THE DODO. 



397 



of wliicii must have been truly colossal. One of tliese eggs was 

 eqiial to at least six Ostrich's eggs, and its capacitj' more than 

 fifteen pints. M. Isidore Geoff'roj^ de Saint-Hilaire, who gave it 

 the name of Epiornis, reckoned that its height could not be less 

 than ten or twelve feet. 



In 1867j M. Joh', Professor of the Faculty of Sciences at 



IL, 'L«i 



Fig. 16S.— The Dodu (DiJtcs uuptiis, Linii.). 



Toulouse, published some very interesting observations on the 

 structure aud probable habits of this gigantic bird. 



It cannot yet be asserted that this bird has altogether dis- 

 appeared. The }JaIagashes state that, although very rare, some 

 few representatives of it still remain. There is an ancient tradi- 

 tion among this people relative to a colossal bird which could 

 knock down an ox, aud then make a meal of it. This tradition, 

 however, is deficient in anything like evidence of its correctness, 

 for an examination of the pieces of bone found proves that the 

 Epiornis possessed neither talons to seize, nor wings with which 

 to pursue its prey ; it must, therefore, have fed chiefly upon 

 vegetable diet. 



In !New Zealand also some bones have been lately brought to 

 light, which must have belonged to a sjjecies of bird allied to the 

 Ostrich, but superior to it in size, which attained some thirteen 

 feet in height. This bird has been designated Ijinornis. Some of 



