308 NATURAL HISTORY OF HAWAII. 



fieult to tell from whence the Hawaiian stock was derived. The back of the 

 male is a fine coppery-che.stnut color, the neck a beautiful metallic-green, with a 

 narrow white collar about the middle, and the breast a gorg-eous metallic-copper 

 color with purple reflections. 



The Japanese pheasant " is about the same size as the Chinese species. 

 Tlie jiure-blooded male can be easily identified, as its underparts are dark 

 green and there is no white ring about the neck. The females of the two 

 species are more difficult to identify, especially in Hawaii, where hybrids 

 between the two species frequently occur tliat I'ival the i)ure stock in size and 

 beauty of plumage. 



The California Partridge. 



The California partridge'" is well establihed in the islands, especially 

 on Hawaii, Maui and Molokai. ^J'he pretty black crest and throat and black 

 scale-like markings on the belly, with a central patch of chestnut on the breast 

 of the males, and the prevailing smoky or brownish color of the females, taken 

 together with the habit, size and rapid flight of the partridge, makes it an 

 easy bird to recognize, as they scurry across the road or take flight from 

 under foot and whir through the air like so many winged bullets. 



The pheasants and partridges prefer the open country, the forehills, and 

 straggling scrub about the lower edges of the mountain forests, and in spite of 

 the damage to them and their nests that is directly traceable to the mongoose, 

 they are generally believed to be increasing in numbers. 



The wild f(iwl, or moa, was introduced by the natives long before the 

 coming of the wliite man. Init since liis coming other breeds have escaped into 

 the mountains and a mongrel Hawaiian wild chicken has resulted. The intro- 

 duction and liberation of certain domestic birds, as turkeys, pea-fowls, guinea- 

 fowls and the like, have been made from time to time until they are quite 

 common in a wild state on the different islands. 



Other liirds have escaped and become established, among them a parrot 

 on ^laui and a Chinese thrush^' on Oahu; though the latter is not a thrush, but 

 a reed-\varl)ler. It is to be hoped that ere long the scientific introduction of 

 desii'able economic species will l>i' undertaken, since there are many species 

 of birds in America and elsewhere that, if brought to Hawaii, would fill a 

 useful place in the economy of nature, and at the same time add by tlieir 

 presence to the pleasure of life in both city and country. 



CHAPTER XXIIl. 



BIRDS OF THE SEA AND OCEANIC ISLANDS. 



Regi'lar Visitors and Ocean Waifs. 



Of till' little list iif less than thirty species of sea-birds of which Hawaii 

 can lH>ast, almost half the number are ver\' rare winter visitors. As a rule 



' Lophorltix californi. 



