^°'-i9^J^^^] Bryan, Yellow Canary of Midway Island. 341 



"These eleven young birds were kept in large cages until July 

 of the same year on account of a number of very troublesome cats 

 which were living in a wild state amongst the shrubbery. They 

 were wary and extremely difficult to kill. One of our Chinese 

 servants devised a large frame trap of chicken netting, with parti- 

 tioned compartments (parlour and bedroom we called it) with a 

 drop door at each end attached by string to the bait. This was 

 successful and in May, 1910, we were sure that there were no cats 

 left on the Island. 



"In July two male canaries were sent me from Honolulu and 

 these along with the eleven young birds which we had raised here 

 were liberated. For a time the young birds would return to the 

 doors at night to be taken in but they quickly became accustomed 

 to their liberty. 



"In December they began nesting. One built in a slender and 

 very exposed Australian Ironwood tree (introduced) close to the 

 buildings and hatched out three healthy looking birds but they 

 perished during a gale with a very low temperature on the night of 

 January 13th, 1911, and the nest was abandoned. Shortly after- 

 wards we discovered that well sheltered nests were being built in 

 the heart of clumps of "Marianne" grass and young birds soon 

 made their appearance at the feed boxes which we have attached 

 to veranda railings. New batches came at intervals up to the 

 month of August. 



" We estimate the offspring for the season to be about 60, and at 

 the present time (December, 1911) mating has begun, and with 

 fairly favourable weather conditions we have every reason to 

 expect a large increase during this season. 



" They are beautiful songsters and most attractive, and although 

 not quite so friendly as the Laysan Finch {Teles piza cantans) they 

 will feed with a person standing within a yard of them. During 

 the spring of 1911 the original pair were put together but from 

 several batches of eggs no birds were obtained. 



"The Laysan Finch " : In May, 1905, 1 happened to be at Lay- 

 san Island on the " Iroquois" and procured from Mr. Max Sclemmer 

 a cage of these birds. They were liberated upon arrival here but 

 were only seen around the buildings for a week or two. Another 

 cage of these birds was secured at Laysan by Capt. Piltz and sent 

 here to Mrs. Colley in September of the same year (1905). They 



