The Solomon Islands and Their Natives Part 42

The handsome ground-pigeon, known as the Nicobar pigeon (_Geophilus nicobaricus_), is commonly observed in the wooded islets on the coral reefs of the Solomon Group. As I have remarked on page 293, this bird is probably instrumental in transporting from one locality to another the small hard seeds and fruits which the common fruit-pigeon (_Carpophaga_) refuses. That it is able to crack such hard seeds as those of the leguminous plant _Adenanthera pavonina_,[457] is shown by the fact that I have found these seeds cracked in the cavity of the gizzard, which is in its structure and mechanism _a veritable pair of nutcrackers_. In this bird the muscular stomach or gizzard is of a surprising thickness, and is provided with a very singular mechanical contrivance to a.s.sist its crus.h.i.+ng power. As shown in the accompanying diagram, it is composed of two muscular halves, each having a maximum thickness of five-eighths of an inch and united with each other in front and behind by a stout distensible membrane, which is the proper wall of the organ. Developed in the h.o.r.n.y epithelial lining membrane there are two cartilaginous bodies of hemispherical shape, one in each muscular segment of the gizzard, which measure about one-third of an inch in thickness and three-fourths of an inch in diameter. The outer or convex surface of each cartilaginous body fits into a cup-shaped cavity which is lined by a semi-cartilaginous membrane, the whole const.i.tuting a "ball-and-socket" joint with well lubricated surfaces. The two surfaces of this pseudo-articulation are capable of easy movement on each other, being retained in close apposition by the attachment to the subjacent tissues of the h.o.r.n.y epithelial lining membrane in which the cartilaginous body is developed. The inner or free surface of each hemispherical body, that which looks into the gizzard cavity, is somewhat concave, and projects a little above the surface of the lining membrane; it is much harder than the opposite convex side of the cartilage and has almost the consistence of bone, the arrangement of the cells into densely packed rows with but little intervening matrix indicating an approach towards ossification.

[457] The Kuara tree of India, of whose hard seeds necklaces are made.

The firm consistence of these hemispherical cartilages combined with the mechanism of a moveable articulation must greatly a.s.sist the already powerful muscular walls of the gizzard; but there is an additional factor in the crus.h.i.+ng power in the constant presence of a small quartz pebble, usually about half-an-inch across. With such a apparatus, I can well conceive that very hard seeds and nuts may be broken, as in the case of the seeds of _Adenanthera pavonina_ already alluded to. The Nicobar pigeon is in fact possessed of a nut-cracking mechanism in its gizzard, by which nuts like those of our hazel tree would be cracked with comparative ease.

With reference to the small quartz pebbles found in the gizzards of these birds, I should remark that there is usually only one present, and that it varies in weight between 30 and 60 grains. I was sometimes able to say where the pigeon had obtained its pebble. Thus, in Faro Island the bird often selects one of the bipyramidal quartz crystals, which occur in quant.i.ties in the beds of the streams in the northern part of the island, where they have been washed out of the quartz-porphyry of the district. In other instances the pebble seems to have been originally a small fragment of chalcedonic quartz, such as composes some of the flakes and worked flints that are found in the soil which has been disturbed for cultivation. Sometimes the pebble is of greasy quartz; and now and then in the absence of quartz the bird has chosen a pebble of some hard volcanic rock. It is a singular circ.u.mstance that although these pigeons frequent coral islets where they can easily find hard pebbles of coral-rock, they prefer the quartz pebbles which are of comparatively rare occurrence. I never found any calcareous pebble in their gizzards, and was often at a loss to explain how the bird was able to ascertain for itself the different degree of hardness between the two pebbles, when the quartz was of the dull white variety..... I learn from a recent work on New Guinea by the missionaries, Messrs. Chalmers and Gill, that inside the gizzard of each Goura pigeon there is a good-sized pebble much prized by the natives as a charm against spear-thrusts and club blows.[458] The Goura pigeon resembles the Nicobar pigeon in habits; and I think it probable that its gizzard will be found to present a similar structure and mechanism for cracking nuts and hard seeds. The common fruit pigeons (_Carpophaga_) of the Solomon Islands, living as they do on soft fleshy fruits, and rejecting the hard seeds and kernels, have no peculiar structure of the gizzard, the walls of which are comparatively thin, and are thrown into permanent rugae somewhat warty oh the surface.

