Letter from the Pacific. 331 
four Charadrius fulvus were the highest numbers I ever ob- 
served. Specimens of both species shot in September were 
in moult, and still showed signs of the summer plumage ; 
those collected at the end of October and in November wore 
the full winter dress. Actitis incana chiefly frequents the sea- 
shore, and rests on the isolated coral blocks, or is seen flying 
with great rapidity over the heavy breakers; but this bird, 
which is generally seen in pairs, roosts on the dead branches 
of trees. In habits it nearly resembles our Actitis, but does 
not flirt its tail in the same way. 
At the end of October I had brought to me a specimen of 
Calidris arenarva in full winter dress, but I never observed 
this species myself. On the other hand, I met at the same 
time with a bird which seems to be Charadrius hiaticula, 
although I could not state this as certain. The specimen of 
Numenius femoralis which I mentioned in my last letter 
remains, to my regret, the sole one, although I offered large 
prices to the natives for another. The same thing occurred 
in regard to Carpophaga oceanica. ‘This species, called a 
“Mule” by the natives, seems to be more plentiful on the 
Arno atoll (Daniel and Pedder), as there are bread-fruit trees 
there in considerable numbers ; but all my efforts to obtain it 
were unsuccessful. On Arno I myself observed Numenius 
femoralis. 
On the 21st of October a native brought me an example of 
Eudynamis taitiensis alive, a most wild bird, which bit and 
cried fearfully. As it refused all sorts of food, I had to kill 
it, in order to save the skin. The stomach contained wing- 
coverts of beetles, remains of caterpillars, and a few small 
seeds. In lfe—bill dark horn-brown, lower mandible and 
edging of the upper brownish grey ; eye-ring obsolete greyish 
green; legs dirty green, claws black, soles pale yellow; iris 
dark brown, with a brownish-yellow outer rim. The species 
is called “‘ Urit”’ by the natives, but none of them could tell 
me during what season the bird lives here. On the 26th of 
October I got a “very rare bird,’ which King Kabua, fol- 
lowed by his family, was bearing himself under his arm—not 
as a present, for these people never give any presents, even 
