On Extinct and Vanishing Birds. 197 



Of the Dodo we have a number of skeletons, drawings, and a 

 few mummified remains, and at least two were exhibited alive 

 in Europe. This unfortunate and defenceless bird was 

 slaughtered by the hundred by the sailors who often for 

 months lived on its flesh, but also often killed it for pure 

 mischief, while finally the work of extermination was 

 completed by the pigs, goats, and monkeys, introduced into 

 the islands. The White Dodo is only known from two Dutch 

 pictures done from a live bird brought to Amsterdam ; while 

 of the Solitaire we have a number of very complete skeletons 

 and descriptions by Leguat and Dubois. 



Then we find a number of curious Parrots, which have 

 completely vanished, but various drawings by old travellers 

 and the careful descriptions of Leguat and Dubois enable us 

 to know their appearance. On Mauritius there were two, 

 one of which we only know from Dubois' description to have 

 been green, with a red head and tail, which I will call 



Necropsittacus francicus, nom. nov. 



The other was the gigantic Lophopsittacus mauritianus, a 

 bird considerably larger than a Microglossias, and of a grey- 

 blue colour, and with a unique upright crest. Of this bird 

 bones and a drawing only exist. On Bourbon were several 

 Parrots, one the famous Mascarinus mascarinus allied to 

 Coracopsis, but coloured brown, black and lavender, with red 

 beak. Of this there is one stuffed specimen in Paris, and 

 one in Vienna. A second was a Palaeornis, with double 

 collar, named eques, which is now asserted to be the same 

 as the Mauritius species, but I doubt this very much. In the 

 case of my surmise being correct, the Mauritius bird must 

 stand as Palaeornis echo, Newton. On Rodriguez were two 

 Parrots ; one, Necropsittacus rodericanus, a very large Parrot 

 allied to Palaeornis, but with head, tail, and wings red. Of 

 this we have bones as well as Dubois' andLeguat's descriptions ; 

 the second species was grey, probably a Vaza (Coracopsis). 



On Mauritius were also found two smaller Pigeons, the 

 violet, grey, and red Alectraenas nitidissima, allied to A. 

 pulcherrima of the Seychelles, and the brownish-red Nesoenas 

 mayeri. The former is now only represented by three stuffed 

 specimens — 1 in Mauritius, 1 in Edinburgh, and 1 in Paris while 

 of the latter 3 are in Paris, 8 in London, and 2 in Cambrido-e. 



