as it is now called, Réunion. Of the first two there were then no incon- 
siderable remains known; but of the third it was believed that nothing existed, save a 
few scanty notices, which were industriously compiled by that lamented naturalist from 
the narratives of various voyagers. The earliest of these, Tatton, who visited Bourbon 
in 1613, speaks of “a great fowl of the bigness of a Turkie, very fat, and so short- 
winged that they cannot flie, beeing white.” In 1618 Bontekoe passed three weeks in 
the island; and his account confirms the former statement. He calls the birds 
“ Dodeersen,” the name often applied to the true Didus ineptus, whence we may suppose 
they generally resembled that species; but he does not mention their colour. Carré, in 
1668, speaks of the Bourbon brevipennate, “Il ne ressembleroit pas mal a un Coq 
dInde, s'il n’avoit point les jambes plus hautes. La beauté de son plumage fait 
plaisir a voir. C’est une couleur changeante qui tire sur le jaune.” In the following 
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