146 Mr. E. Newton's Notes of a Visit 



of this organ in the Bustard^ the existence of which, we think, 

 must now be considered as placed beyond controversy. We trust 

 that our correspondent will continue to give the subject his 

 attention, and that he may be fortunate enough to ascertain 

 satisfactorily the part this singular structure fulfils in the bird's 

 economy. With regard to the paper, in a former volume of the 

 ' Ibis,' to which Dr. Cullen alludes, we may take this opportu- 

 nity of remarking that it was therein suggested (Ibis, 1862, 

 p. Ill) that the original preparation of the pouch, made by 

 Douglas, its first discoverer, might have been that said by Mon- 

 tagu to have been contained in the Leverian Museum. The 

 truth of this suggestion is confirmed by a copy recently received 

 by us from Mr. Osbert Salvin, of the Sale-Catalogue of Dono- 

 van's ' London Museum and Institute of Natural History,' which 

 is stated to have contained, among other specimens of birds, 

 " the entire collection of the British series in the late Leverian 

 Museum "; while the last lot (878) in the sale is described as con- 

 sisting of a group of Great Bustards, in which is included " the 

 very singular water-pouch of the male bird, discovered by Dr. 

 Douglas." Donovan's collection was sold in 1817 or 1818, and 

 it is therefore quite possible that this specimen, possessing so 

 much historical interest, may yet be traced further. — Ed. 



XIV. — Notes of a Visit to the Island of Rodriguez. 

 By Edward Newton, M.A., C.M.Z.S. 



On the morning of the 26th October, 1864, I sailed from Port 

 Louis, in H.M.S. ^ Rapid'; and on Sunday, the 30th, after a 

 comfortable voyage, we sighted what was supposed to be the 

 island of Bodriguez. As it lay dead to windward, our captain 

 thought there was no use in working his men, on their only day 

 of rest, by beating up ; so he left ofi" steaming and quietly took a 

 north-easterly course, expecting that we should be close to the 

 land the next morning, and be able to get in without trouble. 

 To our disgust, the next morning showed us the island at least 

 thirty miles to windward, thereby proving that what had been 

 seen the day before was only land in imagination. Hereupon 

 we began steaming again, and did all we could ; but the ' Rapid ' 



