154 DODLET 



occasionally, as in the Eatit^, retains a small quantity of de- 

 generated yolk, -while in the NiDicoLiE or Altrices it is generally 

 absorbed before maturity. 



DODLET, Sir E. Owen's name, intended to be a diminutive of 

 Dodo (as its scientific appellation Didunculus is of Didtis), for the 

 Tooth-billed Pigeon of the Samoan or Navigators' Islands, the 

 hooked bill of which presents an outward resemblance to that of the 

 celebrated inhabitant of Mauritius ; but Didunculus, though by 

 many writers placed in the Family Dididfe,, differs remarkably from 

 them, and is really much more allied to the true Columbidm (Dove, 

 Pigeon), though entitled to form a separate Family, Didunculidse 

 {Phil. Trans. 1869, p. 349). 



The name given by Sir E. Owen has fortunately not been 

 adopted, but for convenience sake this curious bird is here treated 

 under it. The species must have been first observed in October or 

 November 1839, when the Samoan Islands were Adsited by the 

 United States' Exploring Expedition under Commander Wilkes 

 {Narrative, etc. pp. 87-116. London: 1845), and Strickland seems 

 to have first publicly announced the discovery at the meeting of the 

 British Association held at York in September 1844, when he stated 

 {Report, etc. p. 189) that "among other rarities" obtained on the 

 voyage by Mr. Titian Peale, the naturalist of the expedition, was 

 " a new bird allied to the Dodo, which he proposes to name Didun- 

 culus J' The earliest description of it that appeared was accompanied 

 by a figure, and was published by Jardine {Ann. Nat. Hist. x\i. p. 

 175, pi. 9), just a year after, under the name of Ghmthodon'^ strigi- 

 rostris, from a specimen which had been sent home, probably by some 

 missionary, and was bought in a sale at Edinburgh. This, and 

 those brought by the American explorers, were for a long while the 

 only specimens knoA^oi to have reached any civilized country. In 

 1847 Eeichenbach conferred on this bird a new generic name, 

 Pliodus, for an invalid reason (see his Vog. Neuholl, ii. p. 158, note), 

 but courtesy required what custom has acceded, and the oldest 

 generic name applied to it has been commonly adopted, though the 

 full title of the Tooth-billed Pigeon, Diduncidus strigirostris, was not 

 bestowed until 1848, Avhen Peale's work on the zoology of the 

 Expedition to which he was attached put matters so far straight 

 enough. Of late many specimens have been brought to Europe, 

 and they may be seen in many museums. Much has been written 

 of the habits of Didunculus in its native condition, but little that is 

 to the purpose, while some seem to have confounded it with the 

 Carpopliaga pacifica or oceanica, which also is peculiar to the Samoan 

 Islands. The interest taken in this species, chiefly because of its 



^ J. E. Gray had already, in 1836, forestalled the use of this name for a genus 

 of Mollusca. 



