348 The Didunculus, or Little Dodo. 



Titian Peale, of America, to be a native of the Samoan or Navi- 

 gator's Islands ; and it was named by him the Didunculus 

 Strigirostris, the name by which the bird is now known. No- 

 thing more was learned about this little Dodo until November 

 in last year, when the following letter was received by Dr. 

 Sclater, secretary of the Zoological Society, from Dr. George 

 Bennett, of Sydney : — 



" In the early part of June, 1863, a living Didunculus was 

 brought to Sydney by Mr. J. Williams from Apia Upolu, one 

 of the groups of the Navigator's Islands ; and on the 15th of June, 

 and the following days, I had several opportunities of examin- 

 ing the bird. At first it seemed rather shy and wild, but 

 afterwards it became more tame, and I could examine it with- 

 out its manifesting any fear. It is about the size of a Nicobar 

 Pigeon (Calcenas Nicobarica), but rather bulkier and rounder in 

 form. Its plumage was not in good condition owing to its 

 having been recently confined in a cage on board ship, but it 

 appeared healthy. This specimen, I should say, was a young 

 bird with immature plumage, and the tooth of the lower man- 

 dible not yet developed. When I first examined it the bird 

 showed its fear by occasionally uttering some rapid ' coos' and 

 by fluttering in its cage, but it subsequently became quite 

 tame. It was captured on the Island of Upolu after being 

 wounded in the wing, and was sold by a native to Mr. Wil- 

 liams. It has now been in captivity about nine months, and 

 is kept in a cage which is merely a box with rails in front, like 

 a hencoop. Here it can run on the floor, or sit on a low 

 perch, or conceal itself in the corners, as it is particularly fond 

 of doing, where, with its dark-coloured plumage, it cannot 

 readily be distinguished. When disturbed it would move 

 gently and timidly across the cage, affording an excellent op- 

 portunity to the observer of examining it. It is a stupid-looking 

 bird, and has no particular attraction, except the anomalous and 

 extraordinary form of the beak, which cannot fail to excito the 

 attention of the most ordinary spectator. 



" The only sound it utters is the quick f coo-coo-coo/ to 

 which I have already alluded, tho beak being always a little 

 open when tho notes were omitted. The whole of its plumage 

 LB of a chocolate-red colour, deeper in tint on the back, tail, 

 and the primaries and secondaries of tho wings; tho throat, 

 breast, and wing-coverts being barred with light brown. The 

 upper part of the head was rawer baro from the feathers having 

 been nibbed off, but what remained wero of a dark slate 

 colour. Tho base of tho beak is orange rod, and tho rest of 

 I he mandibles of a yellowish huo. The tarsi are not feathered, 

 and the legs and feet are of a bright orango red, similar in 

 colour to those of tho Kagu. The irides are dark reddish- 



