FEBRUARY IT, 1897 | 
NATURE 355 
received its death-blow about thirty years ago, not from a mis- 
sionary, but from a white trader, O’Brian, now living on the 
island, who accomplished its overthrow, not from any religious 
motive, but because the ancient religion took up much of the 
time which he thought, rightly or wrongly, should be given to 
collecting copra for him. He told the natives that the captain 
of the vessel trading with him threatened on his return to shoot 
every man, woman and child if they did not destroy the spirit 
and fetish houses. ‘‘And do you think he will do it?” they 
asked. ‘‘ Undoubtedly,” was the reply. So they were terribly 
frightened, and some wished to destroy the houses, and others, 
under the leadership of the priest, were opposed. Three men- 
friends of O’Brian’s were in favour, and they went into the 
charm-house, took down the Teo, polluted it and put it back. 
There was a great noise when the deed was discovered, and 
suspicion fell on these three men and O’Brian. The three men 
left the island and went to Nukulailai, and of course were thus 
self-condemned. The spirit-master accordingly performed his 
charms, and told the people that these three men were now dead. 
One of the three men, Leveri, had a twin brother who remained 
in Funafuti after the flight of Leveri, and he was terribly 
grieved over his brother’s death ; the other men also were much 
regretted, and the whole population went into mourning—cut- 
ting off their hair, they made necklaces of it to wear round their 
necks, abstained from eating taro, and in other ways showed 
their grief. 
One day, however, Leveri returned in a ship; the people 
could not eredit it, and said it must be his spirit. Leveri, how- 
ever, cried out to them in his own proper voice, and they had then 
no doubt that he was alive ; they asked him about the other two 
men, and learnt that they also were alive and well, and meant 
soon to return. Then there was great uproar, and the people 
cried, ‘‘ Burn the devil’s house.” O’ Brian did not wait for further 
orders, but went off with a half-caste and set both the devil’s 
and the charm house on fire. The spirit-master, or devil- 
master, seized the Teo and escaped with it in his canoe to the 
lagoon. But O’Brian took his double-barrelled gun and went 
after him, and threatened to shoot him if he did not bring it 
back: knowing well that if this devil-master escaped with the 
Teo, the people would begin to worship it again on the first 
opportunity. The devil-master came back, and O’Brian took 
the Teo, unwound the stone from its wrappings—it was a red 
stone from six to eight inches long—and dashed it in pieces on 
the ground. Then he fired his gun through the roof of the 
burning house and exclaimed, ‘‘ There goes your devil up in the 
air! See him!” And all the people said ‘* Tschah!”’ an 
expression of great surprise. 
The devil-master threatened proceedings from the next world. 
‘*Now,” said he and his friends, ‘‘never more any turtles, no 
bonitos, no fish in lagoon.” 
There was a devil’s house on the northern island, and O’ Brian 
and Matika went in their canoe to burn that down too; on the 
way they got hundreds of black fish, and brought them back to 
the islanders. The people said, ‘‘ God was sorry for the devil, 
and gave these fish to atone.”” So they gave them away (to the 
devil-master ?). 
The turtle is taboo to all but the king. When one is caught 
it is brought to the king, who recites the following formula over 
it before cutting it up :— 
Te ailu o te fonu 
The body of the turtle 
Te ika mua e soa 
The fore paddles are fellows (a pair) 
Te ika muti e soa 
The hind paddles are a pair 
Te vaesiosio e soa 
The lungs are a pair 
Te alaga mua e soa 
The arms are a pair 
Te alaga muti e soa 
The legs are a pair 
Te matua tinae e soa 
The breast is a pair 
Te puloa e soa 
The belly is a pair 
Te laukape e soa 
The back is a pair 
Te matua lua e soa 
The small guts are a pair 
Te lakau e soa 5 
The great intestine is a pair 
NO. 1424, VOL. 55 | 
Te fatumava e soa 
The liver is a pair 
Te ate e soa 
The fat under the armpits is a pair 
Te mama e kiukiu te fua 
He then divides it among himself and his relatives. 
