272 ANNUAL REPORTS OF DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



proclamation requiring a license to import certain articles from for- 

 eign countries, and on March 23 the War Trade Board through its 

 Bureau of Imports published a list of restricted imports, among 

 which were live animals, except those to be used for scientific and 

 breeding purposes. Under these conditions few shipments have been 

 received from England, and importers have had to rely almost en- 

 tirely on South America and the Orient for birds and mammals for 

 exhibition and propagation. Notwithstanding the restrictions, im- 

 portations from England have not ceased entirely, as sbown by the 

 arrival of several miscellaneous consignments during the first half 

 of the fiscal year and one during the spring. 



The number of permits issued during the year decreased 25 per 

 cent, from 413 in 1917 to about 300 in 1918,' and the number of inspec- 

 tions from 112 to 76. More than 25 per cent of the permits issued 

 were for the entry of foxes from Canada, the total number entered 

 under these authorizations being 391. Among the birds imported 

 were 6,232 game birds, 10,000 canaries, and 51,302 other nongame 

 birds. At Honolulu only 13 permits were issued, for the entry of 

 176 birds, chiefly pheasants. So far as known, no prohibited species 

 tvere brought in during the year. 



The total number of birds and mammals imported included 1,933 

 mammals, as compared with 4,135 in 1917, and 67,933 birds, as com- 

 pared with 97,993 in 1917. The importation of game birds and 

 canaries reached the lowest point since 1900. Nearly 85 per cent of 

 the game birds were quail from Mexico, and of the 1,027 others only 

 150 were pheasants. The total number of canaries imported during 

 the year was less than the average importation for a 10-day period 

 in 1913, ;he year before the war, and the time of maximum entries. 

 The canaries imported were partly English and partly Chinese ; very 

 few were German singers, which formerly made up a very large pro- 

 portion of the shipments. 



The shipments of miscellaneous nongame birds included a number 

 of rare species and also species imported for the first time. Among 

 the most important entries were a large consignment from Australia, 

 a small but important shipment from South Africa, and several ship- 

 ments from Colombia, Venezuela, and Brazil. Among the rarer 

 birds of special interest may be mentioned : Two species of birds of 

 paradise, including two specimens of the Count Eaggi bird of para- 

 dise {Paradisea raggiana) and one lesser bird of paradise {P. minor) ^ 

 from New Guinea; two regent birds {Sericulus chrysocephalus) ; two 

 tawny frogmouths {Podargus strigoides) from Australia; nearly 

 1,500 of the beautiful Lady Gould finch {Poephila mirahilis and P. 

 gouldiae) from northwestern Australia; 155 little painted quail {Ex- 

 Golfactoria lineata) from the Philippines; and two white-crested 

 touraco (Turacus corythaix) and two-horned guinea fowl {Numida 

 coronata) from Africa. Many rare birds were imported from South 

 America, including, among others, an imperial parrot {Amazona 

 imperialis) and a Brazilian hawk-headed parrot {Deroptyus accipi- 

 trinus fuscifrons). Other importations of the year comprised an 

 echidna, the first since 1913, and several mammals brought in fifir the 

 first time, among which were a brown hyena from South Africa and 

 several species of kangaroos from Australia* 



