68 FUNAFUTI ATOLL. 



elongata, " Fasua noa," were habitually used. The former clam 

 was sometimes collected and stored near the village on rocks 

 under water till required. A Sepia, which I did not see, the 

 "Feki," was esteemed a delicacy. The children amused themselves 

 by collecting from the sandy beach, cooking and eating Paplda 

 mitis, "Assouri." Piles of shells confirmed the statement that 

 the Strombus luhuanus, " Paneia," was consumed. There were 

 pointed out to me as eatable, an Area, " Kashi," a Chama, 

 " Saupou," Nerita, " Sebo," Asaphis deftorata, " Kosh," and 

 Vermetus maximus, " Gea." 



Of Crustacea the Robber Crab, Burgus latro, " Taou," and the 

 crawfish Palinurus guttaius, " Oula," were prized. 



HYGIENE. 



The visit of a ship, though an agreeable break in the dull 

 monotony of atoll life, is yet almost as much dreaded as welcomed. 

 For such contact with the outside world almost invariably induces 

 a severe cold from which the whole population suffers. Upon the 

 arrival of our party in H.M.S. "Penguin," it was not observed 

 that any of the visitors had a cold, yet in a few days all the 

 islanders were coughing and sneezing from a severe attack of cold 

 which they said the ship brought. 



Mr. Whitmee, "once visited several islands of the Ellice Group 

 about a fortnight after a trading vessel from Sydney, which had 

 influenza on board. This vessel had taken some of the natives 

 from one island to another as passengers, and at three of the 

 islands the entire population was suffering from the epidemic. 

 Had this been a more severe disease the people would have been 

 utterly helpless."* 



From some manuscript notes made during his voyage round the 

 Ellice Archipelago and kindly placed at my disposal by the Rev. 

 W. W. Gill, LL.D., I learn that he saw on Nanomana, "a woman 

 carrying a pendulous excrescence weighing doubtless 75 fcs. 

 ( = elephantiasis pudendi a rare thing)," also that it was the 

 custom for the women in attendance at a birth to taste the uterine 

 haemorrhage which occurs after parturition. From the same 

 source T extract the following: "At Vaitupu, circumcision is 

 not practised ; but instead of it the prepuce of little boys is drawn 

 back over the glans and left thus. As at Niue it is clear (indeed 

 they assert the fact) that their ancestors were in the habit of 

 practising circumcision." Also at Vaitupu, " It was a common 

 custom before the introduction of Christianity, to cut off a joint 

 of a finger on the death of a child, or any other member of the 



* Whitmee Art. Polynesia, Eucy. Brit*. (9), 1885, xix., p. 422, 

 foot note. 



