Cassell's book of birds; vol. 3

by Alfred Edmund Brehm

THE DIDUNCULUS, OR TOOTHED PIGEON.

The DIDUNCULUS, or TOOTHED PIGEON (Didunculus strigirostris), is an extraordinary bird, representing a family of Pigeons possessing a powerful body, moderately long neck, and large head. The beak, which is much higher than it is broad, has the upper mandible arched and hooked at its extremity, its margins being smooth; the tip of the curved under mandible, on the contrary, is furnished with three tooth-like indentations. The tarsus is strong, partially bare, and longer than the centre toe; all the toes are unconnected, and armed with broad hooked claws. The rounded wings extend, when closed, almost to the end of the moderate-sized and slightly-rounded tail. The head, throat, breast, and belly of this species are of a glossy greenish black; the hinder portions of the under side, the wings, tail, and feathers on the lower wing-covers rich, deep chestnut-brown; the quills are greyish black, and all the feathers on the upper part of the mantle decorated with a brilliant green spot at their tips; the lower back, wings, tail, and feathers of the lower tail-covers are of a beautiful dark chestnut-brown, and the quills greyish black. The eye is blackish brown; the bare patch that surrounds it and the cheek-stripes bright orange-red; the beak is also orange-red, with light yellow tip; the feet red, and the claws yellowish white. The length is twelve inches and a half, and breadth twenty-four inches; the wing measures seven inches, and tail three inches.

The first description of the Didunculus was published by Sir William Jardine, in the "Annals and Magazine of Natural History." "We are," he says, "indebted to Lady Harvey, who purchased it at Edinburgh, for a specimen of this bird;" and adds, "We are aware of no existing description, though there is one allusion made to a bird which may turn out to be this. In Mr. Strickland's 'Report on the Present State of Ornithology,' it is stated that in the recent American voyage of discovery Mr. Titian Peale had discovered a new bird allied to the Dodo, which he proposed to name Didunculus."

The subject remained in this state till 1862, when Dr. Bennett communicated his observations on this Pigeon to the Sydney Morning Herald. This communication was subsequently published in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London, from which the following account is taken:—

"The Rev. John B. Stair," says Dr. Bennett, who formerly resided for some time at the Navigator group of islands, which are believed to be the exclusive habitat of this singular bird, "informed the Secretary of the Acclimatisation Society of Victoria that it is named by the natives Manua-mea or Red Bird, from the predominant colour of its plumage being chocolate-red. It was formerly numerous, and therefore we may be surprised that it should not have been seen and procured by the early navigators. Now it is nearly extinct. It feeds on plantains, and is partial to the fruit of the soi, a species of Dioscorea, or yam, a twining plant abundant in these islands, and producing a fruit resembling a small potato. In disposition it is exceedingly shy and timid. Like the Ground Pigeons, it roosts on bushes or stumps of trees, and feeds on the ground; it also builds its nest in such situations. During the breeding season both parents aid in the work of incubation, relieve each other with great regularity, and are so intent on the performance of their duty that when sitting on the eggs they may be easily captured by hand. Two living birds were obtained in this way by Mr. Stair. They are also taken by the natives with birdlime or springes, and shot with arrows, the sportsman concealing himself near an open space in which a quantity of the soi, their favourite food, had been placed.

"The first living bird obtained was accidentally killed; the second, when placed in confinement, was sullen, and refused food, but soon became reconciled to captivity, and throve well. The natives fed it upon boiled taro (the root of the Caladium esculentum), rolled into oblong pellets, in the same manner as they fed their pet Wood Pigeons and Doves. The power of wing of most of the Pigeon tribe is very great, a circumstance which also obtains in this bird. It flies through the air with a loud noise, like the Top-knot Pigeon (Lopholaimus antarcticus), of the Illawarra district, and many other of the Australian Pigeons; and Mr. Stair describes it as making so great a noise with its wings on rising, that when heard at a distance it resembles the rumbling of distant thunder, for which it might be mistaken."

In a second communication, made to the same society, by Dr. Bennett, in 1863, he speaks of another living specimen of this rare bird brought to Sidney by Mr. Williams. "It was," he says, "at first rather shy and wild, but afterwards became more tame, and manifested but little fear; this feeling was, however, occasionally exhibited by the utterance of rapid 'coos,' and by fluttering its wings. It is a stupid-looking bird, and has no particular attraction except in the anomalous and extraordinary form of the beak, which cannot fail to attract the attention of the most ordinary observers. The only sound it utters is a quick 'coo-coo-coo,' the beak being always open when the sounds are emitted. The bird was captured about five miles from Apia, in the Island of Upola; it is evident, therefore, that a few still remain there. It is, however, agreed by every one with whom I have conversed who has resided at the Navigators' Islands, that it is nearly extinct, both from being eaten by the natives, as well as owing to the attacks of cats, rats, and other vermin. Its food consisted at first of boiled yams, but it will eat bananas, apples, bread, and boiled potatoes."

In a third paper, read by Dr. Bennett in 1864 at a meeting of the Zoological Society, he says:—"In the contour of the bill, the form and position of the nostrils, and several other characters, the Didunculus differs from any other living species yet known. Although a smaller bird, it approximates in all its characters to the extinct Dodo, and, like it, combines the characters of a rapacious bird with those of the harmless Pigeon. Although the mandibles are powerful, yet the beak is never used as an offensive weapon, for when the hand is placed in the cage, or the bird is seized for removal from one cage to another, it never attempts to bite, but, on the contrary, is so timid that, after fluttering about or running into a dark corner, it soon becomes subdued and is easily taken."