LECTURE VI. 215 



longer easily discoverable in the regions where 

 it was formerly found, or else, like some other 

 animals, must have become extinct, from some 

 causes of destruction with which we are un- 

 acquainted. 



It would be unnecessary to observe that the 

 generic characters of the Dodo, (which is the 

 Didus ineptus of Linnaeus,) are taken from the 

 figures published by Edwards and others, and 

 which have been copied from the painting in 

 the British Museum. The colour of the Dodo 

 is a variegation of black and white, as may be 

 seen in the coloured engraving of Edwards. The 

 figure of the Beak from the Oxford Museum, 

 and of the Leg from the British Museum will 

 give a sufficiently clear idea of the characters 

 of the genus. The bill is strongly wrinkled or 

 indented in the middle ; and the legs are thicker 

 in proportion to their length than in any other 

 bird. 



But the Pride of the order GailintB, and 

 indeed of the whole feathered race, is the genu% 

 PctC'O or Peacock ; in the chief species of which, 

 or Pavo cristatus. Nature seems to have exhausted 

 all her powers of splendor combined with ele- 



