decrease of the species. Actually I do not believe the hurri- cane decreased the numbers on the island below one to two hundred, if as low as that, but such low numbers undoubtedly made capture by natives such a difficult task that they con- sidered the attendant effort too much for the resultant reward. This has caused the idea prevalent in Noumea that the bird was extinct and efforts to get specimens had ceased and this has allowed the bird to build up its numbers again in six years or so to its present status on the island. A brief but close summary of which along with habits and behaviour is given in the following pages.