[458] "Work and Adventure in New Guinea" (p. 317): London, 1885.

One of the most familiar birds in these islands is the "bush-hen," which belongs to the family of the mound-builders (_Megapodiidae_). They bury their eggs in the sand at a depth of between three and four feet. On one occasion in the island of Faro, Lieutenant Heming and his party found eight eggs, in different stages of hatching, thus buried: they were scattered about in the sand; and according to the account of the natives only one egg was laid by each bird. The eggs are sometimes found on the surface of the sand. The young birds are able to fly short distances soon after they are hatched. One that was brought on board astonished us all by flying some thirty or forty yards from the s.h.i.+p and then returning to the rigging.

The account recently published by Mr. H. Pryer of his visit to the birds' nest caves of Borneo[459] has opened up the discussion as to the nature of the substance of which the edible bird's nest is composed.

Many and varied have been the surmises as to the source of this material; but nearly all of them have been based on mere speculation, and have been relegated to the limbo of sea-tales. Amongst the earlier explanations, I may allude to those which have been given by early writers. The swiftlets (_Collocalia_), which build their nests in this extraordinary fas.h.i.+on, were considered to gather a gelatinous material from the ocean-foam, or from the bodies of holothurians, or from the skin of the sun-fish. The Chinese fishermen a.s.sured Kaempfer that their nests were composed of the flesh of the great poulpe. A more probable explanation, however, was found by Rumphius in the occurrence on the sea-coasts of a soft almost cartilaginous plant which he with confidence a.s.serted was the material from which these swiftlets constructed their nests; but subsequently this naturalist inclined to the opinion that the substance of which the edible birds' nests are composed is merely a secretionary product. In these two views of Rumphius we have the two sides of the controversy very much as it at present stands. On the one hand, there are those who hold that this substance is a secretionary product: on the other hand, the opinion is held that the nest is constructed of a vegetable matter, usually resulting from the growth of a microscopic alga, which is found in the caves and on the faces of the cliffs where the nests occur. All the weight of experiment and of actual observation tends to negative the view of the vegetable origin of this substance. Sir Everard Home in 1817 declared his opinion that certain peculiar gastric glands, which he found in one of these birds, secreted the mucus of which the nest was formed. In 1859, Dr. Bernstein[460], after having carefully studied the habits of the birds in question, came to the conclusion that their nests are formed from the secretion of certain salivary glands which are abnormally developed during the nest-building season. M. Trecul, who held the same opinion, showed that the bird constructs its nest by means of a mucus which flows abundantly from its beak at the pairing time.[461] This last view is strongly supported by Mr. Layard, who unhesitatingly p.r.o.nounces his opinion that these swiftlets build their nests from the secretionary products of their own salivary glands.[462] However, when Mr. Pryer visited in March, 1884, the birds' nest caves in British North Borneo, he considered that he had found the source of the material of which the nests were composed in the occurrence of a "fungoid growth," which incrusted the rock in damp places, and which, when fresh, resembled half-melted gum tragacanth. Without at present expressing an opinion as to the validity of the inference Mr. Pryer drew from his observations in these caves, I may observe that the "fungoid growth" has been determined by Mr. George Murray,[463] of the Botanical Department of the British Museum, to be the result of the growth of a microscopic alga, a species, probably new, of _Glocapsa_; whilst the edible nests from these caves, according to a chemical and microscopical examination made by Mr. J. R. Green,[464] have been shown to be formed in the great ma.s.s of _mucin_, which is the chief const.i.tuent of the mucous secretions of animals. After examining various specimens of edible nests from other localities, Mr. Green subsequently confirmed the results of his first experiments. The nest-substance, as he unhesitatingly states, is composed of _mucin_, or of a body closely related to it.[465] So far, therefore, there would appear to be but little evidence to support the view of Mr. Pryer that the species of alga, which he found incrusting the rock in the vicinity of the Borneo caves, supplied the material for the construction of the nests of the swiftlets. However, before proceeding to state my own opinion on the matter, I will refer briefly to my observations in the Solomon Islands relating to this question.

