They also build their nests in such situations, and during the breeding season both parents aid in the duty of incubation, and relieve each other with great regularity; and so intent are they when sitting on the eggs as to be easily captured. It was in this way that the two living specimens were obtained for him. They are also captured by the natives with bird-lime, or shot with arrows, the sportsman concealing himself near an open space in which some quantity of the soi, their favourite food, has been placed.”

“The power of wing of most of the pigeon tribe is very great, and it also obtains in this bird. It flies through the air with a loud noise, like our topknot pigeon (Lopholimius ant-arcticus), found in the Illawarra district, and many of our Australian pigeons. Mr. Stair describes it when in flight as making so great a noise with its wings that when heard at a distance it resembles the rumbling of distant thunder.”

I have myself often mistaken it for this in the forest when travelling, and can quite understand the delusion. Tradition states that on one occasion a company of atua (warriors) were put to flight, on the march to the scene of action, through mistaking the noise of the distant rumbling caused by this bird on the wing for the rapid approach of a body of opposing troops. They broke, and fled in dismay; but their faint-heartedness was chronicled in sarcastic verse, and resounded long afterwards to their dismay and confusion, as their prowess was rehearsed. A canoe-song, which I have often heard sung, thus records it:—

Pa; lulu le manu, e,
Sosola, Safata.
(With a thunder-crash the bird flies, And Safata runs away !)

Dr. Bennett alludes to the singular fact of the manu mea not having been observed by the early navigators, or, indeed, by later ones. Many causes may have contributed to this. In its wild state it was strictly a forest bird, very timid and shy, but apparently at one time very abundant, and taken for food in great numbers. From this peculiar shyness, however, the birds do not appear to have become pets with the natives, as is the case with many other pigeons and doves, both ground or otherwise. Many hundreds of these other birds were caught, and tamed and trained by the natives of Samoa, who were very fond of them, and spent much of their time with them.

Bougainville, who discovered the islands in 1768, says, “The islands where we touched were clothed to the summit with trees laden with fruit, on which wood-pigeons and green, rose, and different coloured turtle-doves reposed. The islanders amuse themselves in their

leisure hours by taming birds. Their houses were full of wood-pigeons, and they bartered them by hundreds.” But it seems certain that no bird like the manu mea was offered for sale to any of those visitors, for we may be sure that a bird of so singular a form would not have escaped the notice of the naturalists attached to those expeditions.

I think the fact is clear that these birds were seldom tamed by the natives, from their timid and restless habits. Hunting them, however, was a very favourite sport with the natives, especially those who resided in the inland villages, and who thus had greater facilities for seeing them, and becoming familiar with their habits. Of late years, however, their numbers have decreased rapidly, since, added to human enemies, the wild-cats, which have increased rapidly, have destroyed vast numbers, and, there being no power to order the destruction of these pests, the complete extinction of the bird becomes simply a question of time.

As to its bearing in confinement, we have many interesting particulars given us by Dr. Bennett, who was an enthusiastic and careful observer. Speaking of the first bird brought by Mr. Williams to Sydney, Dr. Bennett says, “I examined the bird carefully, and found it in good health, but very timid, and a young bird, in immature plumage, with the teeth of the lower mandible not yet developed. It was the size of the Nicobar pigeon, but rounder and more plump in form. It kept steadily looking at me during the time I was examining it, uttering occasionally a plaintive ‘Goo, goo, goo.’”

Referring to the same bird later on, Dr. Bennett says, “It has now attained the full plumage of the adult bird, and the teeth of the lower mandibles are fully developed. When any one approaches the cage it will sometimes retire to an obscure corner, but at other times will remain quiet on the perch, watching every movement of the spectator. It invariably feeds in the light, but will not do so if any one is present. The only opportunity we had of observing its mode of feeding was through the window, when the bird was placed in the verandah of the house. It usually kept on the low perch, but when disturbed would jump on the ground and run rapidly about, and then take refuge in the darkest part of the cage. The whole time that the bird was in my possession it never became domesticated, nor evinced the slightest attachment to the lady who daily fed it; it was the same to her as to a stranger, and I do not think the Didunculus a bird that will be easily domesticated, or reconciled to captivity. At that time the cleaning of the cage was attended with difficulty, from its violent fluttering on any one approaching for the purpose, in which it evinced no little power of wing.”