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 Didns ineptus of Linnseus. 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 y^pyornis growing stronger. 
Madagascar marshes and turbaries may yield 
similar evidences of this gigantic extinct bird. 
After the aye-aye the yEpyornis 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. 