[459] Proceedings of the Zoological Society for 1884: p. 532.

[460] Journ. fur Ornithologie, 1859, pp. 112-115; also Proceed.

Zoolog. Soc., 1885, p. 610.

[461] "A General System of Botany," by Le Maout and Decaisne: London, 1873, p. 983.

[462] "Nature," Nov. 27th, 1884.

[463] Proc. Zoolog. Soc., 1884: p. 532.

[464] Proc. Zool. Soc., 1884, p. 532.

[465] "Nature," Dec. 11th, 1884 and May 27th, 1886.

A species of _Collocalia_, which usually frequents inaccessible sea-caves and cliffs, is frequently to be observed on the coasts of the islands of this group. The natives of Treasury Island call this bird "kin-kin;" but they have no knowledge of the nutrient qualities of the substance of which it builds its nest, and they were much amused when I told them of its being a Chinese luxury. I only came upon the nests of this bird on one occasion, and that was in some caves on Oima Atoll in Bougainville Straits. A description of these caves will be here unnecessary. As in the instance of the birds of the Borneo caverns, these swiftlets shared their retreats with a number of large bats, the acc.u.mulation of whose droppings had produced a thick reddish-brown deposit on the floors of the caves. The nests, which were formed for the most part of fibres derived evidently from the vegetable drift[466] at the mouths of the caves, were thickly incrusted with the gelatinous incrustation which projected as winglets from the sides and fastened them to the rock.

[466] The husks of panda.n.u.s seeds more particularly.

A reddish soft gelatinous incrustation occurred on the faces of some of the cliffs in the vicinity of the caves. It was composed of an aggregation of the cells of a microscopic unicellular alga which measure 1/2500 of an inch in diameter. Unfortunately the specimens of this growth which I collected have been mislaid, but there can be little doubt that it is similar to the "fungoid growth" which Mr. Pryer describes in connection with the Borneo caves, and which, through the kindness of Mr. George Murray, I had the opportunity of seeing at the British Museum. On the faces of the coral limestone cliffs of some islands, such as on the east coast of Santa Anna, a like growth occurs in considerable quant.i.ty. In its freshest condition, it may be described as a reddish-yellow, gum-like substance forming a layer to ? of an inch in thickness. Where it incrusts the overhanging face of a cliff, it is more fluid in consistence and sometimes hangs in little pendulous ma.s.ses, one to two inches in length, the extremities of which are often distended with water. This alga decomposes the hard coral limestone, making the surface of the rock soft and powdery. All stages in the growth of this substance may be observed. The older portions are very dark in colour and have a tough consistence; and in the final stage it occurs as a black powder covering the rock surface. On examining this alga with the microscope, I found it to be formed almost entirely of granular matter apparently resulting from the death of the cells; whilst the presence of a few cellular bodies alone gave me an indication of its true nature.

From my observations relating to the subject of the edible bird's nest, it may be therefore inferred that in the Solomon Islands, as in Borneo, the occurrence of these nests is a.s.sociated with the presence of a protophytic alga, which incrusts the rocks of the locality as a gelatinous or gum-like substance. Whether or not the birds employ this material in forming their nests, is a question which would appear to have been already answered in the negative; but it seems to me that those who hold that this material is used for this purpose might justly claim that the final judgment should be suspended, until a chemical examination of this vegetable substance has been made with the object of determining whether it might not yield a material closely resembling _mucin_. Amongst the nitrogenous const.i.tuents of plants occurs the so-called _vegetable alb.u.men_, which in its chemical composition and in its behaviour with re-agents does not differ materially from the _blood-alb.u.men_ of the animal organism, of which in fact it is the source. In suggesting, therefore, that a _vegetable mucin_ may be found in this low plant-growth, I do not pa.s.s beyond the bounds of probability.[467]

[467] _Vide_ a letter by the writer in "Nature," June 3rd, 1886.

