176
It will be seen that, while Dubois says the wings and tail are black, Pierre Witthoos's picture, from which the accompanying plate was partly drawn, shows the wings yellow. This may either be due to Dubois' faulty description, or, what is much more probable, the bird brought to Amsterdam, which Witthoos painted, was somewhat albinistic. The bill in the picture by Witthoos shows a distinctly mutilated bill, evidently done by the bird's keeper to prevent being injured by the formidable hook of the untrimmed bill. In addition to two pictures (the one formerly in the possession of Mr. C. Dare, of Clatterford, in the Isle of Wight, and a second in Holland, both by Pieter Witthoos, painted about the year 1670), we know of this bird only the drawing given in Zaagman's edition of Bontekoe, 1646. In all these drawings the first four primaries point down and forward, which is probably owing to the injured condition of the specimen figured, so in the accompanying plate I had the wing drawn like the true Dodo's and the bill reconstructed.
Habitat: Island of Bourbon or Réunion.
Only known from the above-mentioned descriptions and two drawings. No specimens existing.
This bird became extinct between the years 1735 and 1801, because in the latter year Monsieur Bory St. Vincent made his scientific survey of the Island, and no such bird existed then; while we know that Monsieur de la Bourdonnaye, who was governor of the Mascarene Islands from 1735 to 1746, sent one alive to one of the directors of the French East Indian Company. Of this, the second living specimen brought to Europe, we unfortunately have neither drawing nor history.
Explanation of Plates.
Plate 25.
- Drawing of White Dodo from Pierre Witthoos' picture, the bill and tail being reconstructed from the model of the common Dodo.
Plate 25 (a).
- Fig. 5. Outline of figure of White Dodo in the picture by Pieter Witthoos circa 1670 vide supra.
- Fig. 8. Outline of Woodcut in Zaagman's edition of Bontekoe van Hoorn, 1646.
- Fig. 7. Outline of figure of White Dodo in an edition of Plinius Secundus about 1643 but without date.
- Fig. 4. Outline of Dr. H. Schlegel's reconstruction of the Réunion Dodo.
Plate 25 (b).
- Drawing from description of the Sieur D.B. (Dubois), 1674.
