193 



game preserve. Turkeys, ducks, geese, &c, do well 

 in Fiji, and a good turkey may be purchased for a 

 dollar. 



The animals indigenous to Eiji arc several species of 

 bats or flying foxes and a small rat. A large frog and 

 ten different kinds of snake,s are found in these islands. 

 The snakes are harmless and are eaten by the natives. 

 This prevents their increasing in number which, on 

 account of their killing the rats that are becoming 

 numerous and destructive to the crops in some districts, 

 is to be regretted. The natives keep numbers of 

 dogs which they are fond of and kind to. With them 

 the native sportsman hunts wild pigs in the forests, 

 and raises wild fowl, which the hunter knocks down 

 as they fly with stones, or short pieces of sticks, in 

 the throwing of which the natives are experts. 



Several kinds of wild ducks are plentiful in the 

 group, and so also are snipe and sandpipers. Wild 

 pigeons are numerous in the forests, and are, like the 

 wild ducks, &c, excellent eating. The golden or 

 orange dove is a most lively bird, whose plumage is 

 gold, or bright orange coloured, Some beautiful 

 parrots or parroquets are also found in the group. 

 The many coloured feathers of these birds and those 

 of domestic fowls, cocks' tails, are used for various 

 ornamental purposes by the natives. 



Whales and porpoises abound in the seas which 

 surround the group. These seas also swarm with 

 numerous kinds of fishes, many of which are edible 

 and their quality is most excellent. A few are poison- 

 ous, and others are remarkable for their beautiful 

 colours. Sharks also abound in these seas. They 

 arc common in deep pools in the rivers ; in fresh 



Q, 2019. n 