Small scorpions came under my notice in Faro Island. They are not usually more than 1 in length and occur in narrow clefts of rocks and in the crevices of trees. I was stung by one on the thumb, but the pain was trifling and soon pa.s.sed away.[468]

[468] Specimens of these scorpions were given by me to the Australian Museum, Sydney.

A species of _Iulus_ or Millipede, which attains a length of from 6 to 7 inches, is commonly found in the eastern islands of the Solomon Group on the trunks of fallen trees and amongst decaying vegetable debris. It is often to be seen amongst the rotting leaves that have gathered inside the bases of the fronds of the Bird's-nest Fern (_Asplenium nidus_).

These Myriapods seem to be less frequent in the islands of Bougainville Straits towards the opposite end of the group, as I do not remember seeing any large _Iuli_ in that locality: their place appears to be taken by another Myriapod, apparently a _Polydesmus_, growing to a length of 2 inches, which I found amongst decaying vegetation at all elevations up to 1900 feet above the sea, as on the summit of Faro Island. But to return to the _Iuli_, I should remark that this genus of Myriapods evidently possesses some means of transportal across wide tracts of sea, since, amongst other islands similarly situated, it is found in Tristan da Cunha,[469] in the South Atlantic Ocean, and I have found it in the Seych.e.l.les, in the Indian Ocean. The habits of these Millipedes would render it highly probable that they have reached the oceanic islands on vegetable drift, such as floating logs. It is, however, a noteworthy circ.u.mstance that they do not seem to be able to withstand immersion in sea-water for any length of time. In experimenting on the Solomon Island species, I found that they were able to survive an hour-and-a-half's complete immersion in sea-water, but that an immersion of three hours killed them. One individual, out of several experimented on, survived for twelve hours after it was taken out, but only in a half lifeless condition.[470] It may, therefore, have been that the _Iulus_ has been transported to oceanic islands by such agencies as canoes and s.h.i.+ps, rather than by means of floating trees.[471]

[469] Moseley's "Naturalist on the Challenger," p. 134.

[470] This species of _Iulus_ was able to sustain a longer submersion in fresh-water, without apparently any injurious effects.

Those experimented on recovered after being kept under water for four hours, but died after a submersion of six hours.

[471] As bearing on this point, it might be interesting to determine whether these large _Iuli_ occur on islands far from land which are believed never to have been inhabited.

Like other species of the genus, the Solomon Island _Iulus_ exhales a very pungent and disagreeable odour, which is caused by an acrid fluid secreted by small vesicles, of which each segment of the body contains a pair.[472] On holding my nose for a moment over the mouth of a bottle, containing two of these large Millipedes, I experienced a strong sensation in the nasal pa.s.sages, reminding me much of the effects of an inhalation of chlorine gas. I had previously learned from resident traders that these Millipedes have a habit of ejecting an acrid fluid when disturbed, which, if it entered the eye, was liable to cause acute inflammation; and the instance was related to me of the captain of some s.h.i.+p, trading in these islands, who lost the sight of one of his eyes from this cause. Mr. C. F. Wood learned from the natives of St.

Christoval, in 1873, that these Myriapods "could squirt out a poisonous juice, which was dangerous if it happened to touch one's eye;" but he adds, "there seemed no great probability of their doing this."[473]

However, I usually found that native testimony, in such matters, was very reliable; and in the instance of this reputed habit of the _Iulus_, my personal experience has convinced me of its reality. Whilst handling one of these Millipedes as it lay on the trunk of a fallen tree in Ugi Island, I felt a sudden smarting sensation in the right eye, caused apparently by some fluid ejected into it. Remembering the injurious effect attributed to this habit of the _Iulus_, I at once plunged my head under the water of a stream, in which I happened to be standing up to my waist, and I kept my eye open to wash away the offending fluid.

