The D id-did- Association of New Britain. 71 



skill can produce. The whole dress is very bulky, being 

 about three feet in diameter across the hips, and it is so 

 lieavy that the suspenders severely chafe tlie shoulders. 



There are two species of this genus of biixls — the one we 

 have described with the long head-dress is the Dukduk 

 proper, the other is a Tubuan. The latter differs in 

 appearance from tlie former only in having a shorter, and 

 consequently less beautiful, head-dress; but he is of inferior 

 rank, and is the worker. The long spire of the former could 

 not be worn inland, as it would constantly come in contact 

 with the over-hanging limbs of trees, vines, kc. The work 

 of the Tubuan is to fight, levy fines, lead in destroying 

 property as a means of punishment, taboo fruit trees and 

 plantations when hired to do so, and to make collections of 

 food and " tabu " (native shell-money), either by stealing or 

 begging. 



I have spoken of the Tubuan as "he," but the word means 

 an old woman, and this Tubuan is held to be a female, and 

 as a matter of course among natives is the worker. " She " 

 is said to give birth to tha Dukduks, and all Tubuans have 

 female names, except in rare cases, as in one here, where 

 " she " assumed the name of her deceased chief 



These birds and the association have their home, and 

 conduct their business, on a piece of tabooed ground, called a 

 tareu, a few acres in area, generally on the beach. It is 

 taboo to all females and uninitiated males, who may not even 

 pass it in canoes, except at a distance of a mile or two. 

 Many Tubuans, owned by different parties, may have their 

 home on the one tareu, but I cannot find that more than one 

 Dukduk may. Here the dress is kept hung on a post, and 

 appears exactly as when worn. There is always a large 

 house on the tareu, which is the rendezvous for the members, 

 where native politics, scandal, and gossip are discussed. 

 An}^ member may don the dress, but only the young men do 

 so as a rule ; with this on, the young fellow trots, w^ith 

 long springing strides, up and down the beach, or takes an 

 ^^xcursion into the bush, whooping all the way, and occasion- 

 ally pronouncing his or "her" name. Some of the motions, 

 especially those of the head, cannot do other than remind 

 one of the cassowary. The women and uninitiated hide on 

 his approach ; if they do not, they are chased, pelted, or 

 robbed by him. Through him or "her" alone does the 

 society communicate with, or operate upon, the outside 

 community. All the association's acts are in the name of the 



