SPECIES EXTINCT OR EXTIRPATED. 405 



the early days, and that seems to have been overlooked 

 by ornithologists. Davis (1815) says in his History of Ware- 

 ham, Mass.: "Hog Island, so termed, and which is very 

 small, is appendant to this town. It may, perhaps be perti- 

 nent here to notice, that in early colonial annals, there appears 

 to have been several little islands in Manomet Bay, on the 

 Sandwich side, some of them, marsh islands, probably, within 

 its necks, thus denominated; Panoket (little land) Chup- 

 pateest, (coney island or neck) Squannequeest and Mashne; 

 while Unset and Quanset were little bays or coves on the 

 Wareham side. ... It is but a mile across, from a part of the 

 Wareham shore, to Manomet River, on the back shore of Sand- 

 wich. That rivulet was visited by Gov. Bradford as early as 

 1622, to procure corn, and was the Pimesepoese of the natives. 

 This compound phrase signifies 'provision rivulet.' What a 

 remarkable coincidence between the aboriginal name and the 

 colonial voyage! We do not assume this explanation without 

 substantial and tenable grounds. The first part of the phrase, 

 pime, is, in its uses, 'food', 'provision;' the latter, 'little 

 river.' . . . The shores of this secluded and pleasant little bay, 

 indented by many necks and inlets, and embosoming islands, 

 must have been the chosen haunt of aquatic birds. The waders 

 yet seek it, tracing up its marshy creeks. On the Sandwich 

 side was Penguin River, where that singular bird resorted, in 

 the breeding season, in great numbers. The manner in which 

 the natives took them was, to erect stakes, or a weir, across an 

 inlet, drive them into it, and when the tide receded, strike 

 them down with clubs. This bird, it is well known, dives at 

 a flash: hence its significant name, Wuttoowaganash, 'ears', 

 that is, they 'hear quick.' The English settlers, it seems, 

 without knowing the meaning of this name, have used and 

 transmitted the plural termination only, Wagans , which has 

 no meaning, but a plural merely. We shall seek this bird now, 

 at this spot, in vain; but it appears and is taken, now and 

 then, in the salt ponds, near Ellis' tavern, Plymouth. The 

 name given this bird, with trifling addition, is a watch word, 

 or an alarm; as much as to say, hark! listen!" ^ 



• Davis, S.: History of Wareham, 1815, Coll. Mass. Hist. Soc, Vol. IV., 2d ser., pp. 289-292. 



