330 FOREIGN BIRDS. 



Many Eaters of Honey, flowers flutter'd among ; 

 While others seem'd charm'd with the Poe-hird's song. 



a blackbird ; length eleven inches ; plumage deep greenish- 

 black, in many parts very glossy ; greater wing coverts white ; 

 tail coverts a rich blue ; tail same as the body ; neck feathers 

 fine, long, somewhat curled, and standing from the neck like a 

 ruff} a white tuft of curled feathers on each side of the neck. 

 The term Po'c is said to be the Otaheitan word for ear-ring, 

 whence its name. This bird is said to be as remarkable for the 

 sweetness of its note as it is for the beauty of its plumage ; flesh 

 delicate food ; inhabits New Zealand and the South Sea 

 Islands ; and particularly Otaheiti ; or, as the inhabitants 

 themselves call it, Taheety, or Taheity. This island lies in lati> 

 tude 18^ South, and in the loO^'^ degree of West longitude; it is 

 beautiful, well wooded, and affords support to many inhabi- 

 tants. The celebrated Bread Fruit-Tree, Artocarpxis incisa^ 

 is indigenous here ; it is about the size of a moderate oak ; the 

 leaves are oblong, and often a foot and half in length ; they, in 

 colour and thickness, resemble those of the fig, exuding a milky 

 juice on fracture. The fruit is about the size of a new-born 

 child's head. The eatable part, which lies between the skin 

 and core, is as white as snow, and of the consistence of new 

 bread. It is prepared for eating in various ways. 



The Great-Uooked-billed-Honey-Eater, or Great- 

 Hook-billei)-Creeper, (Certhia pacifica,) with a creeper-like- 

 hill, is eight inches long; plumage above black, lower parts of 

 the back, rump, and upper tail coverts, a tine deep yellow ; 

 beneath dusky ; shoulders, inner ridge of the wing, and part of 

 the coverts, yellow ; quills and tail black; inhabits the Friendly 

 Islands in the South Seas ; called at Owhyhee, Hoohoo. 



The Hooked-billed-Honey-Eater, (Certhia Ohscura,) 

 may also be mentioned as a curious species. For another 

 Honey- Eater f see pages 31 9, 320, Cinnyris affinis. 



