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Show 184 LETTER FROM REV. S. J. WHITMEE. [Mar. 17, " It strikes me that the Didunculi are increasing in numbers. Long ago the Samoans used to 'preserve' them. A chief would have a hut in the bush, not far from his house, where the birds were fed daily; they were then very numerous and very tame. The introduction of cats (and, I believe, also rats) by European vessels led almost to the extinction of the bird. But within a recent period it must have increased considerably. Only a few years ago I had a native on the search for a Didunculus for months before he found one. N o w the same native will go into the bush any day and almost certainly find at least one. Something may be allowed for a knowledge of the haunts of the bird; but this will not wholly account for the compa-tive ease with which it may now be found. I believe the habit of the bird has in a great measure changed-that instead of feeding almost exclusively upon the ground as formerly, it now feeds almost exclusively upon high trees, and that it now roosts and builds higher than formerly. I have questioned the natives who have brought m e birds ; and the almost uniform testimony is in favour of this view. Hence ' natural selection' seems now to be operating for the preservation of this once almost extinct bird. " From the description of the Pareudiastespacificus by Drs. Hart-laub and Finsch, in P. Z. S. for 1871, p. 26, I see they have no account of the habits of that bird. Perhaps a few notes on this subject may be interesting to you. " I have long known the Pareudiastes by the report of the natives of these islands ; but I first saw the bird last year. I think it was in September 1872 when one was brought to me. It was alive, but only just alive; for the native who brought it to m e had bad it in his possession three or four days and had been trying to feed it with vegetable food, which plainly did not suit it. It died a few hours after I first saw it. I did not know at the time whether it had been described or not, as I bad not then received the Society's ' Proceedings' for 1871. I sent the specimen in spirits to Rev. Canon Tristram. I have since then procured another specimen, and have now an egg which is said by the man who found it to be that of this bird. "Knowing something of the habits of the Pareudiastes, I was much pleased with the following remark in the paper by Drs. Hartlaub and Finsch :-' The eyes seem to be uncommonly large ; and this, as well as the other peculiarities, give some right to suspect that this remarkable form will exhibit also interesting peculiarities in respect to its habits.' "The Sanoans always speak of the Pareudiastes as the 'bird which burrows like a rat.' Again and again when I have put the question to a native, 'Do you know the Puna'eV the reply has been, 'No, I have never seen it; but that is the bird of which the old people speak that it used to be very plentiful long ago, and that it burrows like a rat and lives underground.' It is very rarely that I have met with any one who has seen the bird ; but I have met with two persons who have actually taken it in its burrow. The first is a m a n well known to me, and in whose veracity I have faith. He savs that |