Richard Owen
Memoir on the Dodo (Didus ineptus, Linn.)
“Memoir on the Dodo (Didus ineptus, Linn.)” by Richard Owen is a scientific publication written in the mid-19th century. The book focuses on the extinct Dodo bird of Mauritius, combining historical accounts, pictorial and written evidence, and anatomical descriptions. Its primary aim is to document the history and physical characteristics of the Dodo using all available evidence from literature, art, museum specimens, and recent discoveries of skeletal remains to establish a comprehensive understanding of this bird’s existence and affinities. The opening of this work lays out a meticulous historical introduction, recounting early European encounters with the Dodo, descriptions and illustrations from travel accounts, and the subsequent preservation (and loss) of Dodo specimens in various museums. Richard Owen presents a summary of William John Broderip’s exhaustive investigations, detailing primary sources that reference the Dodo and discussing known physical remains, such as bones and skins, as well as the depiction of the Dodo in 17th-century paintings. The narrative then transitions to more recent developments, including the discovery of additional bones in Mauritius and efforts to confirm their identity, thus setting the stage for a scientific analysis of the Dodo’s anatomy and its classification within the bird family.