492 . Cabot's Remarks on 
even, in the uses to which the tarsus of a fishing eagle (to 
which Mr. Owen compares it,) and that of the bird under 
consideration, were to be put. The one almost never walks, 
and I may say never, for it moves in hops, with very rare 
exceptions; the other has no other means of locomotion. 
The tarsus of the eagle is grooved for the reception of the 
powerful tendons whereby the talons are driven through its 
living prey; that of the Dodo is adapted for those which 
enable it to move its heavy body over the ground, its-claws 
being smaller in proportion than many pigeons. Then either 
Cuvier or Owen must be wrong. "They both judged from the 
shape of bones, and certainly Owen, though a very great and 
excellent comparative anatomist, is no better than the great 
father of the science, himself. But more than this, even Mr. 
Owen’s own words help me here. He says, in speaking of 
the main point in which the tarsus of the Dodo resembles that 
of the fishing eagle, that “this half twist of the rudimental 
hind metatarsus is feebly repeated in the Gallinæ,” a type 
allied tothe Columbide. Again, he says, “in the common 
cock, the calcaneal process more resembles that in the Dodo 
than the Vulture’s does, but it is not so broad.” 
To return to our comparison of the foot of the Dodo with 
that of the pigeon. The articulating surface resembles that 
of the pigeons except in those points in which we should 
expect it to differ ; itis more deep and strongly marked, which 
difference would be necessary on account of the much greater 
weight it has to sustain, and the much greater importance that 
no dislocation should take place, the bird having no other 
means of locomotion. The general shape and proportions of 
the foot are almost the same as those of some pigeons, 
toes being shorter and ‘stouter. The arrangement of the 
scales closely resembles that upon the foot of the Vinago 
C i. The claws are much like some of the ground 
doves, and not at all like those of any rapacious bird. is 
sole of the foot has none of the prominent roügh callosities 
which we see on the feet of all Raptores; and in this, agam 
