THE 
HEAD OF THE DODO. 
<>h>************** *** *** ** o 
Having fome months ago afcertaincd in the Bri- 
tifti Mufeum the leg of a Dodo, and given in a 
preceding number an exaCl reprefentation of it, I 
have now the pleafure of prefenting my readers 
with a ftill more fatisfadlory relique of that Angular 
bird, viz. the beak, with the fore-part of the head 
ftill adhering to it. This I was fo fortunate as to 
difeover very lately in the Afhmolean Mufeum at 
Oxford, in which, as is well known, is contained 
the collection of the famous John Tradefcant, by 
whom it was bequeathed to Mr. Elias Aflimole, 
who prefented it to the univerfity. In the deferip- 
tion of the Dodo at plate 123 of the prefent work, 
I have obferved that we have the teftimony of Wil¬ 
loughby for the exiftence of the exuviae of the Dodo 
in the Tradefcantian Mufeum. The beak therefore 
here figured is that belonging to the fpecimen feen 
by Willoughby and Ray. It is moft faithfully re- 
prefented as it now appears, having fuffered fome 
injuries from the lapfe of more than a century and 
half. I fhould not omit to obferve that a leg of the 
Dodo (tho* in an extremely bad fiate of preferva- 
tion), exifis in the fame collection ; in fize and 
every other particular agreeing w ith that belonging 
to the Britifh Mufeum. The exiftence therefore of 
the Dodo, which has lately been confidered as 
fomewhat problematical, is now in the fulleft and 
moft fatisfa&ory manner afcertaincd. 
f 
