THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 



were secured in 1007 from Martha's Vineyard, not more 

 than one hundred individuals were known to exist. This 

 bird has the general habits of the prairie hen, but frequents 

 a bushy rather than an open prairie country. 



The Dodo, of which a restoration and skeleton may be 

 seen. The Dodo was a strange kind of pigeon about twice 

 the size of a turkey and was found on the Island of Mauri- 

 tius by the Portuguese about 1507. The last authentic 

 record shows that there were individuals alive in 1681. 



The Great Auk, of which no living specimen has been 

 recorded since 1844. This bird formerly bred on a few 

 small islands off the coast of Newfoundland and during its 

 migration was known along our coast as far south as Vir- 

 ginia. Being flightless and helpless on land, it proved an 

 easy victim for the early voyagers and fishermen, who 

 killed the birds in vast numbers for their flesh and feathers. 



The Labrador Duck, which formerly was somewhat com- 

 mon on the Atlantic coast from Labrador to Chesapeake 

 Bay. No living specimen of this bird has been recorded 

 since 1871, although as late as 1850 it was met with occa- 

 sionally in New York markets. Only forty-odd specimens 

 are known to be preserved in museums. Of these, thirty- 

 one are in America, seven of which are in this institution. 

 A perfect skin of this bird now has a value of more than 

 $3,000. 



The Wild Pigeon, which in 1805 was so numerous that 

 Audubon wrote that he saw schooners at the wharves in 

 New York City loaded in bulk with wild pigeons caught up 



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