but the practice of cutting off their long, flowing black hair, and allowing it to grow in a short, stiff “frizz” is all too common, and detracts very much from an otherwise handsome and graceful appearance, especially when the hair is coated with lime in order to change its colour to red.  Many of the men, particularly those of chiefly rank, are of magnificent stature and proportions, and their walk and carriage are in consonance.

An announcement that the visitors intend to go pigeon shooting is warmly applauded, and each white man is at once provided with a guide, for, unless he has had experience of the Samoan forest, he will return with an empty bag, as, however plentiful the birds may be, their habit of hiding in the branches of the lofty tamanu and masa’oi-trees render them difficult of detection.  The natives themselves are very good shots, and very rarely fail to bring down a bird, even when nothing more than a scarlet leg or a blue-grey feather is visible.  The guns they use are very common, cheap German affairs, but are specially made for Samoa, being very small bored and long in the barrel.  The best time is in the early morning and towards the cool of the evening, when the birds are feeding on masa’oi and other berries; during the heat of the day they seldom leave their perches, though their deep crooning note may be heard everywhere.  In the mountainous interiors of Upolu and Savaii there is but little undergrowth; the ground is carpeted with a thick layer of leaves, dry on the top, but rain and dew-soaked beneath, and simply to breathe the sweet, cool mountain air is delightful.  At certain times of the year the birds are very fat, and I have very often seen them literally burst when striking the ground after being shot in high trees.  Their flavour is delicious, especially if they are hung for a day.  I may here remark that, in New Britain, precisely the same species of pigeon is very often quite uneatable through feeding upon Chili berries, which in that island grow in profusion.  In shooting in a Samoan forest one has nothing to fear from venomous reptiles, for, although there are two or three kinds of snakes, they are rarely ever seen and quite harmless.  Scorpions and centipedes—­the latter often six inches in length—­there are in plenty, but these detestable vermin are more common in European habitations than in the bush.  At the same time, mosquitoes are a terrible annoyance anywhere in the vicinity of water, and delight in attacking the tender skin of the stranger.  Then, again, beware of scratching any exposed part of the skin, for, unless it is quickly covered by plaister or otherwise attended to, an irritating sore, which may take months to heal, will often result.