William Halse Rivers (1864–1922) was a groundbreaking physician, psychologist and anthropologist in the early twentieth century, chiefly remembered for his work on the psychological disorders produced by the First World War. In this two-volume work from 1914, he presents his theory of the diffusion of culture in the south-west Pacific. Volume One details aspects of the customs and practises of the islands in Melanesia and beyond, including the Hawaiian islands. This book will be of value to anyone with an interest in the history of anthropology or the Pacific islands.