642 Marvels of the Universe 
relations. These two birds are the Dodo and the Solitaire, of the islands of Mauritius and Rodriguez 
respectively, and they represent the largest of the Pigeon tribe, or, rather, their remains mark the 
record stature attained by pigeons. 
When the old explorers first visited these islands they found these quaint-looking birds in large 
numbers. It did not take long to discover that they were good to eat, and in a very little while, 
like the walrus and the carpenter with the oysters, they had “‘ eaten every one!” At least one 
living specimen of the Dodo, however, found its way to this country, and was exhibited in 
London. Later, its remains found a resting-place in Oxford, where they still remain. The story of 
the Dodo and the Solitaire is hardly apposite to our present discussion, and would take long in telling. 
Of the two birds, the Soli- 
taire is really the more remark- 
able ; yet somehow its memory 
has been overshadowed by that 
of the Dodo. Both were flight- 
less, though the wings were by 
no means so degenerate as in 
the Ostrich tribe. 
Why did these birds, giants 
and dwarfs alike, become flight- 
less ? The reason is not hard 
to find. Whenever and wher- 
ever the ground furnishes an 
abundance of food, which birds 
can obtain the year round with- 
out persecution from predatory 
animals, there is no longer any 
use of wings to escape the 
rigours of climate, or enemies. 
And, accordingly, flight speedily 
falls into desuetude. As a con- 
sequence, the muscles of flight, 
and the bony framework to 
which they are attached, gradu- 
ally decrease in size. The keel 
of the breastbone is the first to 
go; then the wings become 
visibly smaller, and eventually 
degenerate into mere stumps ; 
finally, as in the case of 
some of the Moas, to dis- 
appear altogether, when the 
evolution of the flightless 
birds becomes complete. With 
any material change in the 
oO ~~ oe environment, however, such 
Enoto bg [W. Green. as of climate, or the ad- 
FOSSIL SEA- 5 ent f re { y 1 
These beautiful feathery lilies are really animals, nearly related to Starfishes. They h ir doo is sealed for esca pe 
{ € m > ’ 
were abundant at some periods of the world’s history, and their fossil remains are 
numerous. This fine example was found in a bed of Lias. 1S impossible. 
