430 NATURAL HISTORY OF HAWAII. 



woods and damp jjulchcs. and iii-c usually found on the ground. They sing all 

 day long and most of the night, with a plaintive chirp that is an audible sign of 

 the moist virgin forest. Their chirp can usually be heard a long way, and as 

 they occur in localities frequented by tree snails, their song is often spoken of 

 l)y tile layman as the chirp of these tree-dwelling animals. 



The leap of these insects is worthy of remark, as during the tirst leaps 

 they can cover several feet in a single bound. But after a few jumps they 

 lose their strength and make for cover on a run. The habits and appearance 

 of the remaining species of the genus, and of the remaining mountain genera 

 varies greatly, some being arboreal, some hiding beneath the bark of trees, 

 and some freciuenting peculiar species of trees or iilants. 



The introduced species, including the curious mole-cricket.'''"' elsewhere 

 referred to, and two species of the true crickets, one of which i'" is common and 

 well established, the other '"^ a more recent introduction, occur about houses 

 and gardens, especially in Honolulu. The familiar chirp of the true crickets 

 adds a homely note to the music of the soft tropical evening in Hawaii, and 

 all agree that their song more than repays the slight damage they may do to 

 vegetation and to stoi'ed food. 



Wingless Bird-Lice. 



The wingless bird-lice '"'^ are minute parasitic insects with biting mouth 

 parts that live among the feathers of birds. They are to be found on 

 both the native and introduced birds of Hawaii. The list includes upwards of 

 twenty species taken from a dozen species of the common birds and doubtless 

 falls far short of a complete eniuneration of the bird-lice to be found in the 

 group, since, of the twenty species recorded, seventeen are described as new to 

 science. While the rule is for each species of birds to have its own peculiar 

 form, it is not unusual to find several species of bird-lice infesting a single 

 bird. The beautiful red iiwi.'"^* for example, is infested with three genera 

 representing three species, and the Chinese dove with two. 



SiLVERFISH AND Si'RIMi-TAILS. 



The sjjring-tails '^" are included in an order of insects that are entirely 

 without wings in all stages of growth. Fi^■e species so far reported from 

 Hawaii are minute silvery, yellowish or pale-colored creatures usually less 

 than two millimeters in leiigtli. They are provided with a curioiis tail-like 

 organ which is bent under, when the insect is at rest, that reaches almost to the 

 head. This organ, when suddenly straightened, throws the insect into the air 

 like a rocket to land several feet away, presumably in a place of safety. The 

 species so far secured have been taken from the liigh mountains under bark 

 and from other sheltered places, but their general habits are unknown. 



Coming to the most primitive order of living insects, i"*' familiarly known 

 as bristle-tails, fish-moths or silverfish. we find the order represented by 



(;r!,llus s]). ^'-^ ilaUuithiiun. '■" y,:iliarUi ruc-iiu'd. 