During the remainder of the day, there was an uncomfortable feeling in the eye and somewhat increased lachrymation; but on the following morning these effects had disappeared. At the time of this occurrence, my face was removed about a foot from the Millipede; and, although I was uncertain from what part of the body the fluid was ejected, I did not care, under the circ.u.mstances, to continue the inquiry.

[472] Hoeven's Zoology. (Eng. edit.) Vol. I., p. 291.

[473] "A Yachting Cruise in the South Seas," p. 131. (London, 1875.)

Amongst the first living creatures to greet the visitor as he lands on the beach of a coral island in the Pacific, is a small species of Hermit-Crab, belonging to the genus _Coen.o.bita_, which frequents the beach in great numbers. The crab withdraws itself just within the mouth of the sh.e.l.l, where it forms a perfect operculum, by means mainly of the large flattened _chelae_ of the left great claw which is arched over by the left leg of the third pair, whilst the right claw and the right leg of the second pair serve to complete the s.h.i.+eld The most plucky and pugnacious of these little crabs are those which occupy cast-off _Nerita_ sh.e.l.ls, a character which probably arises from their consciousness of the solid strength of the home they have chosen: and, strange to say, the tiny bosses on the surfaces of the large pincers, which are outermost in the improvised operculum, resemble similar markings on the outer side of the operculum of the _Nerita_ (_N.

marmorata_, Hombr and Jacq), whose sh.e.l.l they often inhabit. Mr.

Darwin[474] observed that the different species of hermit-crabs, which he found on the Keeling Islands in the Indian Ocean, used always certain kind of sh.e.l.ls; but I could not satisfy myself that such was the case in the instance of the Solomon Island hermit-crabs. In the case of the common beach species of _Coen.o.bita_, I found, after carefully examining a number of individuals to satisfy myself of their being of the same species, that sh.e.l.ls of the genera _Turbo_, _Nerita_, _Strombus_, _Natica_, _Distorsio_, Truncatella, _Terebra_, _Melania_, &c., &c., contained the same species of _Coen.o.bita_, whether the individual was large enough to occupy a _Turbo_ sh.e.l.l of the size of a walnut or sufficiently small to select the tiny sh.e.l.l of the _Truncatella_ for its home. Another species of the same genus prefers usually the vicinity of the beach; but it may occur at heights up to 200 feet above the sea. It is rather larger than the beach species, and differs amongst other characters in the more globose form of the large claws and in the greater relative size of the left one. It occupies sh.e.l.ls of different kinds, such as those of _Nerita_, _Turbo_, &c. A still larger species, which frequents the vicinity of the beach, usually selects _Turbo_ sh.e.l.ls, apparently because of their larger size. All the other species of _Coen.o.bita_, which I met with, used, when I touched them, to withdraw themselves within their sh.e.l.ls and close them up at once with their claws; but this kind, when I caught hold of the _Turbo_ sh.e.l.l that it carried, left the sh.e.l.l behind in my fingers with apparent unconcern and crawled leisurely away, displaying, somewhat indecorously, the rudimentary plates on the back of its abdomen. These are the plates that attain their greatest development in the Cocoa-nut Crab (_Birgus latro_), which is thus able to dispense with a sh.e.l.l altogether. The greatest heights at which I found hermit-crabs were in the island of Faro on the two highest peaks, which are elevated respectively 1600 and 1900 feet above the sea. In both these localities, the crab had reached the very summit and could not have climbed higher. The species was apparently different from, though closely allied to, the common beach species, and frequented the sh.e.l.ls of a land-snail (_Helix_). I was indebted to Lieutenant Heming for directing my attention to the hermit-crab, found 1900 feet above the sea. It appears to me likely that these hermit-crabs will be found at much greater heights in this group, since, in this island, their ambition to rise had carried them up as far as they could go.

[474] "Journal of the Beagle," p. 457.

Other species of hermit-crabs, that are common in these islands, belong to the genus _Pagurus_. They are conspicuously distinguished from the species of _Coen.o.bita_, above described, by their first pair of claws, which are small and weak and ill-adapted for defensive purposes. For this reason, these species are less able to look after themselves; and since they cannot form the operculum-like s.h.i.+eld with their claws at the mouth of the sh.e.l.l, they always choose sh.e.l.ls which will permit of their retiring well within it, so as to be out of the reach of their enemies.

