350 MESSES. A. AND E. NEWTON ON THE OSTEOLOGY OE THE SOLITAIEE. 
robusta. Alee breves, involatiles. Manus singulis bullis osseo-callosis armatee. Collum 
et pedes longiores. 
In like manner the allied genus might be defined : — 
Didus, Linneeus, 1766. 
Char, gener. emend. Rostrum magnum, aduncum, processu nasali et ramis maxilla- 
ribus antice convergentibus. Frons tumida in umbonem hypoconicum osseo-cancellatum 
surgens. Ossa coracoidea attenuata scapulis obtuse attingentia. Alee breves, inyolatiles. 
(Manus inermes V) Collum et pedes breviores. 
§11. Concluding Observations. 
It may be convenient here to quote at length the account given by Leguat of this 
bird as observed by him during his sojourn 
the 21st of May, 1693. 
Voyage et Avantures cle Lrancois Leguat Sf cle ses 
Compagnons, en deux isles desertes des Indes 
Orientates, Londres : 1708. 2 vols. 12mo. 
De tons les oiseaux de l’lsle, Pespe.ee la plus remar- 
quable est celle a laquelle on a donne le nom de Soli- 
taires, parce qu’on les voit rarement en troupes quoi 
qu’il y en ait beaucoup. 
Les males ont le plumage ordinaixement grisatre & 
brun, les pieds de eoq dTnde, & le bee aussi, mais un 
peu plus crochu. Ils n’ont presque point de queue, 
& leur derriere couvert de plumes est arrondi comme 
une croupe de cbeval. Ils sont plus haut montez que 
les coqs d’Inde, & ont le cou droit, un peu plus long, a 
proportion, que ne l’a cet oiseau quand il leve la tete. 
L'oeil noir & yif, & la tete sans Crete ni boupe. Hs ne 
yolent point, leurs ailes sont trop petites pour soutenir 
le poids de leurs corps. Ils ne s’en servent que pour 
se battre, <fc pour faire le moulinet, quand ils veulent 
s’appeler l’un l’autre. Ils font avec yitesse vingt ou 
trente pirouettes tout de suite, du meme cote, pendant 
l’espace de quatre ou cinq minutes : le mouvement de 
leurs ailes fait alors un bruit qui approebe fort de celui 
d’un Crecerelle ; & on Pentend de plus de deux cens 
pas. L’os de Paileron grossit a Pextremite, & forme 
sous la plume une petite masse ronde comme une balle 
de mousquet : cela & le bee, sont la principale defense 
de cet oiseau. On a bien de la peine a les attraper dans 
les bois, mais comme on court plus vite qu’eux, dans 
les lieux degagez, il n’est pas fort difficile d’en prendre. 
Quelquefois meme on en approebe fort aisement. Depuis 
le mois de Mars jusqu’au mois de Septembre, ils sont 
extraordinairement gras, & le gout en est excellent, sur 
tout quand ils sont jeunes. On trouve des males qui 
pesent jusques a quarante cinq livres. 
at Rodriguez from the 1st of May, 1691, till 
A New Voyage to the East Indies by Lraxcis Leguat 
and His Companions. Containing their Adventures 
in tivo Desert Islands. London: 1708. 1 yob 8vo. 
Of all tbe Birds in tbe Island, the most remarkable 
is that which goes by tbe Name of tbe Solitary, because 
’tis very seldom seen in Company, tbo’ there are abund- 
ance of them. Tbe Leathers of tbe Males are of a 
brown, grey Colour : Tbe Eeet and Beak are like a 
Turkeys, but a little more crooked. They have scarce 
any Tail, but their Hind-part cover'd with Leathers is 
Roundish, like tbe Crupper of a Horse, they are taller 
than Turkeys. Their Neck is straight, and a little 
longer in proportion than a Turkeys, when it lifts up 
bis Head. Its Eye is black and lively, and its Head 
without Comb or Cop. They never fly, their Wings 
are too little to support tbe weight of tbe Bodies ; they 
serve only to beat themselves, and flutter when they 
call one another. They will whirl about for twenty or 
thirty times together on the same side, during the space 
of four or five Minutes : The Motions of their Wings 
makes then a Noise very like that of a Rattle ; and one 
may hear it two hundred Paces off. The Bone of their 
Wing grows greater towards the Extremity, and forms 
a little round Mass under the Leathers, as big as a 
Musket Ball : That and its Beak are the chief Defence 
of this Bird. 'Tis very hard to catch it in the Woods, 
but easie in open Places, because we run faster than 
they, and sometimes we approach them without much 
Trouble. Lrom March to September they are extremely 
fat, and tast admirably well, especially while they are 
young, some of the Males weigh forty-five pounds. 
