88 
The President and Reporting Secretary therefore request that all mem- 
bers who feel an interest in carrying on this Section, will make a point of 
attending the next meeting, not on Wednesday, Nov. 13th, but on Thursday, 
Nov. 14tb (to avoid Colston's day) at 8 o'clock, at the Institution. They 
also invite written communications upon the subject, addressed to them at 
12, Brighton Park, Clifton, before the day of meeting. 
Mr. Noble had provided a new series of photographs by Frith, kindly 
lent by Mr. Midwinter, of College Green, and much pleasure was derived 
from the inspection of these, which had all been taken this summer, and 
which embraced a great variety of subjects, both English and foreign 
scenery. 
ZOOLOGICAL SECTION. 
Thursday, Oct. 10th. — Mr. A. Leipner, in the chair. 
The Secretary, Mr. Swayne,read for Mr. CO. Groom-Napier, F.G.S., 
who was prevented from attending, a paper on the Dodo (Didus Ineptus). 
Several coloured illustrative drawings were exhibited, and a series of bones 
found lately in the Mauritius ; also Professor Owen's paper on the Osteo- 
logy of the Dodo. 
The history of the discovery of the islands of Mauritius and Bourbon by 
the early Dutch navigators was first glanced at ; their productions, includ- 
ing the Dodo, were first described by Van Neck in 1598, then by De Bry 
in 1601, Clusius in 1605, and subsequently by many other Dutch writers 
and voyagers. Sir Thomas Herbert visited the Mauritius in 1627, and 
published many editions of his travels ; that bearing date 1677 contained 
the most detailed account of the Dodo. Frangois Cauche's account was 
also quoted, and it was remarked that the size of the egg, as given by him, 
was a strong argument in favour of the bird belonging to the pigeon class. 
Sir Hammond L' Estrange had seen one alive in London in 1638, and the 
history of a specimen in the Tradescant collection, probably identical with 
this one, was traced. Amongst the catalogues of the older museums, notices 
of portions of the Dodo were found. Mr. Strickland, the best authority 
on the subject, had quoted the last notice of the living Dodo, which was 
in 1679. The Mauritius was settled by the Dutch in 1644; and in 1693, 
Legnat, who visited the island, made no mention of this bird ; the Dutch 
evacuated the colony, and the French replaced them, in 171- . 
