1875.] REV. S. J. WHITMEE ON THE HABITS OF DIDUNCULUS. 4995 
Reptilia et Batrachia. Pisces. 
Gymnotus xgyptiacus. Perca cernua, one corpuscle lying flat, 
Crocodilus acutus. the other on edge. 
Lacerta viridis. Tinca vulgaris. 
Anguis fragilis. Salmo fontinalis. 
Coluber berus. Esox lucius. 
Python tigris. Gymnotus electricus. 
Bufo vulgaris. Squalus acanthias. 
Lissotriton vulgaris. Ammoceetes branchialis. 
Sieboldia maxima. Lepidosiren annectens. 
Siren lacertina. 
Proteus anguinus. 
Amphiuma tridactylum. 
3. Ona Change in the Habits of the Didunculus strigirostris. 
By 8S. J. Witmer, C.M.Z.S., F.R.G.S. 
[Received May 31, 1875.] 
Two or three months ago, in writing to Mr. Sclater on the 
Didunculus strigirostris of the Samoan Islands (P. Z.S. 1874, 
p- 183), 1 mentioned that the bird was evidently increasing in 
numbers, and I thought this increase might be accounted for by 
a change in its habits in feeding, roosting, and building. I have long 
known that it feeds now chiefly (I think I may say almost exclu- 
sively) upon high trees, instead of upon the ground as it formerly 
did. But I did not attribute much importance to that fact, because, 
the bird being wary, I thought its destruction by wild cats to be 
chiefly in the night when roosting, or when on the nest during the 
process of incubation, while rats would also destroy the eggs or 
young in the nest. Hence I did not see how a change in the place 
of feeding could alone account for the increase of the bird. I there- 
fore made particular inquiries from natives who shoot birds for me 
as to its roosting. From the information procured on this point 
I believe the Didunculi almost invariably roost now upon the high 
branches of trees instead of upon low stumps as formerly. 
The nest of this bird is so rarely found that few opportunities 
occur of learning where it builds. In 1871 I procured an egg which 
was taken from a nest on the ground; but last year I purchased an 
unfledged bird which was taken from a nest on a tree; and this 
morning I have received further information on this point which will, 
I think, be sufficiently interesting to naturalists to be worth sending. 
I was asking a native to procure some birds for me, and also to look 
out for eggs, when he said, “I found an egg of the Manu-mea (the 
native name of the Didunculus) the other day and threw it away.” 
To this I replied, “ What a pity! Why did you not bring it to 
me? I would have bought it. What was the egg like? and where was 
the nest?’? He answered, “ The egg was white like that of the 
Inpe (the Carpophaga pacifica) ; and the nest was in the fork of a 
tree. I frightened the bird off, but could not shoot it. The Manu- 
mea seems to build on trees now-a-days ; I suppose it is on account 
