ted by Mr. Duncan, to have been executed from a living bird, sent
from the Mauritius to Holland, the Dutch being the first colonists of
that island; but, Mr. Thompson thinks, "to dissipate all doubts as to
its accuracy, it should be collated with a description taken from the
Ashmolean specimen, should such be found to exist."

Mr. Thompson is inclined to consider Leguat's natural history of the
Dodo as "the only one that was ever penned under such favourable
circumstances. No doubt this first colony, in so small an island,
considerably reduced the number of the Dodo; but when they finally
disappeared, does not seem to be anywhere recorded." The most
interesting consideration connected with their disappearance is their
being "the only vertebrated animals which we can make certain of
having lost since the creation. If we seek to find out what link in
the chain of Nature has been broken by the loss of this species, what
others have lost their check, and what others necessarily followed the
loss of those animals which alone contributed to their support," Mr.
Thompson thinks "we may conclude that, the first being seen by the
Omniscient Creator, at least no injury will be sustained by the rest
of the creation; that man, its destroyer, was probably intended to
supplant it, as a check; and that the only other animals which its
destruction drew with it, were the intestinal worms and pediculi
peculiar to the species."

Buffon, Latham, and Gmelin have three species of Dodo, while we find
it difficult to establish the existence of one. Indeed, it is
improbable that the three islands of the Mauritius group possessed
each a distinct type of so singular and unique a bird.

* * * * *

MOUNT ARARAT.

Ararat is celebrated as the resting-place of Noah's ark after the
Deluge, and as the spot whence the descendants of Noah peopled the
earth. It rises on the Persian frontier, on a large plain, detached,
as it were, from the other mountains of Armenia, which make a long
chain. It consists, properly speaking, of two hills--the highest of
which, where the ark is said to have rested,[18] is, according to
Parrot, 2,700 toises, or 17,718 feet above the level of the ocean.[19]
The summit is covered with perpetual snow; the lower parts are
composed of a deep, moving sand; and one side presents a vast chasm
tinged with smoke, from which flames have been known to issue.

[18] The precise spot is controvert