314 NATURAL HISTORY OF HAWAII. 



conditions, conveniences and location tliat appeal most to their fancy, and they 

 occupy the site selected by the colony to its fullest capacity. In the bunch- 

 grass the little flightless raiP'^ is found, nesting among the thick stems close 

 down to the ground. The miller liird''' and the Laysan canary-" nest in the 

 main stems of the bushes, and next above them the tastefully arranged nests of 

 the Laysan honey-eater -i is placed. On the tops of the bushes, occupying 

 the choice top-Hats, terns, boobies and man-o'-war birds contend among them- 

 selves and with their neighbors for the desirable locations-, while overhead the 

 air is literally filled with swarms of birds. 



Laysan is a veritable bird-lovers' jiaradise, for, having no knowledge of 

 man, most of the species are without fe;ir and may be lifted from the nest with 

 the hands like a setting barnyard fowl. 



The Alb-vtross D.vxce. 



By reason of their number, size and unusual personalities, there arc no 

 more interesting birds in the colony than the two species of albatross to which 

 allusion has already been made. The Laysan or white-breasted species are 

 most abundant and are widely distributed over the island. From the middle 

 of October, when they begin to reach the colony — returning from, nobody 

 knows whei'c — all through the winter months and until the young arc ready 

 to leave with their parents the folldwiiiu .luly. the island is ccivcrcd witli 

 albatross. Lnokiiig in any direction, one can see the old birds standing 

 stolidly about, sitting on their nests, or engaged in their curious dance — a 

 singular performance for which the albatross is justly famed. 



This game, or dance, or cake-walk, or whatever one may care to call it. is 

 more than a form of courtship, since it is indulged in at all times, day or night, 

 during the entire [leriod of the birds' long stay on the island. It is without 

 exception the most annising performance I have ever seen birds indulge in. 

 The dance is so ajitly described liy l)v. W . K. Fisher, that I quote from his 

 account : 



"Two albatrosses apju^oach each other, bowing ]u-ofoundly and stcpiting 

 rather heavily. They circle around each other, nodding solemnly all the 

 time. Next they fence a little, crossing bills and whetting tlicni together, 

 pecking meanwhile and dropping stiff little bows. Suddeidy one lifts its 

 closed wings and nibbles the feathers mulerneath or. rarely, if in a hiu-ry 

 merely turns its head, and tucks its bill under its wing. The other bird dur- 

 ing this performance assumes a statuesciue pose and either looks mechanically 

 from side to side or snaps its bill loudly a few times. Then the first bird bows 

 once again, pointing its head and beak straiglit up. and utters a pi'olonged 

 nasal groan, the otluM- bird snapping its liill loudly and rapidly at the s;une 

 time. Sometimes both bii'ds raisi- their heads in the air and citlK'r one oi' both 

 utters the indesci ibalile and ridiculous bo\ini' groan. When they lia\-e fin- 

 ished they begin bo-\\ing to each other, almost ahv;iys I'apidly and alternately, 



" Pmaniila palmer!. i» Acrot-e,i)iii!us fumUiiirix. -<' Telesi>izn cnnlans. -'i Himatioiie frertlii. 



