EXPEDITION TO LAYSAN ISLAND IN 1911. 29 



RECOMMENDATIONS FOB FUTURE PROTECTION OF THE 

 RESERVATION. 



As to the future care of this wonderful colony, I would suggest that 

 the most effective way to conserve the bird life is to appoint a warden 

 for the reservation who should have general supervision of these 

 low-lying islands and their bird inhabitants. A resident warden 

 should then be provided who should be supplied with a small auxiliary 

 power schooner, or a large power sampan, that would enable him to 

 make frequent and unannounced visits at irregular intervals to all of 

 the islands along the chain. The installation of a wireless telegraph 

 station at Midway, where the power and facilities are already avail- 

 able, would add greatly to the convenience and safety of commerce 

 and trans-Pacific travel and would put the islands of the chain in 

 direct touch with Honolulu and the outside world. 



If a vessel such as has been suggested should be stationed at Laysan 

 or Midway Island it would be an important step toward the proper 

 supervision of all the outlying islands, whether included in the reserva- 

 tion or not. Naturally the people and the authorities of the Territory 

 of Hawaii feel a keen interest in the welfare of this reservation. A 

 feeling is growing that the day is not far distant when this Territory 

 will look upon the Leeward chain of islands as forming a great natural 

 park as interesting and wonderful in its way and as instructive to 

 visit as are any of the other famous national parks. 



The visiting of these islands and reefs by interested persons, should 

 they be opened to the public under proper regulations and super- 

 vision, will result in no harm to the breeding colony, as the long 

 residence of the guano company on the island of Laysan has proven. 

 As years go by and the birds become more rare elsewhere, the great 

 reservation thus conserved in the mid-Pacific will be an object of 

 world interest and concern. The birds themselves are a valuable 

 possession to Hawaii and the nation, while as an attraction to visitors 

 as well as to the residents of these islands they represent, as yet, an 

 asset that is scarcely appreciated. 



It is urged that the Federal Government and the Territorial 

 government should at once become actively interested in these islands 

 and that measures should be taken to safeguard the birds against the 

 possibility of further despoliation by plume hunters. It is also urged 

 that steps should be taken to introduce the rare land birds of Laysan 

 on other of the low islands of the chain where conditions are favorable 

 in order to prevent the extermination of these interesting and valuable 

 birds in the manner I have suggested. 



At least three of the land forms of Laysan are of unquestioned 

 economic importance and of great value to the Territoiy of Hawaii 

 as the natural enemies of certain noxious and injurious insects. The 

 difficult problem of their transportation and introduction into the 



