THE DODO LIVES

Jon Carroll’s review of Christian Vaisse’s “Living in Mauritius” (Nov. 25) has a curious error. Former (not now) President (Leopold) Senghor of Senegal is described as President of Mauritius. Actually, he has never even visited Mauritius, where there are very few black Africans.

The island, once the home of the extinct dodo bird, is overwhelmingly Indian with a Hindu majority, along with a minority of white people of French extraction.

To its credit, Mauritius is the only member of the Organization of African Unity which has twice voted a government out of office and then let the new opposition come to power.

NED MUNGER

Professor of African Politics

Caltech

PASADENA