Avifauna of the Sandwich Islands. 361 



There are, however, a few peculiar Sandwich-Island forms 

 amongst them, such as the Hawaiian Coot {Fulica alai) and the 

 Sandwich-Island Goose [Bernicla sandvicensis) , which has been 

 introduced into Europe, and breeds in our Zoological Gardens. 

 The Water-birds, however, are of much less value in forming 

 an estimate of the nature of any Avifauna than the Land-birds. 

 I will therefore pass them by somewhat summarily, and pro- 

 ceed to draw the following conclusions upon the Hawaiian 

 Ornis : — 



1. The Avifauna of the Hawaiian group of islands, so far as 

 it is hitherto explored, comprehends about 40 species, of which 

 about 18 are Land-birds and 22 are Water-birds. 



2. The Land-birds consist of 3 Accipitres and 15 Passeres. 

 There are no Pici, Cypseli, Coccyges, or Psittaci. 



3. The Accipitres comprehend 1 peculiar and 2 wide-ranging- 

 species. The supposed peculiar species, however, requires 

 further investigation. 



4. The Passeres consist of 15 well-established species, all 

 peculiar, or "autochthones," as such natives may be termed. 

 These belong to eight or nine generic forms, of which one only 

 occurs elsewhere. 



5. Out of the 15 Passeres, 12 belong to the Meliphagidfe, and 

 are mostly remarkable for the extraordinary forms of their bills. 

 They may perhaps be ultimately found to constitute a special sec- 

 tion of the Meliphagidse, or even a distinct family of themselves, 

 like the Helicterine Land-shells of the same archipelago *. 



In conclusion, I may add that a more thorough investigation 

 of the fauna of this remarkable group of islands is in every way 

 desirable. It is to be hoped that Mr. Dole, who has bestowed 

 so much pains upon the compilation of the list upon which my 

 remarks have been founded is already engaged upon this task. 

 It is especially desirable that the mode of distribution of the 

 indigenous species amongst the different islands should be care- 

 fully attended to. The species and even the genera of the 

 Helicterina are in many cases confined to one or more islands ; 

 and the same may be the case in the birds likewise. 



One of the four British stations fixed upon for the observation 

 * See Mr. Harper Pease ou tliis subject, P. Z. S. 18G9, p. 644. 



