540 FUNAFUTI ATOLL. 



The specimen now obtained enables us to extend its distribution 

 surprisingly. Not only is it recorded in the Pacific, and south of 

 the Equator, but many definite localities are known widely apart, 

 while inferentially its Pacific range is very extensive indeed. 



Taking Mr. Louis Becke's account (p. 199) the Palu is first to 

 be noted as frequenting the neighbourhood of the Line Islands 

 (the Gilberts or Kingsmill Group) thence at the Ellice Group where 

 he describes it as being hooked at Nanomanga. From the same 

 group, namely at Funafuti, we receive the specimen obtained by 

 Mr. Finckh. The next locality is Tokelau or the Union Group, 

 and still proceeding in a south westerly direction we encounter 

 Pukapuka (Danger Island), Manahiki (Humphrey Island), and 

 Suwarrow, and further to the south Niue or Savage Island. 



We have thus definite records of the occurrence of the Palu 

 through twenty-six degrees of longitude, that is from the Gilberts 

 173 E. to Manahiki 161 W., and nineteen degrees of latitude, 

 namely from the Equator (or thereabouts) southwards, to Savage 

 Island, 19 S. 



Hedley has published (pp. 272-276) an exhaustive account of 

 the so-called " shark-hook " of the Pacific, and has shown that this 

 peculiar wooden hook is not intended for shark but for Palu 

 catching. 



As these hooks are so commonly known to Ethnologists, and 

 are 'found over such a large area, it might be thought that the fish 

 for which they are intended would surely also be known. Palu 

 fishing however, is conducted in a ceremonious and superstitious 

 manner, and the natives are very jealous of their capture, which 

 is "prized above all other fish." It is small wonder then that the 

 Palu has so long remained unknown to Europeans, and indeed 

 Becke writes : " With the exception of an old trader named Jack 

 O'Brien, now living in Funafuti,* in the Ellice Group, I do not 

 think there is among the white traders of to-day another man 

 besides myself who has caught 'Palu.' In the first place, a man 

 must have much experience of deep-sea fishing; in the next, the 

 native inhabitants would strongly resent a strange white man 

 attempting to catch one." 



Taking all things into consideration it is not unreasonable to 

 argue that where the Palu hook is found, thence will the fish, 

 sooner or later be recorded. 



" Tracing the geographical distribution of this hook (writes 

 Hedley, p. 273), we note it recorded from Nanomea, by Brill ; 

 from Nukufetau in the Ellice, Nukuor in the Carolines, and 

 Tarowa in the Gilberts, by Dr. Finsch ; from Nukulailai, Meue, 

 Tamana, and the Union Group, and possibly an eccentric type 



* Mr. O'Brien died in 1899, since the publication of Part 3 of this 

 Memoir. 



