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The island was first mentioned by Roggeveen in 1722 (JOURDAIN 1970), but visits became regular only during the XlXth century. An evangelist, of the "London Missionary Society" settled down in 1829 (NEWBURY 1986), which supposes that exchanges with the outside were regular at that time. This probably explains the presence of bird specimens collected outside the Scientific Expeditions (e.g. description of Ptilinopus purpuratus chalcurus in 1859 by GRAY).