_Didus ineptus_ Linn., S. N. I p. 267 No. 1 (1766).
The first description of this very remarkable bird was given in the account of the voyage of Admiral Jacob van Neck in 1598, which was published by Corneille Nicolas at Amsterdam in 1601. It is as follows:--"Blue parrots are very numerous there, as well as other birds; among which are a kind, conspicuous for their size, larger than our swans, with huge heads only half covered with skin as if clothed with a hood. These birds lack wings, in the place of which 3 or 4 blackish feathers protrude. The tail consists of a few soft incurved feathers, which are ash coloured. These we used to call "Walghvogel," for the reason that the longer and oftener they were cooked, the less soft and more insipid eating they became. Nevertheless their belly and breast were of a pleasant flavour and easily masticated."
In a large number of works on travel and voyages published in the 17th and 18th Centuries we find all sorts of notices about the Dodo, and numerous pictures of which I have given outline drawings. From these sources it appears that the Dodo became extinct about the end of the 17th Century, _i.e._, 1680-1690. The causes of the extermination of this, perhaps the best known and most talked about of the recently extinct birds, are not far to seek. The total inability of flight, the heavy slow gait, and the utter fearlessness from long immunity from enemies, led to a continual slaughter for food by the sailors and others who came to and dwelt on Mauritius. But the final cause of the extermination of this and many other birds in the Mascarene Islands was probably the introduction of pigs, and also of the Ceylon Monkey. These animals increased enormously in numbers, ran wild in the woods, and soon destroyed all the eggs and young birds they could find.
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It is strange that for many years after great attention had been paid to the _Dodo_, ornithologists differed conspicuously as to what family it and the other two Didine species belonged. Many a.s.serted that it was a Struthious bird, in fact Linnaeus called it calmly _Struthio cucullatus_, while others just as forcibly declared it to be an abnormal Vulture. The truth is, that although the _Didunculus strigirostis_ of Samoa, which was supposed to be its near representative, is not at all closely allied, yet the two species of _Didus_ and _Pezophaps solitarius_ form a group of very specialized pigeons.
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE PAINTINGS REPRESENTING THE DODO.
1. _Vienna_, in the Library of the Emperor Francis. By Hufnagel, 1626, reproduced by von Frauenfeldt in his book, 1868.
2. _Berlin._ "Altes Museum," Cabinet 3, Division 2, No. 710. By Roelandt Savery, 1626.
3. _Sion House._ Duke of Northumberland. By John Goeimare, 1627.
4. _Vienna._ Kunsthistorisches Hofmuseum, formerly Belvedere. By Roelandt Savery, 1628
5. _London._ Zoological Society, formerly Broderip. By Roelandt Savery, undated.
6. _Pommersfelden, Bavaria._ Count Schonborn, "Orpheus charming the Beasts." By Roelandt Savery, undated.
7. _Haag._ Mauritshuis. "Orpheus charming the Beasts." By Roelandt Savery.
8. _Stuttgart._ Formerly Dr. Seyffer, but sold at his death and since disappeared. By Roelandt Savery.
9. _London._ British Museum, formerly belonging to G. Edwards.
Probably by Roelandt Savery.
10. _Emden._ Galerie der Gesellschaft fur Bildende Kunst. "Orpheus charming the Beasts." By Roelandt Savery.
11. _Oxford._ Ashmolean Museum. By John Savery, 1651.
12. _Haarlem._ Dr. A. van der Willigen, Pz. By Pieter Holsteyn (1580-1662), not dated.
13. _Dresden._ Kgl. Gemalde-Galerie. "Circe and Ulysses." By C.
Ruthart, 1666.
14. _Dresden._ Kgl. Gemalde-Galerie. "The Creation of the Animals."
Supposed to be by Franz Francken (1581-1642), no date, and said to be by a different artist.
At least 2 _Mauritius Dodos_ have been exhibited alive in Europe, one brought back by Van Neck in 1599, and which most likely served as the model for nearly all Roelandt Savery"s pictures, and one exhibited in London in the year 1638, mentioned by Sir Hamon Lestrange. This is almost certainly the bird afterwards preserved in Tradescant"s Museum (1656), and finally in Oxford (Ashmolean Museum), and probably served for the model of the supposed Savery picture in the British Museum.
The Dodo inhabited Mauritius.
NOTE.--_Didus nazarenus_ Gmelin, based on the "Oiseau de Nazareth" of Cauche (Descr. de l"ile de Madagascar, p. 130, ff, 1651) is evidently founded on a mistaken and partly fict.i.tious description of a Dodo, or rather a mixture of that of the Dodo and a Ca.s.sowary. The name was, perhaps, also a mistake, derived from that of "_Oiseau de nausee_,"
which has a similar meaning as "Walghvogel."
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Explanation of Plates of Dodo.
_Plate 24._
This was taken from the picture by Roelandt Savery in Berlin, but the wings, tail and bill have been altered, partly from Pierre Witthoos"
picture of the Bourbon Dodo, and partly from anatomical examination.
The tail, however, appears to have been curled over the back in life, according to most authors.
_Plate 24 (a)._
_Fig. 1._ Reproduction in outline of the Dodo in Savery"s Orpheus at Haag. Vide antea No. 7 in the List of Paintings.
_Fig. 2._ Outline of Dodo (and Pelican?) in Ruthart"s "Circe and Ulysses" at Dresden. Vide antea No. 13 in the List of Paintings.
_Fig. 3._ Outline of Dodo (and Pelican?) in Frans Franckens (?) picture in Dresden. Vide antea No. 14 in the List of Paintings.
_Plates 24 (b and c)._
_No. 1._ Outline of Dodo in Roelandt Savery"s picture at Berlin. Vide antea No. 2 in the List of Paintings.
_No. 2._ Outline of picture by Roelandt Savery in the British Museum.
Vide antea No. 9 in the List of Paintings.
_No. 3._ Outline of Dodo in Jacob van Neck"s Voyage, Plate 2 (1598).
_No. 4._ Outline of Roelandt Savery"s Dodo, Vienna. Vide antea No. 4 in the List of Paintings.
_No. 5._ Outline of Dodo in Broeck"s Voyage (Peter van Broeck"s Voyage, 1617).
_No. 6._ Outline of Dodo in Piso"s additions to Jacob Bontiu"s Oriental Natural History, 1658.
_No. 7._ Outline of Dodo in Sir Thomas Herbert"s Relation of some yeares Travels, 1626.
_No. 8._ Outline of Dodo in Clusius Exoticorum libri decem, 1605.
_No. 9._ Outline of Dodo in Joan Nievhof"s Gedenkwaerdige Zee and Lantreize, 1682.
_No. 10._ Outline of Dodo in John Goeimare"s picture at Sion House, 1627. Vide antea No. 3 in the List of Paintings.
_No. 11._ Outline of Dodo in Roelandt Savery"s picture at Pommersfelden. Vide antea No. 6 in the List of Paintings.
_No. 12._ Outline of Dr. H. Schlegel"s restoration of the Dodo in Transactions, &c., of the Amsterdam Academy, vol. 2, 1854.
_No. 13._ Outline of Dodo in Roelandt Savery"s picture, Zoological Society, London. Vide antea No. 5 in the List of Paintings.
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