D O D Qi 



the IJle of France), and that of Bourbon *, in the Indian 



man. 



Le Solitaire, Buf. Oif. i. p. 485.— Leguat. Voy. i. p. 98.— pi. in d # . 



'"PHIS is a large bird, and the male is faid to weigh fometimes 

 forty-five pounds : it has fome relation to the Turkey, as the 

 bill and legs are like that bird's j but the bill is more bent, and 

 it Hands higher on the legs. The neck is of a proportionable 

 length, and the eye black and lively : the head is not crefted, and 

 the general colour of the plumage is grey and brown mixed : 

 it has fcarce any tail ; and the baftard wing fwells out into a 

 round knob : the wings are too fhort for flight, and the hind 

 parts are rounded like a Horfe's rump, being cloathed with fea- 

 thers, which may be termed coverts. 



The females are covered with fometimes brown and fometimes 

 light yellow feathers, and appear very beautiful. This fex has 

 alfo a kind of widow's peak above the bill j and the feathers on 

 each fide of the breaft enlarge into two white tufts, fomewhat 

 refembling the bofom of a woman : the feathers of the thighs are 

 rounded at the end, like fhellsj and, according to Leguat, the 

 bird has all together a noble and elegant gait. 



This is an inhabitant of the IJle of Rodrigue, where it is not 

 uncommon ; but not met with in flocks, fcarcely more than two 

 being found together. It makes the nefl: in bye places* of leaves 



• Thefe cannot be the only parts where they are found, and muft have been 

 imported into them from others, fince it is faid, that the Portuguefe, who firll 

 difcovered them, found neither land bird nor quadruped in either. See Hift. des 

 Oif vol. v. p. 280. 



B 2 \ f 



SOLITARY D. 

 Description. 



Females 



Place Andt 

 Manners. 