Some species are found in the stream-courses and in the brackish water near their mouths, when they often frequent cast-off _Melania_ sh.e.l.ls.

Other species (?) prefer the sea-water on the reef-flats. I noticed one individual that displayed its eccentricity of disposition, in selecting, as its abode, the hollow tube of a small water-logged stick, about six inches long, which it dragged about after it during its peregrinations, and into which it retreated when alarmed. On one occasion, I observed a large _Dolium_ sh.e.l.l, moving briskly about in a pool of salt-water, which, on picking up, I found to be tenanted by a _Pagurus_, so ridiculously small, in comparison with the size of the sh.e.l.l, that when frightened it retreated to the very uppermost whorl, and, notwithstanding the wide mouth of the sh.e.l.l, could not be seen. So light was the weight of the crab, that, on account of the buoyancy of its sh.e.l.l, it floated lightly on the surface of the water, on which I had placed it with the mouth of the sh.e.l.l uppermost, and was blown by a slight breeze across a pool of water, some twenty yards in width. While it was afloat, the shrewd little occupant retired to the innermost recess of its home; but as soon as the sh.e.l.l had grounded, it protruded its head and pincers and endeavoured to overturn the sh.e.l.l, which it finally succeeded in accomplis.h.i.+ng.

In the case of these two genera of hermit-crabs, _Coen.o.bita_ and _Pagurus_, it was interesting to notice the relation existing between the defensive capabilities of the crab, and the relative size of the sh.e.l.l it selected as its home. The _Pagurus_, with its weak slender pincers, chooses large sh.e.l.ls within which it can retire well out of reach when alarmed. The _Coen.o.bita_, with its stout pincers, prefers sh.e.l.ls much smaller, relatively speaking, and ensconces itself snugly in the body whorl, forming an operculum with its claws. As the hermit-crab, _Coen.o.bita_, crawls along the dry sand of a beach, it leaves behind it characteristic pinnate tracks which may be often traced for several feet. The lateral markings are produced by the claws and legs working on each side of the sh.e.l.l; whilst a central groove is formed by the weight of the sh.e.l.l itself. As shown by the arrow in the diagram, the lateral markings point in the direction of the course which the hermit-crab has taken. Sometimes only a single row of lateral tracks accompanies the grooves produced by the sh.e.l.l. Such markings were produced by a hermit-crab when frightened by my approach. It turned its front towards me, and crawled backwards, by working most of his claws and legs on one side of the sh.e.l.l. In the case of the larger hermit-crabs, which are much less frequent on the beach, each limb produces a distinct print on the sand; but with the small species of _Coen.o.bita_ which infests the beach, each lateral marking, as shown in the diagram, is produced by a single movement of the claws situated on the same side of the sh.e.l.l. The hermit-crabs only leave their tracks on the dry loose sand. One individual, that I placed on sand, still wet from the retreating tide, crawled along without leaving any impression. I have described these impressions with some care, as they bear on the origin of the surface-markings of rocks of shallow-water formation, a subject recently discussed in the geological world. It is highly probable that some of the larger and heavier forms of the Anomura (and, in fact, of the Decapoda generally) would produce prints such as I have here described, both on mud-flats left dry by the tide, and on the soft bottom in shallow depths. A cast of the impressions thus produced would have an unmistakeable plant-like form.

[Ill.u.s.tration]

