1865-68 THE DODO 165 



of the dodo. Mr. George Clark's second parcel 

 has been brought to me, and, having completed 

 the first comparisons and rough determinations 

 of their nature, I lose no time in acknowledging 

 and replying to your most acceptable letter. 

 Mr. Clark's collection includes most of the bones 

 of the skeleton and all those of importance for 

 testing the hypotheses of the affinities and place 

 in nature of this most strange and extinct bird, 

 the Didus ineptus of Linnaeus. Besides bones 

 of the dodo, there are a few referable to a small 

 beast and a large tortoise. 



' The dodo's bones belong to five or six 

 different individuals ; the toe bones are wanting , 

 . . . and now, having gratified my long-felt 

 yearnings to know more of Didus, I find those 

 with regard to SEpyornis growing stronger. 

 Madagascar marshes and turbaries may yield 

 similar evidences of this gigantic extinct bird. 

 After the aye-aye the Aipyornis is the main 

 desideratum from that island for zoology. . . . 

 Thank you again for all the kind and valuable 

 interest you have taken in this matter.' 



Respecting this parcel of dodo's bones, Owen 

 writes to his sister : ' The dodo I owe mainly 

 to the Bishop of Mauritius : it was found — its 

 bones to wit — in a morass by one of the diocesan 

 schoolmasters, for whom I hope to get 100/. 

 I have been working in the day and dreaming at 

 night about my Xmas bird for a fortnight past. 



