verses, or construe Greek to him, I should like it of
all things; and I am sure the world would be much the better for it.

S.R. MAITLAND.

Gloucester, Feb. 18. 1850.

* * * * *

A FEW DODO QUERIES.

The discovery and speedy extinction of that extraordinary bird the
DODO, belongs rather to {262} human history than to pure zoology, and
I therefore hope that a few Queries relating to this curious subject
will be admissible into your publication. I have already, in the work
entitled _The Dodo and its Kindred_, and in the Supplementary notices
inserted last year in the _Annals and Magazine of Natural History_
(ser. 2. vol. iii. pp. 136, 259; vol. iv. p. 335), endeavoured to
collect together the _omne scitum_ of the Dodo-history, but I am
satisfied that the _omne scibile_ is not yet attained.

_Query I._--Is there any historical record of the first discovery of
Mauritius and Bourbon by the Portuguese? These islands bore the name
of _Mascarenhas_ as early as 1598, when they were so indicated on one
of the De Bry's maps. Subsequent compilers state that they were thus
named after their Portuguese discoverer, but I have not succeeded in
finding any notice of them in the histories of Portuguese expeditions
to the East Indies which I have consulted. The only appartently
authentic indication of their discovery, that I am aware of, is the
pillar bearing the name of John III. of Portugal, and dated 1545,
which is stated by Leguat, on Du Quesne's authority, to have been
found in Bourbon by Flacour, when he took possession of the island
in 1653.

_Query II_.--It appears from Leguat's _New Voyage to the East Indies_,
London, 1708, pp. 2, 37., that the Marquis Du Quesne, being desirous
of sending out a colony from Holland to the Isle of Bourbon in 1689 or
1690, published (probably in Dutch) an account of that Island, with a
view of inducing emigrants to go thither. I should be greatly obliged
if any of your readers can tell me the title, date, and place of
publication of this book, and where a copy of it is to be seen or
procured.

_Query III_.--Are there in existence any original oil-paintings of
the Dodo by Savery or any other artist, besides the five described in
the _Dodo and its Kindred_--viz., the one at the Hague, at Berlin,
at Vienna, at the British Museum, and at Oxford? And are there any
original engravings of this bird, besides that in De Bry, in Clusius,
in Van den Broecke, in Herbert