Whilst examining the island of Simbo, I noticed some singular Medusae in a small mangrove-swamp, which is inclosed in the low point that forms the south sh.o.r.e of the anchorage. Numbers of these organisms of a large size (8 or 9 inches across the umbrella), and of a dirty-white colour, were lying on the mud with their tentacles, uppermost in depths of from one to three feet of water. I was struck by the handsome ma.s.s of arborescent tentacles which they displayed, and by the peculiarity of their lying upside-down. The dark mud which formed the bottom of the swamp was composed of decayed vegetable matter, confervoid growths, diatoms, and a few infusoria: but when I raised up these Medusae, I found underneath each a patch of white sand corresponding with the outline of the organism, but completely concealed by the umbrella when the Medusa lay in its usual position. The sand was derived from corals, sh.e.l.ls, and the volcanic rocks of the island; and the light patches formed a marked contrast with the dark mud around. I was unable to find any satisfactory explanation of these curious patches of sand; and I, therefore, proceeded to interrogate the Medusae on the subject by watching them, but to no purpose. So I had my revenge by turning them all over on their tentacles, when each one immediately began to contract its umbrella in a most methodical fas.h.i.+on, and, after swimming a short distance, deliberately resumed its former position of tentacles upward. I had an extensive experience of mangrove-swamps after we left Simbo; but these self-willed Medusae never came under my notice again.[475]

[475] I referred to the habits of these Medusae in "Nature," Nov.

9th, 1882.

With regard to these Medusae, I should remark that they belong to a species of _Polyclonia_, and are cla.s.sed amongst the Scypho-Medusae.[476]

Two species of _Polyclonia_ seem to be known, _P. frondosa_ (Aga.s.siz) and _P. Mertensii_(Brandt), the first found in the Florida seas, and the latter in the Carolines. I am inclined to think that the Solomon Island species is more nearly allied to _P. Mertensii_. Both species, however, have similar habits, lying on the mud of mangrove-swamps, with their tentacles uppermost.

[476] I compared my notes with the description and figures given by Aga.s.siz in his "Contrib. Nat. Hist. U.S.A." (1862: vols. iii. and iv.). In the Solomon Island species, the dendriform ma.s.s resolves itself into 8 princ.i.p.al branches, each ramose, and all united at their bases by a common membrane. The umbrella, which was finely lobed or crenulated at its margin, displayed about 40 radiating ca.n.a.ls, each communicating by an anastomosing network with the ca.n.a.l on either side of it.

The singular habits of these Scypho-Medusae were noticed by Brandt in 1838. They have since been remarked by Mosely[477] in the Philippines, and by Archer[478] in the West Indies. L. Aga.s.siz in his "Contributions to the Natural History of the United States," describes and figures the Florida species (_Polyclonia frondosa_); and some additional notes on its habits have been made by A. Aga.s.siz, to whose communication in "Nature" (Sept. 29th, 1881) I have been much indebted.

[477] Mosely's "Notes by a Naturalist," p. 404.

[478] "Nature" Aug. 4th, 1881.

Whilst we lay at anchor in Treasury Harbour, in April, 1884, a cetacean, unknown to the natives and to ourselves, got partly stranded in the shallow water, and was captured by the villagers. It was nine feet long, and possessed this remarkable character that, although no teeth showed through the gums, each lower jaw possessed a short, conical, hollow tooth an inch long, placed at the anterior extremity. I obtained the head from the natives, and placed it in a safe place, as I thought; but when we returned to Treasury a few weeks after, I found only portions of the skull with the lower jaw-bones, the wild pigs having held a feast over it. The remains, however, together with my notes and a sketch by Lieutenant Leeper were sent to the British Museum. I there learned that it is a species of Ziphius, probably unknown.

The Solomon Islanders believe in the existence of anthropoid apes in the interiors of the large islands, regarding them, however, like the Dyaks of Borneo in the case of the Orang-utan, as "wild men of the woods." In Malaita they are said to be 4 to 5 feet high, and to come down in troops to make raids on the banana plantations. Captain Macdonald informed me that the natives allege that one of these apes was caught, and, after being kept for some time, escaped. Taki, the St. Christoval chief, told Mr. Stephens that he had seen one of these apes, and pointed out the locality. Tanowaio, the Ugi chief, also made a similar statement. In Guadalcanar, they are believed to live in the trees, and to attack men. Dr. Codrington refers to the prevalence of these beliefs throughout Melanesia (Journ. Anthrop. Inst., vol. x. p. 261). Such beliefs, as experience has shown in the case of the Gorilla and other anthropoids, have undoubtedly some foundation; but whether these mysterious animals are apes is quite another question.