“First, here and here only and in 
Dygarroys, is generated the Dodo, 
which for shape and rarenesse may 
antigonize the Phoenix of Arabia: her 
body is round and fat, few weigh lesse 
then fifty pound, are reputed of more 
for wonder then food, greasie sto- 
mackes may seeke after them, but to 
the delicate, they are offensine and of 
no nourishment. 
Her visage darts forth melancholy, 
as sensible of Nature’s injurie in 
framing so great a body to be guided 
with complementall wings, so small 
and impotent, that they serue only 
to prove her Bird. 
The halfe of her head is naked, 
seeming couered with a fine vaile, 
her bill is crooked downwards, in 
midst is the thrill, from which part 
to the end tis of a light greene, mixt 
with a pale yellow tincture ; her eyes 
are small, and like to Diamonds, 
round and rowling; her clothing 
downy feathers, her traine three 
small plumes, short and inproportion- 
able, her legs suting to her body, 
her pounces sharpe, her appetite 
strong and greedy, Stones and Iron 
are digested, which description will 
better be concetued in her represen- 
tation.—P. 211. 
HISTORICAL EVIDENCES 
(and no where else that ever I could 
see or heare of,) is generated the 
Dodo, (a Portuguize name it is, and 
has reference to her simplenes,) a 
Bird which for shape and rarenesse 
might be called a Phcenix (wer’t in 
Arabia :) her body is round and ex- 
treame fat, her slow paee begets that 
corpulencie ; few of them weigh lesse 
than fifty pound: better to the eye 
than stomack : greasie appetites may 
perhaps commend them, but to the 
indifferently curious, nourishment, 
Let’s take her 
picture: her visage darts forth me- 
but prove offensive. 
lancholy, as sensible of Nature’s in- 
jurie in framing so great and massie 
a body to be directed by such small 
and complementall wings, as are un- 
able to hoise her from the ground, 
serving only to prove her a Bird; 
which otherwise might be doubted 
of: her head is variously drest, the 
one half hooded with downy blackish 
feathers; the other perfectly naked; 
of a whitish hue, as if a transparent 
Lawne had covered it : her bill is very 
howked, and bends downwards, the 
thrill or breathing place is in the 
midst of it; from which part to the 
end, the colour is a light greene 
mixt with a pale yellow ; her eyes be 
round and small, and bright as Dia- 
monds; her cloathing is of finest 
Downe, such as you see in Goslins: her 
trayne is (like a China beard) of three 
or foure short feathers; her legs thick, 
and black, and strong ; her tallons or 
pounces sharp, her stomach fiery hot, 
so as stones and iron are easily di- 
| gested in it; in that and shape, not 
a little resembling the Africk Oes- 
triches: but so much as for their 
more certain difference I dare to give | 
| thee (with two others) her represen- | 
tation —P. 347. 
[Parr I. 
less than fifty pound : meat it is with 
some, but better to the eye than sto- 
mach; such as only a strong appe- 
tite can vanquish: but otherwise, 
through its oyliness it cannot chuse 
but quickly cloy and nauseate the 
stomach, being indeed more pleasur- 
able to look than feed upon. It is of 
a melancholy visage, as sensible of 
Nature’s injury in framing so massie 
a body to be directed by complemen- 
tal wings, such indeed as are unable 
to hoise her from the ground, serving 
only to rank her amongst Birds : her 
head is variously drest, for one half is 
hooded with down of a dark colour ; 
the other half naked and of a white 
hue, as if lawn were drawn over it ; 
her bill hooks and bends downwards; 
the thrill or breathing place is in the 
midst; from which part to the end 
the colour is of a light green mixt 
with a pale yellow; her eyes are round 
and bright, and instead of feathers 
has a most fine down ; her train (like 
to a Chyna beard) is no more than 
three or four short feathers: her leggs 
are thick and black; 
great ; her stomach fiery, so as she 
her tallons 
can easily digest stones ; in that and 
shape not a little resembling the Os- 
trich. The Dodo..... and one of 
the Hens take so well as in my table- 
book I could draw them.”—P. 383. 
