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Notes on the Didunculus Strigirostris, or Tooth-Billed Pigeon of the Navigator Islands-the nearest living Ally to the extinct Dodo. Communicated by Sir W. DENISON.*

[Received 4th Dec., 1863.]

Many of your readers, and especially those interested in natural history, will be glad to hear that the long lost tooth-billed pigeon, Didunculus strigirostris, is not quite extinct, as is generally supposed. This fact is now satisfactorily proved by a living specimen having been brought up to this city [Sydney] by Mr. J. C. Williams, H. B. M. Consul for the Navigator Islands, from Upolo, one of that group.

It will be needless to enlarge upon the great service thus rendered by Mr. Williams. Let it suffice to say that it is the only living specimen which has ever come under scientific notice, and in all probability will remain so. Scientific societies, both in England and Europe, have offered large rewards for this interesting bird, but it is to be hoped that if our Acclimatisation Society does purchase this bird, it will not share the fate of other rare specimens, and be sent out of the colony.

Mr. Williams has kindly allowed me to examine his specimen, which is still in Sydney; and has given me the following information respecting its habits, of which nothing has been previously made known.

The didunculus, or gnathodon, is known by the natives of the Navigator's under the name of the manu-mea. It was at one time very plentiful on those islands, and particularly upon Upolo, where Mr. Williams obtained his specimen ; but owing to the number of cats which, having become wild, now infest the islands, this peculiar bird has become almost extinct. The natives also have had a share in its destruction, for as long as the birds could be procured in tolerable numbers, they were in the habit of making annual excursions into the mountains for the sole purpose of catching and feasting upon them. The game was secured either with bird-lime, made by mixing the sticky gum of the bread-fruit tree with oil, or by means of nets fastened to the end of long light poles and thrown over their victims, which were enticed within reach by tame decoy-birds kept for this purpose.

These notes, apparently by Mr. Ramsay, Sir W. Denison's correspondent, comprise a printed extract from a Sydney newspaper, and a MS. description of the bird.

The manu-mea is strictly a ground pigeon, giving preference to the thickly wooded sides of the mountains, which, when these birds were plentiful, they traversed in flocks from ten to twenty in number, feeding upon various berries, and particularly upon the mountain plantain, for which they had a great liking.

When forced to take wing, they rose with a great flapping noise, which was so characteristic that even up to the present time, the saying, "as noisy as a manu-mea," is common among the natives.

The only note observed by Mr. Williams is a low plaintive cry something resembling that of a chicken, but not so shrill, nor repeated so often. The specimen which Mr. Williams has, is now about the size of our common domesticated pigeon, but as it is yet quite a young bird, it will probably grow much larger.

The natives still keep up the practice of pigeon feasting, and are using their best endeavours to exterminate the little brown ground dove, peculiar to the Navigator's Group, although at present this species still seems to be very plentiful.

In the photograph there is apparently a sort of crest on the head of the bird, this is caused by a gathering from the bird knocking himself about in its cage, it is only the feathers sticking out from the top of the head.

Didunculus Strigirostris.

Bill orange yellow at base, light horn colour nearing the tip, which is almost white with a dark line down the ridge, skin round the eye cere, fleshy orange very like the ordinary colour of Pigeon's feet, feet of colour more like the base of the bill. In the young bird the head and neck are dull slaty blue with a tinge of metalic green; breast dull dirty brown, abdomen same colour, tail and upper tail coverts, middle of back deep chestnut brown; wings brown, many feathers barred with red deep chestnut. The iris hazel brown; skin round the eye, fleshy orange. The second bird was very like the adult specimens figured in Gould's works, but not so bright.

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