72 POLYNESIAN RESEARCHES. 
very good; but, having little meat besides, we soon 
became tired of it. Although capable, when all 
the bones are taken out, of being preserved by salt, 
the natives never, till lately, thought of sitting 
down to less than a hog baked whole. Several of 
the chiefs, however, now only dress so much as is 
necessary for the immediate use of their families, 
and salt the remainder. 
Next to the flesh of swine, that of the dog was 
formerly prized by the Tahitians, as an article of 
food. Nevertheless, dogs do not appear to have 
been reared for food so generally as among the 
Sandwich Islanders; here they were fed rather as 
an article of luxury, and principally eaten by the 
chiefs. They were usually of a small or middling 
size, and appear a kind of terrier breed, but were 
by no means ferocious ; and, excepting their shape 
and habits, they have few of the characteristics of 
the English dog: this probably arises from their 
different food. The hog and the dog were the only 
quadrupeds whose flesh was eaten by the Tahitians. 
Rats were occasionally eaten uncooked by the 
Friendly Islanders; but, although numerous, they 
do not appear to have been used for that purpose 
here. Cats are now domesticated in most of the 
houses, and appear great favourites with the 
people. 
To these, horses, asses, horned cattle, goats, and 
sheep, have been added, and, excepting the latter, 
appear to thrive exceedingly well. Rabits have 
been several times taken to the islands, and either 
turned loose, or fed in pens ; but the climate, or 
food, does not seem to have been suitable, and 
they seldom lived long. 
The feathered tribes of the South Sea Islands, 
like those of the northern Pacific, are not distin- 
