The Didunculus, or Little. Dodo. 349 



brown, and the cere round the eyes is flesh colour. The bird 

 is fed upon boiled rice, yams, and potatoes.''' 



This letter was followed by a second, received by the fol- 

 lowing mail. In it Dr. Bennett says : — 



" I have to add to my account of the bird sent last mail 

 that this bird was captured within five miles of Apia, Island of 

 Upolu ; so that the bird is not yet quite extinct in that island, 

 as has been supposed even by the resident missionaries. It is 

 very fond of the mountain plantain, upon which it has often 

 been found feeding in its wild state." 



A third letter states : — 



" Since my last letter another living specimen of the Didun- 

 culus has been brought to Sydney by the Eev. Mr. Rigg, who 

 procured it from a native on the island of Savaii. This I have 

 reason to believe is the identical bird that Mr. Trail, at the 

 instigation of Mr. O'Hea, endeavoured to procure for me, as in 

 reply to Mr. Trail's inquiries respecting the bird, the native 

 informed him it had just been sold to a European on the other 

 side of the island. On the day after the arrival of the vessel, 

 I went on board and saw the bird, which *is a much finer 

 specimen than the one in the possession of Mr. Williams. It 

 appears to be full grown, and in adult plumage — the head, 

 neck, breast, and upper parts of the back being of a glossy 

 greenish black ; back, wings, tail, and under tail-coverts a 

 deep chocolate-red colour; but I consider that the bird has only 

 recently been changing its plumage, and that the present dark- 

 green feathers will become more brilliant, and the chocolate- 

 red colour of a still brighter hue. The legs and feet are of a 

 bright red colour, and the claws yellowish-white. The man- 

 dibles are of an orange-red colour, shading off near the tips 

 to a light yellow. The cere round the eyes is also of a bright 

 orange-red colour; eyes, brownish-black. It is agreed by 

 every one with whom I have conversed, who has resided at the 

 Navigator's Islands, that the Didunculus is nearly extinct, 

 from being eaten by the natives as well as by the cats, rats, 

 and other vermin, and that most of the other ground-pigeons 

 are following its fate from the same causes. The possessor of 

 the last bird says he has never observed the bird to drink 

 water since it has been in his possession. Its food at that time 

 consisted of boiled yams, but it will eat bananas, apples, bread, 

 and boiled potatoes. The lower mandible has the tooth well 

 developed. This bird was very tame, and was eating some 

 boiled yam very voraciously during the time I was inspecting 

 it, bolting down very large pieces. 



" This morning I examined both birds ; they are evidently 

 moulting, and the younger bird has grown very much since I 

 last saw it, and is becoming now a much larger bird than the 



