128. every 6 weeks, are keen shooters and invariably go shooting pigeons on Mare and Lifu, they definitely declare it is useless going on Uvea because pigeons are too scarce to make it worthwhile and having tried a few times refuse to go now. Occasionally they go after ducks on Uvea, but are inclined to think these too difficult to shoot and only go very occasionally when reports of the presence of great numbers of ducks are told them by local traders. Investigation along the lines that the bird must go elsewhere, and reports (and later personal confirmation by visiting the areas) that the islands to the west had very few pigeons at any time, left two possible likely areas to which birds might go, Lifu and New Caledonia. Along the south, I could find no definite indication of a movement of birds towards New Caledonia, other than that on Mouli Is. where at most times considerable numbers would appear for 1 or 2 days and then disappear again. This I think was probably when food shortages elsewhere drove them wider afield and in their searches they visited Mouli, probably only shortly before they left for other areas. As regards movements toward Lifu Island, I obtained two native records of having seen birds come from a seaward direction on the east coast but both reports were of only single birds and could possibly have been cases of birds having left Uvea elsewhere and returned. A far more significant fact was that for several days points along the east coast had large numbers of birds about them, then suddenly all disappeared. These congregations were annual and appeared to occur about the one season (though informants varied somewhat in the