I have attempted, with the help of the natives, to translate 
all the lines except the last, which O'Brian told me meant 
“the eggs are thousands and thousands.” The formula as I 
give it is copied from the writing of a native scribe, who took it 
down in our presence as the king recited it. 
July 19, 1896. W. J. SOLEAS; 
UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 
INTELLIGENCE. 
OxForbD.—The following have been elected to the University 
Mathematical Scholarships and Exhibition for 1897 :—To the 
Senior Mathematical Scholarship: E. E. Roberts (Corpus 
Christi College). Proxtme accessit: E. Lawton (Corpus Christi 
College), to whom the Examiners have awarded Lady Herschel’s 
Book for Astronomy. To the Junior Mathematical Scholarship : 
W. M. Roberts (scholar of Corpus Christi College). Proxime 
accesstt ; R. F. McNeile (scholar of Balliol College). 
Mr. C. L. Shadwell, Fellow of Oriel College, has been 
appointed a Curator of the Botanic Garden, in place of Mr. F. T. 
Richards. 
The General Medical Council has decided not to register as 
medical students those who have only passed Responsions. They 
will henceforth require a knowledge of Algebra up to simple 
equations, and of Euclid, Books I.-III., with easy deductions, in 
addition to the ordinary subjects of the examination. Steps are 
being taken to meet these requirements. 
The Junior Scientific Club met on February 3, Mr. A. W. 
Brown (Christ Church), President, in the chair. Mr. Percy 
Elford exhibited a series of specimens illustrating the evolution 
of the match. Mr. A. E. Boycott (Oriel) read a valuable and 
interesting paper on shell colouration in British extra-marine 
mollusca ; and Mr. B. H. Rolfe (Merton) discussed the effect of 
climate on building-stone. The President announced that the 
first volume of ‘‘ Robert Boyle Lectures” would shortly be 
published. 
The Professorship of Geology is still vacant. At present 
arrangements are being made for the instruction of those who 
wish to study geology at the Museum. The new Professor 
will in all probability be appointed in the course of the present 
term. 
Mr. F. F. Fison has been elected to a Casberd Scholarship in 
Mathematics at St. John’s College. 
CAMBRIDGE.—The degree of Master of Arts, Aonor?s causa, 
is to be conferred on Dr. A. A. Kanthack, Deputy-Professor of 
Pathology. The Senate has assigned a stipend of £250 to Dr. 
Joseph Griffiths while he is discharging the duties of the 
Professor of Surgery during the vacancy of the chair, The 
Senate has also made a grant of £50 to the University Lecturer 
in Geography (Mr. Yule-Oldham) for additional maps and 
apparatus. 
Dr. D. H. Scott, F.R.S., has been appointed an Elector to 
the chair of Botany; Mr. J. J. H. Teall, F.R.S., an Elector to 
the chair of Geology ; Sir W. H. Flower, F.R.S., an Elector to 
the chair of Zoology; Dr. A. S. Lea, F.R.S., an Elector to the 
chair of Physiology ; and Dr. J. Sully, an Elector to the chair 
of Mental Philosophy. 
Lorp HERSCHELL recently opened new technical schools at 
Swindon. They are built upon a site generously presented by 
Major Rolleston, at a cost of £12,000, towards which the New 
Swindon District Council contribute £7500, the Wilts County 
Council £3500, and the Science and Art Department £1000. 
THE National Association of Manual Training Teachers has 
issued a circular letter asking teachers of manual training, 
‘© Whether the making of apparatus and instruments for physics 
(as suggested in the Physics’ Syllabus, Form 74, of the Science 
and Art Department) interferes educationally with manual 
training ?” 
THE Cornwall Sea Fisheries Committee have resolved to apply 
to the County Council to sanction a salary of £250 a year, 
with an additional £100 for travelling expenses, in con- 
