102 LETTER FROM DR. G. BENNETT. [April 21, 



I have little doubt that this bird is the true " Hirondelle a queue 

 pointue de Cayenne" of Buffon. It is easily distinguishable from 

 all the others by the white band across the rump. I have two ex- 

 amples, both from Cayenne. 



April 21, 1863. 



E. W. H. Holdsworth, Esq., F.Z.S., in the Chair. 



The Secretary read the following letter, which had been addressed 

 by Mr. Williams, H. B. M. Consul at the Samoan Islands, to Mr. 

 George Sprigg of Melbourne, in reply to letters of inquiry respecting 

 the possibility of obtaining living examples of the Didunculus stri- 

 girostris : — 



" British Consulate, 

 Apia, Upolu, Samoa, 



19th November, 1862. 



"My dear Sir, — I have the pleasure to acknowledge the receipt 

 of your favour, dated April 8th, 1862, with its inclosures. In reply, 

 I would say that I have been over twenty years trying to get one of 

 the birds you write about, and have just, within the last two months, 

 been fortunate enough to secure one, which is now thriving well ; and 

 I hope that when I go to Sydney I shall be able to take it with me. 

 Although, for myself, I should rather favour the Sydney Acclimati- 

 zation Society, yet, as you have first written to me about the bird, I 

 should think it only just to give you the first oifer. I have had 

 great difficulty in obtaining the bird ; for they are nearly extinct, 

 having been destroyed by the wild cats. The Rev. J. B. Stair's 

 account of the bird is very correct. 



" I hope to be in Sydney about May or June, when I shall be 

 happy to hold any further communication with you, and, with kind 

 regards, 



" I am, 



" My dear Sir, 



" Yours very truly, 

 (Signed) "John C. Williams." 



" To Mr. George Sprigg, 

 Melbourne," 



Dr. Sclater also read the following extracts from a letter addressed 

 to him by Dr. G. Bennett of Sydney, F.Z.S., dated January 19, 

 1863, referring to the same subject : — 



" I have now to send you all the information I have collected 

 respecting that rare bird the Didunculus, to bring before the Society. 

 I mentioned in a former letter that I had made arrangements with 

 a gentleman about to visit the Navigators' Islands to procure me 



