442 liev. S, J. Whitmee on Samoan Birds. 



natives to be a delicate bird and difficult to keep alive for 

 any length of time in confinement. The male and female are 

 very diflferent in plumage ; and I feel fully convinced that it 

 is the female of this species which is known as P. apicalis, 

 Bp. The natives have also regarded it as a distinct species, 

 and call it Mdnu-lua. 



21. Ptilonopus fasciatus, Peale. Manu-tagi. 



This is very common all over the islands. P. perousii, I 

 consider to be decidedly gregarious, but this species not so. 

 In fact it seems unable to keep the peace in company with 

 other birds, whether of its own or other species. It is easily 

 tamed and is hardy. The natives keep a great many tame 

 ones. These they formerly used very extensively as decoys ; 

 but since the general use of firearms they are rarely so used. 

 For decoying wild birds a trained bird was placed in a large 

 cage, with a rather long narrow neck, open at the top. The 

 body of the cage was made to bulge considerably at the lower 

 part. When taken into the bush the cry of the caged bird 

 soon attracted a wild one. This settled on the rim of the 

 cage^s open neck, whence it soon descended into the cage and 

 commenced fighting. The birdcatcher, concealed near, then 

 easily secured it, as it could not fly up the narrow neck which 

 it had no difficulty in darting down. This cage bids fair to 

 give us an example of the " survival " of an object after its 

 primary use has been superseded, which is so common, and 

 is so instructive to the ethnologist. I notice that Samoans 

 continue to make their cages in this way at the present time 

 without any intention of putting them to the old use, or 

 without even thinking why that particular form was first 

 adopted. 



22. CoLUMBA viTiENSis, Quoy. Fiaui. 



This Pigeon is found on Upolu and Savaii; I have also 

 seen it on the small islands in the straits (Manono and Apo- 

 lima) . It is only occasionally seen. The natives do not seek 

 it as an article of food, the flesh being very inferior to the 

 Carpophaga pacifica. I feel quite convinced that C. casta- 

 neicejis of Peale is not a good species, but that it ought to 



